You Can't Ask That!

Description

Have you ever had a burning question that seemed off limits or inappropriate to ask about Christianity, the Bible, or Jesus? You Can't Ask That! gathers 50 of the most provocative, challenging, or otherwise taboo questions that many of us have wondered about but few have actually asked. Edited by Christian Piatt, who once had a bible thrown at his head for asking too many questions during a Sunday school class, this collection considers nothing off limits and takes the hard questions seriously. Responses from theology professors, pastors, lay leaders, and other progressive Christians range from the personal to the profound and from sarcastic to deeply touching. By offering multiple perspectives to those banned questions, readers can craft their own answers. Better yet, they'll understand that questioning faith is not taboo; it's the foundation of a strong and growing faith.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie
• Christianity

Informations

• Publié par: Chalice Press
• Date de parution: 06 octobre 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780827244337
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

Foreword by Jamie Wright

chalice press Saint Louis, Missouri

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Copyright © 2020 by Christian Piatt

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CONTENTS

Forewordvii Introducion1 Quesions: Can I be a Chrïsan ïf I don’ beïeve he Bïbe ïs perfec, handed down dïrecy from God o humanïy wïhou error? 3 Aren’ women reaed poory hroughou he Bïbe? Why woud any ïneïgen modern woman oday even wan o read he Bïbe? 9 How can a God be a-ovïng ye aow peope o be hrown ïno he? 13 Wha does he Bïbe reay say abou homosexuaïy? 15 Why haven’ any new books been added o he Bïbe ïn amos wo housand years? Is here a chance ha any new books wï ever be added? Why or why no? 21 Dïd God wrïe he Bïbe? If so, why dïdn’ God sïmpy creae ï mïracuousy, raher han usïng so many peope over housands of years o wrïe ï down? 25 How do we reconcïe he Od Tesamen command for vengeance (eye for an eye) wïh Jesus’ command o urn he oher cheek and ove our enemïes? 29 Is here a rïgh or wrong way o read he Bïbe? 33 Does God usfy vïoence ïn scrïpure? Wha abou genocïde? 37 He, Sheo, Hades, Gehenna, and Tararus are a abeed as “he” by mos Chrïsans. Are hey reay he same? Are hey a paces of iery ormen? Are such hïngs o be aken ïeray, meaphorïcay, or as myh? 40 How can we begïn o ake he Bïbe ïeray when ï seems o conradïc ïsef so oten? 44 Are Lucïfer, he Adversary, Saan, he Beas, and he Anchrïs a he same? If so, why use so many names? If no, wha are heïr dïeren roes, and who ïs ïn charge? 48 Was Mary Magdaene a prosue? 50 Are here any mïsakes ïn he Bïbe? Lïke wha? 54 In some cases, Pau (he purpored auhor of many New Tesamen books seems o suppor women ïn eadershïp roes ïn church, and ïn ohers, he says hey have no pace. Whïch ïs ï? And why he seemïng conradïcon? 58 Are some sïns worse or beer han ohers? 63

If peope have o be Chrïsans o go o heaven, wha happens o a of he peope born before Jesus or who never hear abou hïs mïnïsry? Why woud sorïes abou a faher murderïng hïs daugher (Judg. 11) or handïng hïs daughers over o a crowd o be raped and kïed (Gen. 19) be ïncuded ïn he Bïbe? Why woud God send Jesus as he sacrïicïa amb of God, dyïng for he sïns of he word, ïnsead of us desroyïng sïn or perhaps oerïng grace and forgïveness o he very ones creaed by God? Why does an a-powerfu beïng need a medïaor anyway? Many Chrïsans embrace he phrase, “I beïeve Jesus ïs he Chrïs, he son of he ïvïng God, and I accep hïm as my persona Lord and Savïor,” bu I can’ ind hïs anywhere ïn he Bïbe. Where dïd ï come from? In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am he way, and he ruh, and he ïfe. No one comes o he Faher excep hrough me.” Do peope have o choose o foow Jesus o go o heaven? And wha does ï mean o choose hïs way? Wha happened durïng he “mïssïng years” of Jesus’ ïfe, unaccouned for ïn he Bïbe? Why shoud I beïeve ha Jesus was resurreced? Wha does ï mean o he Chrïsan faïh ïf he wasn’ resurreced? Does ï reay maer ïf Jesus was born o a vïrgïn or no? Wha ïf Mary wasn’ a vïrgïn or ïf Joseph (or someone ese) was he faher? Dïd Jesus reay ïve a ïfe wïhou any sïn? Wha do we base hïs on? And does ï maer? Why?

