Stop Reading Your Bible

Photo by Aaron Burden

I see y’all re-sharing the meme that says:

“One of the most dangerous things a Christian can do right now is neglect Bible reading…”

…and I want to push back on that.

I would argue, instead, that one of the most dangerous things a Christian can do is USE the Bible, prayer, church, or spiritual language as AN EXCUSE TO DISENGAGE from discomfort, and as A MEANS OF ESCAPE from the present, here and now.

A friendly reminder: The church of the first century, via the example of Jesus, EMBODIED a “Gospel of Presence” (not escape). It was a small, unstable, grassroots movement; less interested in gaining power or status within “empire,” and much more interested in being WITH those considered “unclean,” “unimportant,” “undeserving,” or those not considered at all.

This church was subversively flipping the script of social hierarchy — revealing the rich and powerful to be the fools, and the lowly and outcasts of society to be the most worthy of honor, dignity, and a place of belonging.

This church is also famous for redefining “empire” language. Words like “gospel,” “salvation,” and “son of god” were not invented by Christians out of nowhere, but commandeered from Roman propaganda and infused with totally new, TREASONOUS meaning. Rather than conforming to the values of the Roman empire, this church CONFOUNDED empire with the values of a whole other “kingdom.” Rather than “Caesar is Lord,” they declared “Jesus is Lord,” and countless disciples were imprisoned, tortured, and killed for this treason.

This was not a church of escapism, excuses, avoidance, or taking the easy way out.

And this (arguably most authentic) version of church, HAD NO BIBLE. For the first 300 years of Christianity, there was no bound collection of New Testament books like we have today.

Rather, the faith was carried forward most notably by the lives of believers (their embodied behaviors in the world).

Now, contrast this with the white evangelical church in the US.

A church “going along to get along” with those in the highest, most powerful, social locations (a.k.a. empire). And, in doing so, compromising the very thing that makes the Christian faith so extraordinary: the “upside-down” nature of Jesus’ kingdom.

Another problem: SALVATION among “Bible-believing” evangelicals is for people’s souls, not whole beings. It’s about some “heavenly future,” not right now. It’s something God is doing in/for me and my guilt, not through me for someone else’s freedom.

It is a small, sanitized “salvation” that appears to check the right boxes, but allows me to remain comfy, and my life compartmentalized.

Essentially, it’s the RELIGION of the WELL-INTENTIONED Pharisees all over again. The ones who were pursuing the most “righteous” life — following the letter of the law, policing the morals of the world, excluding those who didn’t measure up, remaining “clean” in their safe, separate religious bubbles. YET ALSO, the recipients of Jesus’ harshest rebukes; the ones he called whitewashed tombs, children of hell, hypocrites, and blind guides.

When given the opportunity to repent (which would have been super costly to their positions of authority & control) they chose to SILENCE Jesus instead.

They silenced Jesus in favor of a god who was easier to follow…a god more like them (i.e. controlling, self-consumed, obsessed with appearances, exclusive, vengeful, & violent).

Did their GOOD INTENTIONS matter at all, when the IMPACT of those intentions was Jesus hanging dead on a cross???

That’s why I want to say: STOP READING YOUR BIBLE (as well-intentioned as you might be).

Note: The problem is not the Bible itself, but the way it’s being USED to gloss over and simplify complex problems, shift and hyper-spiritualize conversation, minimize or dismiss the here-and-now pain of those being oppressed, and absolve its readers of sin or responsibility.

The words of the Bible HAVE BEEN and CAN BE USED to accomplish evil.

We must be careful that we don’t distort Jesus’ message for our own purposes — putting our faith in the very things that grate against His Gospel and standing up for the very things we were meant to tear down.

Becoming the antithesis of the Christ;
Little Anti-Christs with good intentions.

We must be careful we don’t brand our prophets with heresy or kill our saints and messiahs when they dare challenge our cherished ideas and flip tables in our sacred temples.

We must be careful we aren’t quicker to crucify than to consider…

that WE MIGHT BE THE ONES GETTING IT WRONG.

Shout out to Dr. Bud Bence (Church History at Indiana Wesleyan University) who first made me think about the contrasting paths of “Gospel of Presence” and “Gospel of Power” — especially about the early church and Constantine— and forced me to “fall off the log.” I never imagined these concepts would be so relevant to my daily life!

Also, N.T. Wright (New Testament scholar), whose books have helped me form a more holistic understanding of “salvation.”