In my study of the Scriptures, I have tried really hard to be as objective as possible in understanding what was actually happening when they were written and when they are written about. In my personal theology, no person is a bigger scoundrel, or more problematic, than Abraham. He (and Sarah – let’s not forget her) were led on a journey to a new land by God. Because God said so. During that journey, Abraham did some very heroic things, but he also did some terrible things. He tried to sell his wife off as his sister (twice!) because he was so afraid he would be murdered by someone who wanted Sarah for her beauty. He almost killed his son because he heard voices telling him to do so. Luckily, he heard more than one voice, and didn’t follow through. The Apostle Paul then used Abraham as the paradigm of faithfulness for followers of Jesus. Nope – not buying it.
Today’s truth is that nobody – unless they are psychotic – follows God in every way. I don’t know a single person who, if they were truly asked by God to kill their child, would do so. I would not hurt anyone because a voice in my head said so. I would not leave my wife or disconnect with loved ones because I thought God called me to do that (sorry Jesus). All of the songs I have sung over the years about “only Jesus” or “God is first and only” are, in my mind, metaphorical. I do not worship a living God who would ask me to do harm to others, either physically or emotionally, for some bigger, God-centered plan. God doesn’t try to trick us into being faithful – that’s Loki. God does not strike us with lightning if we disobey – that’s Thor.
I think that Abraham blamed God for his mental illness, which is incredibly heartbreaking. When he began to lose faith in God’s promise of a child, he used Sarah’s slave Hagar to produce one, which in my book is rape. He then left her and Ishmael in the wilderness to die – that’s attempted murder. If we want to honestly engage Scripture, we need to do it with honesty and integrity. God made us with brains; we are not robots. To slavishly read Scripture as if it were all true and factual is to ignore the truth about humanity and Holy inspiration. God inspired the writers of Scripture, but that doesn’t mean it came out perfectly. To explain away bad behavior because it is in the Bible is to use God’s name in vain. Abraham did a lot of good; he also did a lot of evil. Making excuses for his evil is not in line with a loving and hopeful God. It only makes room for us to make excuses for ourselves. The Bible inspires me, but it also warns me to be cautious when people tell me that God has told them to do something. Like Jesus said, “Be wise as serpents and gentle as doves.” Like Paul said, “Take everything with a grain of salt.” And think – test – question – wonder. Don’t swallow it whole.
Prayer – Holy God, You are good and loving. Your words inspire us. Your Holy Spirit moves us. And You have created us to be good and loving too. Amen.
Today’s art is one of a series of paintings about Abraham and Isaac by Jane Lazerow.