The Bible as Literature

What does St. Paul mean when he explains that no one, not even an "angel from heaven," can contradict the gospel that was preached in Galatia? To what does Paul appeal in making the claim that his authority comes directly from God and not from men? How do the norms of civil law shed light on Paul's opening argument in Galatians 1? Why do fascists and dictators, who control every aspect of civil society, still seek legitimacy from their respective constitutions? What does all of this have to do with a dead guy names Hammurabi? Richard and Fr. Marc discuss St. Paul's letter to the Galatians. (Episode 94; Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature)

Rationalize (verb): to attempt to explain or justify (one's own or another's behavior or attitude) with logical, plausible reasons, even if these are not true or appropriate. Synonyms: justify, explain, explain away, account for, defend, vindicate, or excuse, as in, "he tried to rationalize his behavior." Thanks, Google Dictionary, for providing such a lucid description of how we twist the Bible to get ourselves off the hook. Put your seat-belts on! This week, Richard and Fr. Marc revisit Lazarus and the Rich Man in the Gospel of Luke. (Episode 93; Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature)

What if someone wrote a book that imposed patriarchal authority at the expense of patriarchs, redeemed inheritance at the expense of wealth, upheld a patronymic without blessing the name, linked patrimony and childbirth to each other and to God’s teaching while emphasizing the commandment to care for the widow, the orphan and the foreigner, rubbed in the fact that God blesses couples, households and communities that by all rights should not be blessed, and finally, presented a vision of some future kingdom that will include the very people that everyone is trying to avoid. You don’t have to ask "what if?" We have the book in hand and will cover it’s final chapter today. Richard and Fr. Marc discuss Ruth 4. (Episode 92; Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature)

At your right hand stood the Queen in vesture of gold; Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear! The rich among the people shall entreat your favor and the King shall greatly desire your beauty; For he is your Lord and you shall worship him. Richard and Fr. Marc discuss Ruth 3. (Episode 91; Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature)

How is the content of Ruth reflected in the teaching of St. Paul and in the gospel narratives? Why, in Ruth, does it matter who is whose relative and who is connected to whom? Why do Richard and Fr. Marc make such a big deal out of biblical names? Why does Ruth prostrate herself in front of a man? Isn’t she the one making all the big sacrifices to support Naomi? Shouldn’t everyone bow to her? Who is this mighty Boaz, anyway? Is power always evil? Only for those whose mind can’t get past the person to see God’s function in operation. Richard and Fr. Marc discuss Ruth 2. (Episode 90; Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature)

Why do discussions about race in the United States always seem to widen the gap between neighbors? How do our assumptions about race cripple our ability to recognize oppression in unfamiliar places? Is racism the main issue, or is it symptomatic of a deeper human dysfunction? In the first episode of a four part series, Richard and Fr. Marc examine the problem of identity in the Book of Ruth. As is to be expected, the Bible's wisdom on this subject will embarrass folks on both sides of the aisle. (Episode 89; Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature)

Why would Jesus, who warns against the sword in Matthew 26 threaten to use one in Matthew 10? Why would Jesus set a man against his father and a daughter against her mother, when in the Torah God commands that parents are to be honored? In Luke, the gospel heralds the coming of Jesus with the proclamation "peace on earth." Why, then, in Matthew, does Jesus say, "I did not come to bring peace?" If you are looking for a simple answer along the lines of "for" or "against," then turn off this podcast and watch cable news. If you hope to use Matthew 10 to support your just war theory, at best, you are being lazy. Yes, the Bible does bring a sword and it is connected to the real violence we experience in the world. The question is, on which end of the sword are the followers of Jesus expected to find themselves? (Episode 88; Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature)

The Passion narrative in John 19 is unequivocal: the life of Jesus ended in humiliation, abuse, abject betrayal, subjugation and utter failure. You might try to comfort yourself by arguing that Jesus was treated unfairly, however, in truth, the outcome of his life was a direct result of his Father’s teaching. In other words, in the gospel story, following God’s Torah leads to absolute defeat; a fact, St. Paul explains, that confounds religious people and attracts scorn from rational thinkers. With this in mind, it comes as no surprise that from the beginning, Christians themselves have failed to embrace the gospel. That this failure is obvious, to be expected, and nothing new does not make it less painful. (Episode 87; Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature)

