Hello everyone,
I am writing this as I do the final preparation for my holiday and then my study leave (also known as a Sabbatical). This will be about personal spirituality. I guess the main elements of this are bringing together prayer personal experience and the Bible.
The way in which we read and understand religious texts such as the Bible depends upon our standpoint. Life experiences, political opinions and personality all affect the way in which we interpret the words. So, in Christian terms, there are different kinds of theology. Liberation theology grew out of Latin America and a revolutionary context. Feminist theology reads the Bible highlighting the roles of women and their contribution to the faith journey of God’s people that had previously been underplayed. Black theology reveals how Christian thinking has been dominated by white western thought forms.
When we look at the Bible from our own perspective or interest the tendency is that that is all we see. We assume that we have got it right, and by definition the others have got it wrong.
I believe it is important to hear other perspectives, be challenged by them and to develop in our thinking. In this way sacred writings become living texts, shaping our understanding of the world, and not ancient words belonging to a different time and generation.
By the time I am back with you in September I hope to have some further thoughts on this; and if you have ideas do share those with me too.
Hope you have a good summer.
With best wishes,
Rev John Oldershaw - Minister