So let's look at Sola Scriptura: Word Alone. As simple as the phrase is, it is a complex concept. Luther was NOT saying that anybody reading the plain words of the Bible could clearly ascertain the message of the Bible from its plain meaning. [Just like 'we'll have to do lunch sometime' means you can expect an invitation this week.]#1 Lutherans do not interpret the Bible literally. Luther and Lutherans of the ELCA kind are not literal interpreters of the Bible. So in the story where Balaam's donkey speaks, we do not think that there truly was a talking ass. Certainly there is a message in that story, but not that donkeys had a day once when they spoke in comprehensible language.
#2 Not every ancient manuscript which claimed to be speaking God's Word was considered authentic or authoritative. Not everything was included in the official canon (the agreed upon list of writings to be included in the Bible) because church leaders felt they distorted the God story. . For years in the early church, the list of recognized writings to be included shifted a little back and forth until the canon was closed in the early 400's. These other writings are called 'extra-textual' by the scholars and can provide some insight into early practice and the evolution of creeds. One such is The Didache which you can read here Didache text
#3 Lutherans understand the Bible to be the inspired Word of God. Inspired = Spirit led, but transmitted to us through human agents. God may be eternal but humans are rooted in time and space. We are shaped by the culture in which we live, the part of the world where we are born, even our social class and gender. A simple example of this might be: a fireman would tell stories in terms of emergencies and fast response and putting out fires. A 1st century woman would tell her stories from the perspective of birthing and raising children, cooking and sewing. They are trying to tell us something about this God that they know and who has been revealed to them, but they use the images and experiences that are a part of their lives.
This means that the Bible is tied to particular historic times and cultures and practices. These practices shape the way in which the God story is told because that is the only way the folks writing it all down know how to tell the story. The 16 year old girls of Jesus' time were not discussing which college they wanted to attend. They were about to be married (if not already) and have children. That's what 16 year old girls did.
So as we read the Bible together and listen for God's voice and God's revelation, we also need to know the context in which the story was written. A good study Bible will include an introduction to each of the books and helpful notes at the bottom of the pages to help you figure some of this out. There are lots of books published by Augsburg Fortress to help you figure it out.
This figuring out process is best done in a community: a group discussion where lots of questions are raised and multiple points of view expressed.....because God continues to speak to us today, sending the Spirit to guide our study and open new insights. It is easy to see that an eternal God who speaks through an unchanging script from an ancient time can have multiple interpretations - and all those readings are skewed by our own time and place.
Ahhhhh! I will never understand the Bible! Not true, but it is a journey that requires time, patience and attentiveness to what is said, what is not said, who speaks, who is silent, and......my own prejudices that I bring into the mix.
The good news is, it's just loads of fun to explore and consider and break open in new ways. Even with a bit of higher education on the subject, I am continually fed by the new and insightful readings of my study partners.
All of that, and guess what? We haven't really gotten to Sola Scriptura yet. But there were a few basics we needed first. Watch this space for more Reformation Monday posts on reading the Bible.
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