A recent article in Salon magazine views the ongoing decline in American religion "in part, as an inevitable result of the politicization of Christianity." Where does the temptation to infuse church with political ideology come from? What does politicized religion hope to achieve and what are its consequences? Are there examples of politicization in the Bible? Is there a biblical alternative that can avoid politics and ideology without ignoring current events? Richard and Fr. Marc reflect on these questions as they discuss 1 Samuel. American Christians, take heed: the Lord is patient and ready to give you exactly what you want; so be careful what you ask for. (Episode 86; Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature)

Often and wrongly promoted as a biblical precept, unconditional love works against the purpose of Jesus in the New Testament. Nowhere is this point more clearly expressed than in the parable of the wicked vinedressers in Matthew 21. What does Matthew’s parable reveal about biblical grace and the problem of entitlement? Why does God allow the vinedressers to commit such violent crimes, against not only his servants, but his own son? What implication do God’s actions in the story have for human parents and teachers? As always, the pastoral wisdom gleaned from Scripture looks foolish to human eyes; but then, so too looked the stone in the eyes of the builders. (Episode 85; Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature)

Of language diversity in the United States, Saul Bellow once quipped, "A melting pot, yes. A tower of Babel, no." The Nobel Laureate's comment, indicative of American norms, undermines the meaning of the parable he invokes. Where human institutions (in line with Bellow's axiom) consolidate and unify, the biblical God imposes diversity. Where powerful nations go beyond lingua franca to demand una lingua, in Genesis, the Lord deliberately confounds human speech. Proponents of institution sometimes assert that multilingualism in Genesis is a negative outcome, but this assumption falls out of step with the story's plot. In Genesis, God's victory at the Tower of Babel is part of a larger war against the strategic agendas of human empire. This week, Richard and Fr. Marc reflect on the Tower of Babel in Genesis and its implications for multilingualism in North America. (Episode 84; Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature)

A culture's moral platitudes expose the sins for which its adherents hope to atone. This tension is present in popular critiques of the biblical commandment, "an eye for an eye." But what happens when our assumed high ground amplifies the sins we want to erase? Worse, what if the people harmed by our platitudes respond to our abuse with a counter-morality? What happens when society disintegrates into a community of justified ideologues and entitled victims? Richard and Fr. Marc discuss St. Paul’s compensation in 1 Corinthians, the merciless servant in Matthew, and the problem of vengeance in the book of Judges and 1 and 2 Kings. Given the state of the world, the instruction, "an eye for an eye," may be a goal beyond our reach. (Episode 83; Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature)

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens: Lo, it is better to be patient than arrogant, for the end of something is better than its beginning--not because your toil has ended, but because the reward for patience is wisdom and understanding. So admonishes the Preacher's eulogist, who shames us with the Preacher's labours, goading us with his instruction: the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and this fear is man's duty during his brief season under the sun. Remember to keep this commandment, for God will bring every deed into judgment, whether good or evil. This week's episode brings our 12 week series on Ecclesiastes to its conclusion. But don't worry, we'll keep turning the pages with you on this podcast for as long as we can, God willing, until the Lord comes. Until then, turn, turn, turn! (Episode 82; Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature)

Since everything you have is already passing away, why hold onto it? Since you can't control the weather, why worry about? Since everything you do is vanishing breath, why not do it? Yes, it's true, you can't add a single hour to your life span by worrying. But look a the bright side: if God cares for the prairie grass of Minnesota's rolling plains, which today is alive and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he care for you, O ye of little faith? Yes, all is still vanity for both the Preacher and the Gospel of Matthew, but don't worry. You can still become famous for scrubbing toilets. Richard and Fr. Marc discuss Ecclesiastes 11. (Episode 81; Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature)

Ecclesiastes 10 presents a world in which two paths, one foolish and one wise, both lead to the same outcome. Where temporal human eyes see the benefits of wisdom, the Preacher exposes folly. Where men see failure and assume folly, the Preacher proclaims great dignity; but not always, he argues, since the reverse is often true. So how is man to judge? What is man to do? The answer, my friend, is not blowing in the wind, it’s handed down in the content Scripture, open only to those who surrender themselves to its pages. (Episode 80; Subscribe: http://feedpress.me/the-bible-as-literature)