Biblical imagination

I am currently at a Block Course on New Testament Theology being taken by Professor Joel Green from the USA.

Today we looked at Narrative Approach to doing Biblical Theology. What struck me was the statement that the task of the preacher and teacher is (Joel said this way better) to invite the hearers to have their imagination shaped by the biblical story.

“The antidote to ignorance is not the amassing of facts, but the enlightenment that comes with a realignment with God’s ancient purpose."

Instead of getting people to learn more about the bible, or using the bible to prove the point we are making, or to show people how to live a successful or Christian life (using 'appropriate' proof texts), what people really need is to have their imagination opened by the biblical story in such a way that they see the world and themselves differently, in line with the great Biblical Story of creation, redemption and new creation, and so live their lives differently. Part of that is that we need to learn to see this as "our story which we are part of" rather than someone else’s story which we read to learn some key point.

RE my earlier two postings, I long to go to camps and to visit youth ministries where young people are offered this, rather than talks which they simply learn the important point, in which the bible is one step removed. I get so frustrated with that. Lets allow young people to hear scripture for themselves, and to engage with the story and stories, and to let those shape who they are. Interestingly, it is often evangelicals who insist on teaching about the bible to ensure the hearers learn the right thing, and who simply will not allow people to engage with the scripture themselves in case they get it wrong. But what if the teachers are wrong???

AS I write this I realise this is what happened for me at theological college. Over three years my imagination was shaped by the biblical texts I was forced (I chose to do the courses, but i then had to do the course work) to read. They changed my imagination. But I was willing for that to happen. I had friends; both evangelical and liberal who were too wedded to what they thought it was all about to allow the texts to challenge that and to shape them. For them I feel sad. And I feel sorry for the people they ministered among.

Enough, I need to read some more for the first assignment.

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