Why dïd Jesus cry ou “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” from he cross? Dïd God reay abandon hïm? If so, doesn’ hïs mean ha Jesus wasn’ acuay God? Aren’ Jesus’ mïraces sïmïar o oher heaïngs and mïraces recorded ousïde he Jewïsh and Chrïsan radïon? When Jesus parcïpaes ïn he Las Supper, doesn’ ha mean he’s eang hïs own body and drïnkïng hïs own bood? Dïd Jesus undersand hïmsef o be God, ïke God, ïn ïne wïh God, or somehïng ese? Dïd he undersand hïs from bïrh? If no, hen when dïd he begïn o undersand ï and how? If Jesus coud resurrec peope, why dïdn’ he do ï more oten? Was Jesus a pacïis? Dïd Jesus beïeve God waned hïm o be crucïied? If so, why dïd he ask God, “My Faher, ïf ï ïs possïbe, e hïs cup pass from me” ïn he garden of Gehsemane?

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Was Jesus ever wrong? Abou wha? 127 Jesus forgave peope of heïr sïns before he dïed. How coud he do hïs ïf he acuay had o dïe ïn order o save us from sïn? 129 Jesus broke ceraïn bïbïca aws by heaïng on he Sabbah, assocïang wïh non-Jews, and no keepïng a of he kosher aws. So how do we know whïch rues o foow and whïch are ïrreevan o us oday? 132 Can you be LGBTQ and be a Chrïsan? A mïnïser? More denomïnaons and Chrïsan communïes are wecomïng LGBTQ peope, as we as ordaïnïng LGBTQ as mïnïsers. I s hïs reay possïbe? 137 Preachers such as Joe Oseen preach abou Jesus wanng us o be rïch. Where does hïs beïef come from? Wasn’ Jesus poor? Dïdn’ he e rïch peope o gïve everyhïng away? 141 Are Mormons, Jehovah’s Wïnesses, Sevenh Day Advenss, Spïrïss, Chrïsan Scïenss, ec., reay Chrïsans? Who ges o decïde? 144 Do Chrïsans have o be bapzed? Why do some sprïnke whïe ohers ïmmerse? Whïch one ïs “rïgh”? 146 If a Chrïsans basïcay beïeve he same hïng, why do hey have so many dïeren denomïnaons? And ïf here are so many denomïnaons sruggïng o survïve, why don’ hey us combïne wïh oher ones? 148 Can someone be boh an aheïs and a Chrïsan? If “Chrïsan” acuay means “foower of Chrïs,” coud someone be a suden of he ïfe of Jesus wïhou accepng he caïms of hïs dïvïnïy, or caïms of he exïsence of any dïvïnïy a a? 150 Wha do Chrïsans beïeve abou dïsaser and suerïng ïn he word? If God has a pan, why ïs suerïng par of ï? How do Chrïsans reconcïe suerïng ïn heïr own ïves? 153 I seems ïke mos Chrïsans focus a o more on ïssues of sex and sexuaïy han any oher ïssues. Why? 155 I hear Chrïsans say a he me ha, good or bad, everyhïng happens for a reason. Wha abou genocïde? Famïne? Rape? Wha coud he reason possïby be? Does here have o aways be a reason? 159 Where does he ïdea ha so many Chrïsans and poïca eaders maïnaïn abou he Unïed Saes beïng a Chrïsan naon come from? Do a Chrïsans beïeve hïs? 162 How ïs ï ha so many Chrïsans suppor—or even ca for— wars when one of he names for he Chrïs hey supposedy foow ïs “Prïnce of Peace,” and Jesus urged ove for enemïes and nonvïoen responses? 165

How do some Chrïsans use heïr faïh o oppose aboron, whïe aso supporng he deah penay or persona gun rïghs? 169 Many Chrïsans descrïbe hemseves as “evangeïca.” Wha does ha mean? Is ha he same as beïng conservave? 172 Do Chrïsans s beïeve ha wïves shoud submï o heïr husbands? Wha do hey mean by “submï”? 175 Is he Chrïsan God he same God as he God of Isam and Judaïsm? If no, wha’s he dïerence? If so, why have hree separae reïgïons? 178 Wha do Chrïsans beïeve happens ater hey dïe, and why? Do hey beïeve hey are udged ïmmedïaey and are ferrïed o o heaven or he? Wha abou purgaory? 180 To be a Chrïsan, ïs ï necessary o beïeve ha Jesus reay (as ïn facuay) heaed he bïnd, made he ame o wak, rose from he dead, and ascended ïno somewhere caed heaven, where he sïs wïh someone he cas hïs Faher? And, ïf no, why do Chrïsans recïe a creed ha says ha? 184 Why ïs he church growïng ïn Afrïca and Asïa, bu decïnïng ïn Europe and he U.S.? 187 Why ïs persona/ïndïvïdua savaon emphasïzed so much more ïn modern Chrïsanïy han goba ransformaon of he word ïno he us peace ream of God’s commonweah? How can one person be saved whïe ohers connue o suer? 189 Why do so many evangeïcas seem o fee he erm “socïa usce” ïs a bad hïng? Why ïs ï generay assocïaed wïh etïs poïca acvïsm? 193 Many Chrïsans read and sudy he Kïng James Versïon of he Bïbe. Some beïeve ï ïs he bes and mos accurae ransaon here ïs. Why? Can I read a dïeren ransaon? Wha abou paraphrases such as The Message? 196 Wha does ï acuay mean when Chrïsans say hey beïeve ha Jesus ïs he Son of God? And how, ïf a a, ïs hïs dïeren from when oher peope are caed “chïdren of God”? 199 Do a Chrïsans beïeve Jesus dïed for heïr sïns? Wha exacy does hïs mean, and where dïd he beïef come from? If some Chrïsans don’ beïeve hïs, wha do hey beïeve abou he crucïixïon? 202 Conrïbuors oYou Can’t Ask That 206

