Lutherans Read the Lutherans Read the BibleBibleLutherans, Read the Lutherans, Read the Bible!Bible!

“It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God’s assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men’s faces.”

“In the sweat of thy [own] face shalt thoueat bread.” Gen 3:19

“But let us not judge that we benot judged.” Matt 7:1

“’Woe unto the world because of offenses! For itmust needs that that offenses come, but woe tothat man by whom the offense cometh.’ If we shallsuppose that American slavery is one of thoseoffenses which, in the providence of God, mustneeds come, but which, having continued throughHis appointed time, He now wills to remove, andthat He gives to both North and South this terriblewar as the woe due to those by whom the offensecame, shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a Living God always ascribe to Him?”

“We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’tmatter with me now, because I’ve been to themountaintop….And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seenthe Promised Land. I may not get there with you.But I want you to know tonight, that we, as apeople, will go to the Promised Land.”

Book of Faith

Lutherans, read the Bible!

The “Word of God” in The “Word of God” in the ELCA Constitutionthe ELCA Constitution Jesus Christ is the Jesus Christ is the Word of God Word of God

incarnate incarnate 2.02 a.2.02 a.

The “Word of God” in The “Word of God” in the ELCA Constitutionthe ELCA Constitution The The proclamation of God’s proclamation of God’s

message to us as both Law message to us as both Law and Gospel is the Word of and Gospel is the Word of GodGod, , revealing judgment and revealing judgment and mercy through word and deed. mercy through word and deed. 2.02 b.2.02 b.

The “Word of God” in The “Word of God” in the ELCA Constitutionthe ELCA Constitution The The canonical Scriptures of canonical Scriptures of

the Old and New Testamentsthe Old and New Testaments are the are the written Word of Godwritten Word of God.. Through them God’s Spirit speaks Through them God’s Spirit speaks to us to create and sustain to us to create and sustain Christian faith and fellowship for Christian faith and fellowship for service in the world (causative service in the world (causative authority). 2.02 c.authority). 2.02 c.

Authoritative Source Authoritative Source and Normand Norm This church accepts the canonical This church accepts the canonical

Scriptures of the Old and New Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as Testaments as the inspired the inspired Word of GodWord of God and the and the authoritative source and norm of authoritative source and norm of its proclamation, faith, and life its proclamation, faith, and life (normative authority). 2.03(normative authority). 2.03

Books that made the Books that made the canoncanon

Authors of these Authors of these books were guided books were guided by the Spiritby the Spirit

They reflected They reflected commonly held commonly held ideas about Godideas about God

These books were These books were widely accepted widely accepted throughout the throughout the believing communitybelieving community

A Lutheran A Lutheran HermeneuticHermeneutic Similar in many ways Similar in many ways

to the hermeneutic to the hermeneutic of other Christiansof other Christians

Lutherans locate the Lutherans locate the basis of the basis of the Scriptures’ authority Scriptures’ authority in the evangelical in the evangelical center of the center of the Scriptures, its Gospel Scriptures, its Gospel proclamation.proclamation.

The Nature of Biblical The Nature of Biblical AuthorityAuthority The gospel gives the Scriptures The gospel gives the Scriptures

their authority (material principle)their authority (material principle) Canon within the canonCanon within the canon Authority (exousia) in Matt 9:6 Authority (exousia) in Matt 9:6

(authority and forgiveness) or (authority and forgiveness) or 28:18-20 (authority and mission).28:18-20 (authority and mission).

Exodus to Jesus Exodus to Jesus ParadigmParadigm Canon within the canon for African Canon within the canon for African

American sisters and brothersAmerican sisters and brothers ““In the stories of liberation in the In the stories of liberation in the

Hebrew Scriptures and in the Hebrew Scriptures and in the actions and teachings of Jesus, actions and teachings of Jesus, African-American Christians assert African-American Christians assert the special concern God has always the special concern God has always had for the oppressed of the world”had for the oppressed of the world”

““Rightousness”Rightousness”

Judah and his Judah and his three sonsthree sons

Er—TamarEr—Tamar Onan—Onan—

Tamar Tamar (Levirate (Levirate marriage)marriage)

Shelah?Shelah? Judah and Judah and

TamarTamar

Judah Judah and and TamarTamar Tamar becomes Tamar becomes

pregnantpregnant Threatened with Threatened with

executionexecution She shows Judah She shows Judah

his signet ringhis signet ring Judah: Judah: She is She is

more righteous more righteous than Ithan I!!

