Noah of Arc and his wife, Joan, build a boat to
survive a great flood. Moses climbs Mount Cyanide and receives 10 enumerated
commandments; for all the differences among religious denominations, the Ten
Commandments are a common bedrock that Jews, Catholics and Protestants agree
on. Sodom and his wild girlfriend, Gomorrah, soon set the standard for what not
to do and are turned to pillars of salt. The Virgin Mary, a young Christian woman,
conceives Jesus immaculately and gives birth to him in a Jerusalem manger.
Nicholas
Kristof, a columnist at the New York Times, wrote this paragraph as part of a recent
article and challenged his readers to find the more than 10 mistakes. His
column focused on the numerous studies that show that while Christians may be
deeply faithful, we come up well short in our religious knowledge.
Kristof
cites the 2008 book, Religious Literacy, by the scholar Stephen Prothero, as one
example of many that point out a disturbing paradox: that we Christians combine
great faith with a surprising level of biblical and religious illiteracy. A
study done in 2010 by the prestigious Pew Forum found that acknowledged
atheists answered more questions correctly on a survey of religious knowledge than
professed Christians.
Learning
has always been foundational in the Presbyterian Church. We certainly see that
here at MPC, with our commitment to Sunday School classes, Adult Education,
Bible Studies, Circles, and other special offerings. Two thousand years of
Christian history means we have much to learn, but it also means that there is
a great deal of myth and misunderstanding woven into that history that we have
to separate out and unlearn.
I have
always found great joy in learning, and I’ve found that teaching is one of the
best ways I grow in knowledge and understanding. I particularly enjoy leading
the Wednesday Bible Study class where our focus is eclectic and ecumenical. This
past year, for example, we learned about the Byzantine Empire, Constantine’s
great legacy, which provided the incubator for Christianity and helped it
flourish. We looked at some of the writings of retired Anglican Archbishop
Desmond Tutu, with his focus on justice and equality. We took a trip to the
Holocaust Museum to witness how easy it is even for followers of Jesus to let
ignorance and its partner fear breed hatred and violence.
And of
course, we read from the Bible. We spent more than two months walking through
the pages of the book of the prophet Jeremiah, learning how timeless the
teachings of that 2500 year-old book are.
Rabbi,
or Teacher, is the word used most frequently to refer Jesus. He was a master
teacher, constantly helping those who listened understand. He reminds us that
our learning follows no calendar, but is something we are called to do every
day throughout our lives.
How
will you continue to learn this summer? What will you read? Let the words of the Proverbs guide you each day, all the year through: “For
learning about wisdom and instruction, for understanding words of insight…let
the wise hear and gain in learning.” (Proverbs 1:2)
Grace & peace,
Pastor Skip
