Monday, October 6, 2014

12. Stories That Shape Us (We Make the Road by Walking)

Engage

1.  What one thought or idea from today's lesson especially intrigued, provoked, disturbed, challenged, encouraged, warmed, warned, helped, or surprised you?

2.  Share a story about a "golden age" you learned about in your family, your school, or some other group you've been part of.

3.  How do you respond to the comparison between the story of Jesus' departure in Acts and the story of Elijah's departure in 2 Kings?

4.  Do you have a favorite superhero?  Tell us why you like him or her so much.

Activate

5.  Try to read the gruesome story of the Levite's concubine (Judges 19-21) and then the gentle story of Ruth and Naomi (Book of Ruth).  Do you see similar stories in this week's headlines?

Meditate

6.  In silence, hold the phrases "passive, pious complacency," "desperate, violent action," and "faithful, peaceful action" in your mind for a few minutes.  Ask God to make you an agent of faithful, peaceful action.

We Make the Road by Walking: A Year-Long Quest for Spiritual Formation, Reorientation, and Activation ~ by Brian D. McLaren, 2014

1 comment:

Shirley said...

I was impressed with the mother's response (was this a story or a "real" dialogue between the mother and daughter) to the daughter's question of whether the story was real or pretend. I think "That's a good question!" is overused, but the mother's encouragement for the daughter to use her experiences to reach her interpretation was excellent. Actually, the more liberal view of some of the Bible as stories has taken me awhile to accept. I grew up in a Baptist church in which the Bible was accepted literally. I remember when a friend told me about their family's decision to leave their church as the minister had told the congregation that they could accept the account of Noah's ark as a historical event or as a story.

I thought the discussion of the three elements (science, art, and heart) of good interpretation to be helpful.