She was faithful to She was faithful to her obligation to Erher obligation to Er

Gen 15:1-6Gen 15:1-6

Abram believed the Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD LORD, and the LORD reckoned it to him as reckoned it to him as righteousnessrighteousness

Abram’s Abram’s faithfaith was was what was expected of what was expected of him in the divine-him in the divine-human relationship—human relationship—hence he was hence he was righteousrighteous

Gen 15:1-6Gen 15:1-6

Abram believed the Abram believed the LORD; aye, Abram LORD; aye, Abram counted the LORD as counted the LORD as righteousrighteous

The LORD lived up to The LORD lived up to the obligations of the the obligations of the divine-human divine-human relationship—hence relationship—hence the LORD was the LORD was righteousrighteous

Righteousness and the Righteousness and the Ten CommandmentsTen Commandments

The 6The 6thth commandment: commandment: You shall not You shall not commit adultery = commit adultery = a man sleeping with a man sleeping with the wife of another the wife of another manman

Other ethical Other ethical challenges in regard challenges in regard to sexuality: we are to sexuality: we are to live righteouslyto live righteously

What the Bible Meant What the Bible Meant Back Then?Back Then?

What the Bible Might What the Bible Might Mean Today?Mean Today?

The Methodist The Methodist QuadrilateralQuadrilateral What the Bible saysWhat the Bible says What tradition saysWhat tradition says What modern knowledge saysWhat modern knowledge says What personal experience saysWhat personal experience says

AmosAmos

Advocate of social Advocate of social justicejustice

Did not let his Did not let his message be message be controlled by the kingcontrolled by the king

““The end has come The end has come upon my people upon my people Israel”Israel”

““Prepare to meet Prepare to meet your God, Israel”your God, Israel”

The Ending of the Book The Ending of the Book of Amos 9:11-15of Amos 9:11-15 Restoration of Davidic dynastyRestoration of Davidic dynasty Abundant cropsAbundant crops Israel will rebuild its citiesIsrael will rebuild its cities Exile will never happen againExile will never happen again If you want to be a prophet, If you want to be a prophet,

remember that God’s final word remember that God’s final word to God’s people is “Yes.”to God’s people is “Yes.”

Ezekiel: God is faithful Ezekiel: God is faithful and freeand free God promised God promised

Nebuchadnezzar victory over Nebuchadnezzar victory over the Phoenician city of Tyre ch. the Phoenician city of Tyre ch. 2626

OK, I did not give you Tyre; I OK, I did not give you Tyre; I will give you Egypt instead will give you Egypt instead 29:17-1929:17-19

Faithful to promise to Faithful to promise to Nebuchadnezzar; free to Nebuchadnezzar; free to adapt it to changed political adapt it to changed political and historical circumstancesand historical circumstances

Ezekiel’s final visionEzekiel’s final vision

A New TempleA New Temple God lives in God lives in

this temple this temple foreverforever

East gate East gate locked foreverlocked forever

The Stream from the The Stream from the TempleTemple

Trees that bear Trees that bear fruit in every fruit in every monthmonth

Leaves good for Leaves good for healinghealing

Fish abound in Fish abound in Dead SeaDead Sea

What it might meanWhat it might mean

People of Dead People of Dead Sea ScrollsSea Scrolls

Expected God Expected God to come to come tomorrow, if tomorrow, if not todaynot today

Hoped to be Hoped to be the first to see the first to see the fish jumpthe fish jump

Rev 22:1-5Rev 22:1-5

River of water of lifeRiver of water of life Throne of GodThrone of God Throne of the lambThrone of the lamb

Ezekiel and John’s Ezekiel and John’s GospelGospel The body of Jesus is the templeThe body of Jesus is the temple When Jesus hung on the cross, he When Jesus hung on the cross, he

did so as God’s templedid so as God’s temple Hunger, want, illness and death Hunger, want, illness and death

are no longer inevitableare no longer inevitable There is nothing that can’t be There is nothing that can’t be

changedchanged

These Bibles Must be Read

With Extreme Care

No Easy AnswersNo Easy Answers

Easy answers are an insult to those Easy answers are an insult to those who come askingwho come asking

Prayer and hard work, risk, dialogue Prayer and hard work, risk, dialogue with the text and the Christian with the text and the Christian communitycommunity

The authority of Scripture and the The authority of Scripture and the basis for that authority in the Bible’s basis for that authority in the Bible’s central, clear, and saving messagecentral, clear, and saving message

The limits of Scripture…and the limits The limits of Scripture…and the limits of its interpretersof its interpreters

Lutherans Read the Lutherans Read the BibleBibleLutherans, Read the Lutherans, Read the Bible!Bible!