RevGals Friday Five: The B-I-B-L-E

My first response to this FF5 is, "I'm Episcopalian, we don't know the Bible..." but that is not really true. The Bible shapes and forms our Book of Common Prayer. We read three scripture passages and a Psalm every time we worship, on Sunday morning and we pray the Daily Office (Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Compline). So. We know the Bible. Although I have never memorized parts of I have internalized a lot of it. So, now, onto answering the questions...


1. What is your earliest memory of encountering a biblical text? When I was a child my family and I would gather every Christmas eve and read the birth narrative in Luke. We'd bring out our nativity set and "re-enact" the story. When I was old enough to read I loved to be the "narrartor."

2. What is your favorite biblical translation, and why? (You might have a few for different purposes). I really enjoy The Message. I use this version for our Holy Week readings, from Passion/Palm Sunday through the Great Vigil. This version is so dramatic. The language is close to what we use everyday which makes the experience of Holy Week feel like it is in present time. I love that Peterson has made such an effort to go for the spirit of the verses not a word for word interpretation. I also like the RSVP because, well, that's what we use and the one I am most familiar with. Sometimes I like the KJV, but rarely will I use that any more.

3. What is your favorite book of the Bible? Your favorite verse/passage? I love the Gospel of John and the entire section we read during Lent in Year A. This section moves us through the raising of Lazarus, the questionin of Nicodemus,and the adocity of the Woman at the Well. These are powerful stories for me and I love to reflect and preach on them.

4. Which book of the Bible do you consider, in Luther's famous words about James, to be "an epistle of straw?" Which verse(s) make you want to scream? Oh gosh, the verses in the Psalm about God crushing babies heads on rocks, the stories of God destroying the enemy of Israel in Joshua and Kings, for example. No, I don't need to just hear stories about a warm and fuzzy God. I like that our scriptures challenge us to "Love God, Love Self, Love Neighbor." I think that if we really strive to do this love-thing we find that it is HARD and anything BUT warm and fuzzy.

5. Inclusive language in biblical translation and liturgical proclamation: for, against, or neutral? Absolutely for. But I am also for striving to use poetic language. Some inclusive language sources are dry and abrupt, "God be with you." I still want the language to flow like poetry or prose.

Bonus: Back to the Psalms--which one best speaks the prayer of your heart? Psalm 121 "I lift up my eyes to the hills, from where is my help to come?" and Psalm 104:26-27 "Yonder is the great wide sea with its living things to many to number, creatures both small and great. There move the ships, and there is that Leviathan, which you have made for the sport of it." I just chuckle every time I read it - "which you have made for the sport of it..." I

Comments

j said…
Thanks for your thoughtful play. I was thinking about the Birth Narrative, too, at first, but it turned out to be something different.
j said…
This comment has been removed by the author.
revhipchick said…
wonderful play!

i love the Liturgy of the Hours.

funny how folks might accuse one group of not knowing the Bible while they read and pray far more often than the accuser's tradition.

i'm totally with you on the crushing of babies' heads and that the Love we are called to is much too difficult to be called warm and fuzzy! amen!
Unknown said…
Yes, the sport of it, wonderful!
mmm yeah i'm not much for a 'hallmark' version of God either...but whew sometimes God is well uh a bit more like Bruce Willis in the original "Die Hard" movies or something and that is hard to get a hold on too...
I love those Lenten John passages too, and the leviathan of course.
Terri said…
HC, too funny, God as Bruce Willis in Die-Hard...hee hee. I get that...now whenever I read those passages that's what I'll think of...
rev h-d said…
Great play! I love the idea of God having a wicked since of humor! (wicked of course in a good way!)
Yeah... early memories of the birth narrative being read by the family at home... and love those John passages in lent.

hear you on the challenges to being poetic when being inclusive.
leah said…
too funny about episcopalians and the bible! excellent, thought-filled play--thanks!
Anonymous said…
We used the John passages in Lent as well...that brings back memories of outdoor services during Holy Week!
Unknown said…
I am learning so much, thank you!
seethroughfaith said…
Some inclusive language sources are dry and abrupt, "God be with you." I still want the language to flow like poetry or prose.


wondering what you'd say instead. I mean it is quite a clear message isn't it :)
Sally said…
excellent play- very much with you here...
Diane M. Roth said…
with you on wanting inclusive language to be poetic, and not dry. absolutely. And one of my first sermons was on that portion of Psalm 104! Great!
Jan said…
How nice that your family read the Lukan birth narrative each Christmas. Even though we didn't go to church, we always had a nativity scene, but no Christmas story was ever read to go along with it. I'm glad you had that.
Terri said…
Lorna, sometimes it is as simple as saying, "May God be with you this day and always." and the response is, "And also with you."

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