So I'm working my way through Rob's book Velvet Elvis
The Bible is a communal book. It came from people writing in communities, and it was often written to communities. Remember that the printing press wasn't invented until the 1400's. Prior to that, very few if any people had their own copies of the Bible. In Jesus' day, an entire village could probably afford onlt one copy of the Scriptures, if that. Reading the Bible alone was unheard of, if people could even read. For most of church history, people heard the Bible read aloud in a room full of people. You heard it, discussed it, studied it, argued about it, and made decisions about it as a group, a community. Most of the "yous" in the Bible are plural. Groups of people receiving these words. So if one person went off the deep end with an interpretation or opinion, the others were right there to keep that person in check. In a synagogue, most of the people knew the text by heart. When someone got up to teach or share insight, chances are everybody knew the text that the person was talking on and already had their own opinions about it. You saw yourself and those around you as taking part in a huge discussion that has gone on for thousands of years.
In Jesus' world, it was assumed that you had as much to learn from the discussion of the text as you did from the text itself. One person could never get too far in a twisted interpretation because the others were right there giving her insight and perspective she didn't have on her own. Jesus said when he was talking about binding and loosing that "where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them."
Community, community, community. Together, with others, wrestling and searching and engaging the Bible as a group of people hungry to know God in order to follow God. [pgs. 51-53]
Contrast this concept of communal reading and studying with our Western, individualized concept of reading the text. In many Christian settings we tell people to read the Bible alone, study it alone, and have a "personal quiet time". Our preachers and teachers, often are no better. We lock ourselves away to study, to think about the text, only to emerge weekly and "deliver the goods", so to speak. Funny isn't it? I think this concept would have been foreign in the day of Jesus and the first followers. I don't know about you, but I'm tired of going it alone. I think it's time for a change.
What if we could recapture that sense of communal study and exploration? What if we returned to a communal engaging of the text in order to make sense of what it means to be a follower of Jesus in this world - here, now, today?
I've been thinking deeply about this lately... and have been convicted and burdened at the same time. So here's my proposition. Anyone interested in doing something tangible? Let's start a "learning community" - a gathering of people in South OC who want to gather together to engage the text and learn from each other. Whether you teach on a regular basis, or are just hungry for the text... any takers?
Yes, Yes, Yes!!! I know I can speak for the both of us, this echoes in our hearts... an added thought. How much time can you have for studying the word as a family if you spend so much time studying it solo? My kids are too young to have 'quiet times' but if we spend time daily as a family, discussing the meaning behind the bible stories, my kids will grow to understand them (not just know them), and will be learning important things about Gods character.
Posted by: Colleen | August 11, 2005 at 03:41 PM
you might be interested in an interview i did with rob. you can check it out on my blog link.
Posted by: Zach | August 11, 2005 at 04:26 PM
Mike,
I'm a great friend of Mike Cleary's and Kyle Kalma, plus a bunch of other people that you know....I've deeply appreciated (and haved been challenged) by your thinking and voice these past few months...keep pushing deeper into Jesus...I would definitely be interested in some sort of learning community...I'm a chaplain/bible teacher at a high school in Fullerton, studying at the new ISF program at Biola, and want to grow deep in understanding the Kingdom of God...please keep me informed of your ideas on this "project."
email: ckamalski@hotmail.com
Thanks,
Chris Kamalski
Posted by: Chris Kamalski | August 11, 2005 at 08:56 PM
I'm in San Clemente and would love to do something like that. I just read the first two chapters tonight and was really challenged, I also just finished "A Generous Orthodoxy" where Mclaren talks about a lot of the same things. Let me know what develops, thanks
Posted by: Mark Thrash | August 12, 2005 at 01:07 AM
im just waiting on this book from amazon so dont wanna read your post and spoil it...........il come back though!!
Posted by: ally | August 12, 2005 at 03:11 AM
That sounds great. If time permits, I'm in. Email me at ewakeling@calvarylife.org
I don't know what your current email is.
Posted by: Eric Wakeling | August 12, 2005 at 09:36 AM
This has been on my mind alot since I read velvet elvis. I have had several conversations with people and the response is always a little strange. People from where I'm from usually see more value in reading scripture alone than with somebody. You think they're missing out? I do.
Posted by: Wes | August 12, 2005 at 01:48 PM
I agree with this...
but...
what if the reason we have the Bible in the way we do now is to extract more from it personally?
For instance, salvation used to be communal... through the line of Abraham and so on.
And yet when Jesus came that all got turned upside down and it became personal.
Perhaps Scripture is the same paradigm? Thoughts?
Posted by: Tony Myles | August 12, 2005 at 08:32 PM
I'm in!!! I've been longing for this for a long time now. We'll talk tonight.
Posted by: Chris Pritchett | August 15, 2005 at 10:19 AM