Defining God

In How (Not) to Speak to God, Peter Rollins compares God's revelation to a painting, the message of which is "not simple, singular or able to be mastered." (16) Our perspective affects our interpretation of a work of art. The same is true of revelation, which "is not reducible to some clear, singular, scientific formula but rather gives rise to a multitude of commentaries." (16-17) Rollins points out that instead of looking at revelation this way, many Christians treat "the Bible as raw material to be translated into a single understandable meaning rather than experienced as infinitely rich treasures that can speak to us in a plurality of ways." (17)

I understand where Rollins is coming from but wonder about the original intent of a piece of art or scriptural narrative. I suppose some artists merely create without thinking much about the purpose or meaning behind their work. Nevertheless, should we assume that an infinite number of interpretations can be made?

Rollins stresses that the importance of God's revelation lies in its ability to transform us. "We are like an infant in the arms of God, unable to grasp but being transformed by the grasp." (17) It has been my experience that Christians quote verses like Isaiah 55:9, which says that God's thoughts and ways are higher than ours, and yet we go right on "defining" what we "know" God to be.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with discussing our thoughts about God. The "problem arises when we claim that we have the right interpretation while all those who disagree with us are ignorant, deluded or sinfully turning their eye away from the clear light of revelation." (17) I have noticed that many critics of the emerging church don't stop at arguing against theological or philosophical insights. Instead, they go on to attribute all sorts of evil motives to those they disagree with. I find this distasteful and unbecoming of those who follow Christ (and I'm sure I've done it plenty of times, too).

Rollins doesn't want us to think that our "definitions of God" should be thrown out. (18) We must come to grips, however, with the "extent to which these reflections fall short of that which they attempt to define and always reflect something of the one who makes the claims." (18-19) In other words, we have to be careful that we're worshipping God and not the idolatrous concept of God we've created in our minds.

*********************************
Links to the rest if this series: Heretical Orthodoxy, Conceptual Idolatry, Defining God, 21st Century Pharisees?, Powerless Discourse, Answers & Questions, The Search for God, Doxorthy

Comments

[Just Me]

I agree with Rollins that the message of revelation is: "not simple, singular or able to be mastered." (16) But do not believe that its correlative is: "an infinite number of interpretations can be made." (I'm not saying Bill said this.)

Too often in our post-modern, deconstructionist world we are told that all interpretations are valid, but if the artist being interpreted were "honest," I believe that (s)he would say that not all interpretations are "correct." God knows his purposes for revelation - and revelation goes way beyond the Scriptures, by the way - and our transformation is certainly one of them, He tells us so. But there's so much more. I love Rollins's statement that revelation can be "experienced as infinitely rich treasures that can speak to us in a plurality of ways." (17) God is truly an incredible, awesome artist.

[Bill]

I agree that all interpretations cannot be correct. I'm willing to bet that Rollins would , too.

I think we need a healthy balance between absolutism and relativism here. There are certain things that God IS NOT. At the same time, He seems to resist any box we might try to place Him in.

As I said in this post, I like the way Rollins views the Bible as containing a plurality of views about God. If we can see this, it sets us free from trying to harmonize them all in a final way. Perhaps we can try to paint a picture of God, using the resources we have, but we will never end up with anything like a photograph (although even photographs give us a more subjective view of reality than many realize).