To #reimagineSCRIPTURE...
we must realize our pretext shapes our interpretation of the text and context.
Pretext = our worldview, which is a perspective on life based on our personality, our conclusions about sociology, the impact of our geography, experiences from our history, and customs and traditions of our family.
As hard as we may try, our interpretations and applications of Scripture cannot avoid influence or infection from these factors.
We need to heed other voices that are faithful to Scripture but challenge us to rethink how we think. That offer us a faithful but unconventional perspective that may open our eyes to more accurate Spirit-led, Scripture-fed understanding of God's Word.
To reimagine is not a function of being conservative or liberal. Both perspectives are riddled with incomplete worldview blinders.
For example, I had an aha! moment as a young pastor when I recognized the difference in what I labeled a Creation-based theology of male/female relationships. The assumptions of our predetermined viewpoint and cultural mind-set are powerful.
In this example, I did not ignore teaching about our fallenness but began preaching towards our purpose. Which changed our prayers from simply accepting fallenness to pursuing God's kingdom to come and God's original will to be done.
Scot McKnight, in his book review, has me once again seeking to reimagine God's word.
When Women Lead is about what it's like to lead as a woman in whatever context God has called you to lead. I love this book, especially Carolyn's wit and wide-ranging reading.
She starts by showing how much of the conversation about women in leadership is based on a fall-accepting worldview when what we most need is a new-creation-based worldview that knows the kingdom of God, the very message of Jesus, has already been launched.
A kingdom-shaped worldview starts in a different place – with redemption, with the power of the Spirit unleashed, and with transformation occurring. Because it does not begin with our fallenness but with the unleashing of the kingdom, when women lead forms a different vision.
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