Taught

When i was in high school, we read a lot of short stories, because, well, the teachers didn't really think we were up to novel-length works. One in particular that struck me was "By the Waters of Babylon." I really liked the twist, and it set the table for my future of interests in that genre. I may even re-watch Planet of the Apes, re-play Fallout, or re-read Y: The Last Man this summer.

A few months ago, at a prayer meeting, a professor who had come to know the Lord kind of late in life talked about her seeking experience, and how she wasn't really comfortable/good at reading the gospels or the histories, but she really dug on the Psalms. Even the hard ones that seemed like they were stumbling blocks to really trusting God. Like the one about dashing infants against the rocks. It's from the same psalm as the "waters of Babylon"-- Psalm 137. That same longing for a homeland is coupled with a strong desire for justice-- dare i say vengeance? And i was struck by the fact that i've read that passage (i know i've read it!), but i never really worked through all the implications-- God is scary. God does some scary stuff. Stuff that looks completely unjust and vengeful to us.

In that context, Bible literacy is sort of this scary thing. It's really important to understand so much of Western and Middle Eastern thought, art, and culture of the last 2500 years. I mean, even Robocop is a Christ figure! I was without a clue throughout my education on Biblical allusion; no amount of pre-3rd grade multiplication tables could have carried me through English. (They don't call it English in California anymore.) So I wonder what we're missing out on as a culture, as we marginalize Biblical education in an effort to preserve the secular state school.

I dunno. I'm still pretty strongly church-state separation. I wouldn't want schools teaching religion. But this might be a place where our zeal to separate the two has led us astray.

I remember vividly a conversation about life and religion on a ski trip during college. My friend said he was okay with the God of the New Testament, but the scary God of vengeance of the Old Testament seemed like He wasn't worth knowing. Essentially-- that the two were incompatible.

And it does take a bit of wrangling and squinting and prestidigitation to reconcile the two, from a certain point of view. (My point of view has been that it takes some wrangling and squinting and mental gymnastics to see things as they truly are.) So what do we do? Do we learn the one-- the quotes, the good stuff, the peace and love and social justice gospel-- without the "other"-- the justice, the holiness, the righteousness, the jealousy and vengeance? Or do we make efforts to study a complete picture of God?

Gosh. Is a censored God better than no God at all?

So, to Mrs. B, who taught English and French, i owe a debt of thanks for asking these questions and assigning those stories. I didn't get them at the time. I probably don't get them now. But they made me think, and that's what i really needed anyway.

To the author of Psalm 137, uhmm... you are a much braver human than I am.

To the ultimate author of Psalm 137, be the glory, honor, and worship. I continue to stumble toward You, with eyes wide open.