Issue link: http://denverseminary.uberflip.com/i/394033
This past summer, July 4th saw a different type of war waged in the dawn's early light. Two full-color ads battled for readers' attention as they opened their newspapers. The first, sponsored by Hobby Lobby, placed "In God We Trust" front and center surrounded by Bible-endorsing quotes from America's founders. A response from the Freedom From Religion Foundation posted skeptical quotes about the Bible from the very same founders followed by "In Reason We Trust." The battle these ads represent has been publicized as "God versus reason," as if it were a cage match to determine the ultimate authority in our lives. But in our contemporary culture, neither God's word nor reason hold the authority they once held. The Bible is seen as outmoded and irrelevant, and reason does not necessarily create meaning in our lives. But all is not lost. Like an architect reverently restoring a historic building, we can rebuild trust in the Bible by recapturing its intrinsic authority. The book of Hebrews describes God's word in a way that speaks beautifully into our cultural skepticism: "The word of God is living and active" (4:12, emphasis mine). If the Scriptures are living we enter a relationship with them. That's what you do with living things. You talk and listen and question and fight. An "institutionalized" word offers no chance for relationship. We should still handle the word of truth with care and discernment, but only through a relational process can authority be earned. If the Scriptures are active we experience them. Reason is no longer king in our culture, and our friends seek meaning above truth. We should value both, of course. Yet without an experience, trust will be long in coming. By encouraging a "taste and see" approach, we allow the Bible to defend its own authority. To be clear, we should not promote a relational and experiential authority because our friends demand it. Our Scriptures invite it. To a culture of people in desperate need of a trustworthy authority beyond themselves, we offer the living and active word of God. Dave Meserve, MDiv PASTOR Dave is the founder and director of Urban Skye, a Denver nonprofit that serves as an umbrella for freelance pastors. His work includes teaching, mentoring, and creating resources to help the church engage the culture and the culture engage Christ. Dave is a graduate of Denver Seminary (1998) and an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. He lives in Littleton, Colorado and holds a deep reverence for Kansas basketball and unique coffeehouses. 20 FALL 2014 To Whom We Bend the Knee Scripture is the living, breathing authority our culture craves. CULTURE PrixelCreative/Lightstock