Bible Interpretation, Student Workbook, SW05

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B I B L E I N T E R P R E T A T I O N

Story, Theology, and Church (continued)

Fifth Proposition: Stories precede and produce the church.

This we noted early on. The story exists first, then people are caught by it, savor it, reflect on it, retell it, preserve it, and pass it on (tradition). When many people are caught by, believe in, and celebrate the same story, you have a church.

Sixth Proposition: Stories imply censure.

This proposition is a logical outcome of the preceding two. If you have a tradition dedicated to preserving and passing on the core story, and if you have a church to live by and celebrate the core story, then those of the group who at any time might radically contradict the essential story must be dealt with. This is quite commonplace in all walks of life. Here is where we get-in any religion, government, or university-the censure, the reprimand, the excommunication. Wide latitude may be allowed, but not beyond contradicting what the story stands for. A civil liberties group could not, for example, tolerate an overt bigot. Of course, as history has shown, people tend to be far more restrictive of what they perceive to be the “true” tradition than may be accurate. One person’s orthodoxy may be another’s heresy, depending on who wields the power. But that is beside the point here. The point is that when story gives rise to tradition, and tradition to a church, then censure is implied sooner or later. (Quite soon, in fact, as we learn from Paul’s epistles.) In our Catholic tradition this is the origin of penalties and excommunications. Reflection on and conclusions from the Jesus stories began early in the church. We see this in the church’s earliest writings, the epistles of Paul. When you reflect on the story, make associations, and draw conclusions, you have a theology. We can see this easily, for example, in the faith trajectory concerning the nature of Jesus. In a very special way the story tells us that he is God’s man. If he is God’s man, then maybe he is his spokesman. If he is his spokesman, then maybe he is his very word. If he is his word, then maybe he has a special relationship with the Father. If he has a special relationship with the Father, maybe he is his son -and in a unique way. If God’s son, then maybe he is his equal. If equal, maybe he is God in the flesh. Theology is a putting of pieces together and discovering richer conclusions than might first be grasped. Seventh Proposition: Stories produce theology.