God created Adam, but it was wrong for Adam to be alone, so God created the animals for Adam to find a helper/partner, but none were sufficient. God put Adam to sleep and took a rib and made Eve. Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain murdered Abel and was marked and banished. Cain took a wife. [Brakes squealing]. Have any child read that, and they will stop and ask, “If Adam and Eve were the only people, and then they had two sons, and one was killed; where did the woman come from who married Cain?” And that’s just the beginning. Throughout all of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, there are inconsistencies and downright falsehoods, and you don’t have to be committed to inerrancy to find that statement jarring. We in the church have been raised to think of the Bible as the Word – not just the words – of God. The problem for Christians, however, is that Jesus is the Word of God. The Bible is the words about God. God speaks – God is spoken for – God is spoken about. The Bible is full of problems. It is also full of promises. And to be clear: I love the Bible and use it as my guide where that works. I also have a brain. As do you.
I take Scripture seriously, which is why inerrancy fans can’t stand talking to me. I actually read what is there, not what might be the interpretation that would fit my personal agenda. I ask why it is there, puzzle over it, try to figure out the meaning, and then look for interpretation. Where did that lucky woman who got to marry the first murderer come from? Did God create her out of thin air or mud? Did Cain marry his secret sister (gross!) No – the most obvious answer is that the family we learn of in Genesis 2 was one of many, and she belonged to another tribe. Trying to explain it any other way is actually disrespectful to the Scriptural account. As one rabbi told me years ago, Adam and Eve were the beginning of the story of Israel, not the beginning of the story of all humanity.
This matters right now in some very important ways. Christian Fundamentalists and fringe Evangelicals are trying to mold America into their distorted and perverted image of their interpretation of Scripture. Male dominance over women – oppression of LGBTQ people – revisionist history and dumbed down science – Creationism instead of Evolution – Bible reading in public schools and private school vouchers so those public schools are decimated – promoting the idea that slavery had some good aspects to it. They are electing people to office who are doing their bidding. They are denying human activity in the death of the climate because they believe Jesus is coming back right now. They brainwash their members into believing simplistic ideas about the Bible and God so those members vote their way. These dangers are not conjecture – they are fact. They aren’t just destroying Christianity; they are destroying this country.
This is what has happened in Iran. It is happening in America. Pay attention. They will eventually come for you and me.
Prayer – Help us, God, to teach our children about fairness and equality, and justice. Help us to focus on Your expectation that we treat all people with respect. Amen.