My new favorite American beer is from Stone Brewing Co. in Escondido, California. It's an American Strong called Arrogant Bastard Ale. Hoppy. Yum.

Which leads me to my first post in a few months.

So I've been keeping my eye on this whole "let's talk Christianity" thing...from a safe distance. I didn't know why I was asked to keep my distance, but I was. Maybe it was to acquire the courage (non-accountability?) to say this. Maybe not.

...So I'm pretty much convinced that a lot of what's in the Bible is wrong.

{uncomfortable pause}

OK, here's the thing. Yes, I am an arrogant bastard. I tend to speak and think as if my position on the wisdom-mountain-climb is the correct position. That's a problem. I'm working on it, my new favorite beer notwithstanding.

OK, back to the whole Bible-wrong thing.

What are these stories? Simply, they're the words of human beings trying to interpret/make-sense-of this gargantuan, unspeakable God/World dynamic. And these particular humans have taken a pretty admirable stab at it, often the most admirable stabs in human history. We can learn much from their attempts, and especially when we look at the collection as a whole.

But at the individual-interpretation level, can we just come out and say that they're often wrong, i.e., they don't match the vision of the God revealed in Jesus Christ?

Can we just say that?

Look, don't get me wrong. The Bible is packed to the gills with truths, valiantly reduced to human language. The most valid accounts of the Truth-revealer are found within its pages.

But can't we just say that the guy who thought the God-revealed-in-Jesus ordered the killing of the Canaanites was wrong?

Can't we just say that the guy who thought the God-who-is-Love hated Esau was wrong? And that the guy who used that passage to argue that the God-of-the-Cross has created certain people in order to damn them was, to that extent, just plain wrong?

Can't we just say that? Would the whole system collapse if we admitted that ancient peoples doing their best to communicate the divine often messed up? Do we have to build entire, ridiculous theological systems around these good-intentioned-but-un-Jesus-shaped interpretations (yes, Calvinists, I am talking about you)?

Yes, the Spirit of God inspired these writings. The Spirit of God has inspired me to do a lot of things. I still fuck up while sincerely trying to do them every now and again...

...and again...

...and again.

And so do you.

And so does he.

And so does she.

And so did Paul.

And so did the guy(s) who wrote the Pentateuch.

Yeah, yeah, I know. I can just hear my narrative-enamored brethren now:

"...poetry..."

"...metaphor..."

"...apocalyptic imagery..."

And my postmodern brethren:

"...not about true/false..."

"...context..."

That's not what I'm talking about, and you know it.

I'm talking about the "God did/said this" passages, and we who come up with complex explanations because we're too chicken shit to say, "Uh, if your talking about the God revealed in Jesus of Nazereth, no He didn't."

I'm talking about the passages that Scot McKnight has to write parakeet books to explain. I'm talking about the passages that Bart Ehrman can cite to justify his atheism, and to which N.T. Wright can say nothing in response.

Yes, I'm glad Paul won that political-theological battle against the circumcision party, and I still consider him the second greatest theologian who ever lived, factoring in the circumstances under which he was writing.

But, in my humble but accurate opinion, Paul wrote some things that simply don't jive with what Jesus was talking/living/rising about...notwithstanding the book in which they're found.

{Ducks hurled stone}

There. I said it.

Goin' back to the cave to hide now. See you in a few months (or maybe tomorrow...depends on what God predestined for me).

Grace and Peace,
Raffi

Peter Rollins has written a book of parables called The Orthodox Heretic: And Other Impossible Tales. "Parables" are powerful things, and Peter is somewhat hesitant to call his stories by that name, instead inviting his readers to decide if they are worthy to be so labeled.

Peter Rollins has written a book of parables.

'Bout a month ago, I bid farewell to the blogosphere. Well, not entirely. I did mention that I might post the occasional piece here and there, but I'm done with the regular, every-other-day stuff.

I received a lot of feedback on that decision. Thanks to everyone who expressed some pretty powerfully kind words about the stuff here at Parables. I was truly humbled by your sentiments.

Some others asked "Why?" I tried my best to explain, but I never adequately expressed, or could ever express, the specific reasons.

Peter Rollins did it for me.

The following is the first parable from Orthodox Heretic...for all those who asked me "Why?"

"In a world where following Christ is decreed to be a subversive and illegal activity, you have been accused of being a believer, arrested, and dragged before a court.

You have been under clandestine surveillance for some time now, and so the prosecution has been able to build up quite a case against you. They begin the trial by offering the judge dozens of photographs that show you attending church meetings, speaking at religious events, and participating in various prayer and worship services.

