Genesis:
Genesis begins with the story of Creation. God created the earth and heaves in seven days, creating different creatures and parts of the world in different days. Man was created in God's image.
"Thus the heavens and the earth and all their array were completed."God planted a garden in Eden where man and woman resided. Neither man nor woman was allowed to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. However, the snake convinced the woman to eat from the tree, and the man followed her lead. When God became aware of this, he cursed the snake, the man and the woman. Adam and Eve, which they were named, were banished from Eden. Adam and Eve have children and Eve gave birth to Cain and Abel. Cain was jealous of Abel because God favored him more, and he killed his brother. A line of descendants was later created through Adam and Eve.
God saw how evil humans had become and regretted making man. He decided to wipe out not only mankind, but also all the other living creatures, except Noah and his family, and two animals from each kind. Noah built an ark at God's command. It rained for 40 days and 40 nights. When it was over, God was so pleased with Noah he vowed never to do what he had done again. God's covenant with Noah was created and his descendants.
The question of how to read Scripture is debatable. Methods are different and each one (literally, allegorical, etc.) can result in different meanings and beliefs from Scripture. Morality might remain the same. What do you think? Do you think it is necessary to read Scripture one way or the other?
Job:
In this story, God seems angry with Job. Job has questioned God, and he tells Job he cannot understand everything. Job is unhappy because of his recent bad luck that he feels he does not deserve. God replies with instances of creation where God had ultimate power.
When Job seemed to have doubts about faith, he confronted God with anger. God's only responses were about the wonders of creation. Do you think this answers Job's question adequately? Job seemed to be content with God' answers. It is as though Job could not explain God's creation, and by this he accepted he will never know God's purpose for the things he does, but he must have faith regardless.
Maybe this example of Job has an impact on people who still have faith, despite their hardships.
The Council of Trent:
This document sets down the rules of Scripture. Not only must the Church be in control of what versions and commentaries on Scripture are to be published, but the Church also explains which books are to be known as truth. All of these books are to be taken as God's Word, whether spoken by God himself, or through his apostles.
Do you think that Church satisfies the problems at hand?
In regards to Genesis, I do not think there is one specific way to read the scriptures because there are many interpretations in regards to reading the scriptures.
ReplyDeleteThe book of Job was somewhat of a dialogue between Job and the people in his life, such as his friends and wife. Throughout the story, Job went through great anguish as he basically lost everything that was important to him including this children and farm. Throughout the Book of Job, many have told Job to curse God, but Job have never lost his faith in God. In regards to the creation aspect of Job, it doesn't feel like the story of creation within Job was answered adequetely because the book basically destroyed everything that Job had within his life.
The Council of Trent tried setting down the rules to scripture and how it should be interpreted but I feel that the scriptures should be interpreted in a one particular way because even though some have regarded scriptures as being authoritative in the Christian faith. I feel that it would restrict how people would try to realte it to their personal lives. However, the down side of this would be that there would be too much loose ends and people can twist the interpretations of the scripture to point that it loses significance.
Genesis:
ReplyDeleteAs with almost every reading there are an infinite amount of ways to interpret them. I think that the difference between the great and the mediocre writings are that the great may have different interpretations but there overall message is the same. The bible is a great exapmle of a great writing. Its plain to see that people even without the religous education or beliefs of catholics, still can gether the same messages and virtues just from reading the bible.
Job:
In the book Job, Job was getting owned but in the end he got the hook up from God. in my opinion this story is one of ther most important in the bible. It lets followers know that God has a plan in everything that happens. When bad things are happening people can take solace in knowing that God is watching and eventually things will get better. The book of Job helps people keep their faith during hardship and definately has a strong influence on people keeping their faith alive.
The Council of Trent:
I dont think that interpretation of the scripture has been a problem to begin with. Theres no way to really control how people percieve and therefore interpret the scripture. From the scripture people draw their own conclusions and dispositions. The influence of controlling the scripture will have little to no effect in reality. The scriptures are already written in a way that the majority of people get the right message. There's not much more to you can do other than tell people exactly what to think.
I found that the reading from the Council of Trent was relevant in putting the Scripture readings into perspective, arguing that Scripture is absolutely inspired and infallible, but sometimes in a different way than we think of infallibility.
ReplyDeleteGenesis - I tend towards taking this reading as mostly allegorical, but as pointing towards the overall creation story of God creating the universe and everything in it.
Job - This reminded me to be humble. While the things that Job "did not know" are very different from what we "do not know" today, we both are unaware in many areas of some of the mysteries of the universe.
Barbour - This was probably the most intense and controversial of this week's readings. Barbour's analysis of how both religious fundamentalism and scientific materialism share many of the same characteristic, which he sees as flaws, was insightful and thought-provoking.
I agree that people, despite different religions, can come together to understand virtues and morals as meaning the same things. Job's story is hard to think about, because Job was punished in the first place for no reason. So it was fair for Job to ask why this all was happening to him, yet i think some people believe you are not supposed to ask questions; God has a purpose. but is that really enough? The book of Genesis is a great example for religion, as to what it means to be punished and how God wants humans to act; regardless of how one interprets the text
ReplyDeleteMichael Beatson
ReplyDeleteIn regards to Genesis, I think that it should be read in terms of the correct context. If you use verses from scripture out of context, they will not mean what they are supposed to mean. Therefore, I feel scripture must be read contextually in order to get its true intention.
In terms of Job, I feel God's response was adequate. Job should not always expect everything in life to be in his favor. God's response about how creation is beautiful is appropriate because Job should have been looking at the beauty in life rather than the things in his life that were going wrong.
In terms of the Council of Trent, I agree with what Nathan said about how people draw their own conclusions. However, people need to read scripture contextually as I have stated earlier in this blog post.
---Michael Beatson
I think all three are some of the most essential writings of christianity. Unfortunately, they all have their own level of uniqueness that needs to be accounted for. The genesis story is great in that it outlines the creation story and can serve as a building block for everything else. Net, Job is a great story that, if read properly, can help someone understand why bad things happen to good people and what can come of suffering; all of which we experience in day to day life. Finally, the Council of Trent is also essential in that it tells us how we should be looking at scripture. Now, it is up to us to do our best to interpret them to our best ability and use them to better understand our faith.
ReplyDeleteScripture can be very moral and virtuous. If you look at scripture allegorically you will certainly be a sound and moral person. When you start taking it literally there arises problems. By this I mean the clash of different religions. As for the council of trent saying that they know which stories are meant to be true and which ones are allegorical, I think, is hard maybe even impossible for any human to tell.
ReplyDeleteLooking at Job, personally most of the time I do not believe in God but there is a lot to be learned from what he says in these passages. He tells you to live your life with the glass half full. You cant have everything your way but if you look at your life with a good attitude you will be just fine.