Pics or it didn't happen

 

Hello friends, it’s been a while.  I’ve been working on a few things and I’ve got some irons in the fire but recently, I just haven’t had that urge to write about anything until now. 

This past week I helped to lead a men’s ministry meeting at my local church and I chose to tackle the task of “Big Church Questions” as I had called them.  Many of the things I asked about there are things that I’ve covered here on the blog in the past but wanted to explore a bit more in community.  I’ve got a group of men that will listen and work with me through these questions and while I’m sure my questions made some of them uneasy, I greatly enjoyed this time.

Since this meeting however I’ve been thinking a lot about the bible itself.  If you’re new to the blog, I’m far from a theologian or biblical scholar.  I’m a regular guy that has a lot of questions. 

These questions act as my baseline and for me history matters.  I understand that things were written in certain ways for the people at the time or translated in ways that served those translating them.  I’m not concerned with those literary components right now.  Before I can get to those factors, I first need to understand; is there historical evidence for any of this?

Was there ever a literal Adam and Eve?

Did Noah exist and was there a worldwide flood?

Did Moses really live to be 120 years old?  Noah to nearly 1000?

Was there ever a man named Job who was tortured by God on a bet?

Did rivers turn to blood?

Did a Virgin get pregnant?

These are just a few of the questions that rattle around my head on a regular basis and it is from this that I can build my faith.  Through one of his letters to his father in Letters from a Skeptic, Greg Boyd was able to convince me on the historicity of Jesus.  I believe at the very least that the man existed and much of what is written about him is true.

With regard to the other questions however, I’m not so sure. 

If you could give me the definitive answers one way or another on all of my questions, I don’t know that it would change my faith though. 

Do I have to believe that a 600+ year old man built a boat to believe in the idea of rebirth and new beginnings? 

Does there have to be a baby floating down the river and eventually leading people from slavery have to be a literal story for me to pull the idea that God loves us and they will provide?

Do I have to believe that God took one of his most faithful and tortured him to win a bet, simply to see a story of faith through adversity?

Many will argue that this is fundamental to my faith and that I’m describing a different type of Christianity.  Maybe I am, but I’m comfortable with that.  I’m comfortable in the idea that men wrote a book to tell a story as best they could.  They took some from other traditions and fluffed up some of it on their own but overall, men wrote the book for their own needs. 

Perhaps I’m just too cynical and I should have more faith, but much of what I read in the bible likely isn’t historical…and that’s OK.  For those out there with resources that will open my eyes, please feel free to throw them in the comments.  I’m always open to learning more.