After this, they present a selection of items that have been confiscated from your home: religious books that you own, worship CD's, and other Christian artifacts. Then they step up the pace by displaying many poems, pieces of prose, and journal entries that you had lovingly written concerning your faith...

Throughout the case you have been sitting silently in fear and trembling. You know deep in your heart that with the large body of evidence that has been amassed by the prosecution you face the possibility of a long imprisonment or even execution. At various times throughout the proceedings you have lost all confidence and have been on the verge of standing up and denying Christ. But while this thought has plagued your mind throughout the trial, you resist the temptation and remain focused.

Once the prosecution has finished presenting their case the judge proceeds to ask if have anything to add, but you remain silent and resolute, terrified that if you open your mouth, even for a moment, you might deny the charges made against you. Like Christ, you remain silent before your accusers. In response you are led outside to wait as the judge ponders your case.

The hours pass slowly as you sit under guard in the foyer waiting to be summoned back. Eventually, a young man in uniform appears and leads you into the courtroom so that you may hear the verdict and receive word of your punishment. Once you have been seated in the dock the judge, a harsh and unyielding man, enters the room, stands before you, looks deep into your eyes and begins to speak.

"Of the charges that have been brought forward I find the accused not guilty."

"Not guilty?" Your heart freezes. Then, in a split second, the fear and terror that had moments before threatened to strip your resolve are swallowed up by confusion and rage.

Despite the surroundings, you stand defiantly before the judge and demand that he give an account concerning why you are innocent of the charges in light of the evidence.

"What evidence?" he replies in shock.

"What about the poems and prose I wrote?" you reply.

"They simply show that you think of yourself as a poet, nothing more."

"But what about the services I spoke at, the times I wept in church and the long, sleepless nights of prayer?"

"Evidence that you are a good speaker and actor, nothing more," replied the judge. "It is obvious that you deluded those around you, and perhaps at times you even deluded yourself, but this foolishness is not enough to convict you in a court of law."

"But this is madness!" you shout. "It would seem that no evidence would convince you!"

"Not so," replied the judge as if informing you of a great, long-forgotten secret.

"The court is indifferent toward your Bible reading and church attendance; it has no concern for worship with words and a pen. Continue to develop your theology, and use it to paint pictures of love. We have no interest in such armchair artists who spend their time creating images of a better world. We exist only for those who would lay down that brush, and their life, in a Christlike endeavor to create a better world. So, until you live as Christ and his followers did, until you challenge this system and become a thorn in our side, until you die to yourself and offer your body to the flames, until then, my friend, you are no enemy of ours." "

Grace and Peace,
Peter

Anyone who knows me well enough to follow the flow of my heart/mind over the last few weeks won't be too shocked by this one. I think its started right about here.

So here it is...

In the words of Forrest Gump, "That's all I have to say about that."

Yeah, I think I've pretty much said all I have to say about the subject matter here for almost two years.

I've gotten a strong sense lately that I've just been killing time/space. And for what? Not too many of "the least of these" have online access.

So thanks to all those who supported me in this segment of my life.

Thanks to all the friends I made during the journey. I'll miss you.

Thanks to all the loyal readers and the passers-by. I only hope that I was able to say something that may have resonated with a few.

Thanks to all my teachers/mentors. You know who you are.

I might still put out the rare narrative/theology piece that I think would be edifying, if and when they occur, but that's about it for the day-to-day stuff/fluff here at Parables.

I might have a change of heart in the future, but from where I sit today, not too likely. Also, if there are any projects, etc., that you think I can help with, feel free to get in touch.

Other than that, yipee-ki-yay gang. The real, flesh-and-blood Kingdom awaits.

Grace and Peace to All,
Raffi

I got a couple of responses to my "You Can't Handle the Good News" contribution to JR Woodward's Good News series, saying something like this:

"You didn't really just tell people they shouldn't bother with the Gospel, did you?!"

My response...

"You're goddamn right I did!!!"

Well, not really.

Calm down, people. It was a blog post. It was a pretend article.

Would I have done it if the Times had really asked me to write about "the Good News?"

Probably not.

Maybe.

I'm not sure.

There was one occasion when I had an actual opportunity to speak of "Good News" in print to the people of my community.

And it went something like this:









Better?

Grace and Peace,
Raffi

If you haven't yet heard, JR Woodward is running a blog series called The Good News. The series is running from Easter through May 31st, with daily contributions from 48 of the best and brightest minds in the blogosphere...

...and me (you'll have to ask JR about that decision).

Well, my humble contribution is up today.

Stop by Dream Awakener to take a look.

Grace and Peace,
Raffi