FOREWORD

A few years ago, I traveled to Jordan with Christian Piatt and a group of faith writers and church leaders. We stood together in the rubble of ancient ruins, explored biblical landmarks, and visited places of spiritual significance. It was the trip of a lifetime, but of all the incredible things we saw and did, it’s the least remarkable place that I think of most often.

At our first stop, the tour bus pulled off the highway into a small gravel lot. Traffic sped past us on one side, filling our lungs with dust and exhaust fumes, and on the other side, a polluted stream trickled along. There was garbage and graffiti everywhere, and on the far side of the creek, an odd pair of pants had been perfectly laid out to dry in the dirt. We took it all in while our tour guide gathered us close enough to be heard over the road noise and explained that we were standing where Jacob wrestled an angel by a river, as told in Genesis. It happened right there. Next to a filthy freeway underpass… where someone lost their pants.

I looked to Christian, my fellow skeptic, who looked back at me with a proper side-eye, like, “Really?”

I had so many questions.

At every stop throughout the trip, our tour guide spoke about theology, archeology, geography, and history with great authority, as if there was no doubt he spoke truth. Most of the people in the group embraced his teaching with gusto and then confidently passed the information along to their churches, readers, and families as stated fact. It was amazing to see how quickly a trash-strewn patch of gravel by the side of the road became the undisputed wrestling mat of Jacob and an angel.

Each night, I met Christian and a few of our doubt-filled cohorts at the hotel bar, where we talked too loud, drank too much, and asked all of the big, scary questions the day’s travel had inspired. Questions like, “If I believe Jacobliterallywrestled an angel at a truck stop in Jordan, do I have to take everything in the Bible literally?” and, “What if I don’t believe the Bible is literalat all?”

In my own journey, I’ve found few things as encouraging as other people’s questions. It’s just nice to know I’m not the only person with questions about Jesus, and sex, and heaven, and all of those weird Bible stories full of incest and foreskins and stuff. As my faith has evolved and my questions have grown both bigger and more nuanced, I’ve had few friends who are as eager to explore complicated questions as Christian Piatt.

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You Can’t Ask Thatis a perfect example of Christian’s ability to challenge the mysteries of faith without settling for easy answers. He did the hard part by posing our messiest questions to a variety of wise, experienced leaders, and gathering their thoughtful responses together in one place. Reading this book reminded me of the late night, whiskey-driven chats we shared in Jordan. During that trip, I found the most compelling questions, honest conversations, and informative responses happened at the hotel bar with Christian and our circle of friends.

InYou Can’t Ask ThatI think you’ll find that Christian Piatt has dared to ask and seek answers to some of your own big, scary, taboo questions. I hope these pages and the wealth of insight and resources they contain will help you to feel seen and understood, and even more, that they may help you see and understand others. But if any of the questions or answers start to make you squirm, just think of this book as a chic hotel bar or a toasty firepit where you’re chatting with a circle of friends.

Among friends there are no taboos.

— Jamie Wright  Author ofThe Very Worst Missionary: A Memoir or Whatever

ButWhy?

INTRODUCTION

There’s a three-letter word that can cause entire institutions to shiver to their collective foundations. In systems where uniformity and compliance are necessary for survival, this tiny word can seem to chip away at the cornerstone, propping the whole thing up.

And yet it’s one of the first words every one of us learns as toddlers.

Anyone who has been around children for long knows how tedious the word can be, but for the kid, it serves as a key that helps open the door to a world of understanding.

WHY?

As a student in parochial school, I was taught the value of debate, critical thought, and rhetoric. But then when I got to church, I was expected to listen, accept, and not challenge what I was taught.

In fact, when I asked one too many questions, they threw me out. Even chucked a Bible at my head during youth group in case I wasn’t getting the message.

My questions posed a threat.

Ideally, though, questions present an invitation into shared exploration, discussion, and growth. All that is required for us to make this shift is to let go of the need to berightfor the sake of the possibility to bechanged.

The 50 questions in this book were pulled from the Banned Questions series. I’ve presented multiple responses to each question in this volume because there isn’t necessarily one “right answer.” Instead, the questions themselves are the most important thing, followed by what new paths those questions lead us along.

What will we find? How might we change? The only way to know is to ask the hard questions and see where we end up.

Why not?

— Christian Piatt

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