Bible Question:
How might one assess what is over-spiritualization of the scriptures? My proposal is that we as mortals are not spiritual enough in our biblical interpretations. I would be greatly hesitant to reduce the greater spirituality of scripture down to a basis of mere speculation. Indeed, the Bible offers us a plethora of earthly applications for our personal lives. But the moment that we may potentially separate these earthly applications from an enlightened spiritual vision, such applications therefore tend to revert to empty and vain religiosity. Even as any supposed spirituality, in the absence of earthly application, will only be revealed to be a psuedo-spirituality in the end. I would be very careful here to differentiate between spirituality and speculation, as the two are commonly mistaken for each the other. Speculation has it's place, but ideally under the greater context of direct spiritual revelation. As far as authority goes when rendering biblical interpretations, I am aware of no other source than the Holy Spirit. Even many of the later church fathers and theologians (after the apostles died out) were not fully adequate in my view to interpret the scriptures for us. Their own doctrinal schisms against one another seems to confirm this to me. Blessings, Reighnskye |
Bible Answer: My dear Reignhskye - [Repost] This is getting out of hand, friend! When I come to the Forum lately, I find the home page covered over with nothing but your "questions." If you wish to ask a serious Bible question, ask it. But there is a significant difference between simply asking a question and attaching a book-length commentary to the question! Many other people use this Forum and I submit that it is not fair for any one user, whoever he may be, to dominate the front page with so-called questions that are as long as a giraffe's neck. To reiterate, the question section of the Forum is meant for genuine Bible questions, not long-winded dissertations. ..... Ben Franklin once advised a verbose young man of his acquaintance, "Son, take the time to write a short letter." Good advice from old Ben, don't you agree? --Hank |