The Bible on Trial  

One of my favorite expressions as a child was "Who says." While in most circumstances I was a 'good' boy (obedient and inoffensive), there were times when I would rail against the system and lash out in either frustration or hubris against what I viewed as injustice by my parents, or teachers, or even siblings.

Overarching authority has for me been at times a difficult pill to swallow. Now that I am an adult (my wife's views not-with-standing) I have become more circumspect about authority; allowing for different situations and personalities to play themselves out without my feeling as if I have to control them.

And yet my innate suspicions about how those that have been placed in authority over me and my life (environment) still exist, and have even extended into my spiritual life such that I am now involved in a ministry that questions everything about the current understandings that are prevalent in the 'church' with respect to theology, doctrine, and salvation. This has reduced, somewhat, my popularity within my home church community.

By questioning 'authority' we as Christians open ourselves up to ridicule and scorn from our friends and family. We are asked, "Why can't you just go along with the crowd and believe as we do? What is wrong with 'That Old Time Religion'"? We set ourselves up for isolation from even our closest associates; this because we have the audacity to question why we believe what we believe.

This Friday on The Bible on Trial we will delve into the subject of 'authority', as a prelude to tackling the subject upon which authority has the greatest influence-salvation and end time prophecy.

Dennis