When the Bible Failed America

The Bible once failed America and it may happen today, threatening our well-being. In this episode I explore the error of "commonsense literalism" that contributed to the Civil War. There is a better way to interpret the Bible: as a Wisdom book which can speak to all cultures. 
Sections include:
Two messages about slavery from the Bible
The mistakes of "Commonsense Literalism"
How the Bible actually works
Interpretation as wisdom for each culture

CITED
Mark A. Noll. America’s God: from Jonathan Edwards to Abraham Lincoln.  Oxford University Press, 2002.

Peter Enns, How the Bible Actually Works. HarperOne, 2019.

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Transcript

Come with me back in history. One hundred and seventy-five years ago, Americans were devoted to the Bible. The vast majority of citizens in the 33 states of the Union were Protestant, steeped in the authority of the Bible to guide the affairs of life. Churches and religious societies touched every community, amazing foreigners with the pervasive devotion. But there was a dark and ominous problem that also touched every community and every lawmaker across the nation. Slavery. Specifically, slavery and the Bible. In fact, the Bible was failing America in 1860. 

Hi friends. The Bible is inspirational for millions. But understanding it is hard. I want to use the insights of progressive Christian theology, psychology, and history to gain some insights you can use. 

What was the problem those decades ago? The Bible was failing America because the interpreters of Scripture couldn’t agree on what it taught about slavery. The common notion held that the plain language of the Bible offered perfect and universal guidance on every ethical issue. Esteemed historian Mark Noll describes this idea as “commonsense literalism,” meaning that every person should ignore past theology to think for their self and that the plain words of Scripture provided all the guidance needed for ethical issues. (379) It seemed unimportant to understand the historical context of the Bible, what it meant for those who wrote it, or how all present interpretations are shaped by current culture. Each person could claim the right and discernment to judge the meaning as it seemed plain to them.

This commonsense literalism produced a ferocious debate over the Bible and slavery in the 1850’s. Those who came from the culture of the slave-holding states could cite many Bible verses in which slavery was the norm for ancient Israel or the Roman Empire. Abraham owned slaves and slaves were a part of the kingdom of David and Solomon.  An entire book of the New Testament, Philemon, was about a slave and a master, with no condemnation of the practice. This meant that the America should accept the slave system as approved by God. As one preacher said about those who disagree with these Bible teachings, “The tree of Abolition is evil… it springs from an utter rejection of the Scriptures… and leads to utter infidelity.” (Noll 393).

On the other hand, the same commonsense literalism brought the anti-slavery leaders to a different conclusion. They said the Bible’s greater message was of freedom from oppression, justice for all people, love toward all neighbors, and the dismantling of racial distinctions. Moses had demanded that Pharoah free the Hebrews, while Paul preached the church brought all persons together in equality. Wise people should recognize a difference between the mere record of slavery in the ancient world and the approval of it by a just and loving God. 

The debate over slavery ultimately split the States. According to Noll, it also split the theology of the American public. In his words, “The crisis signaled by the antithetical interpretations of Scripture centered on the adequacy of the Bible itself… [calling] into question the reputation of the Bible as an omnicompetent, infallible authority for life now and forever (397). The civil war over Scripture did as much damage to American theology… as the shooting war did to the body politic.” (401)

We can see today that the problem was not the Bible but the commonsense literalism that interpreted the Bible. The intractable debate over slavery exposed the fallacy of this approach to the Bible. The mistaken interpretation came from ignoring the historical contexts of Scripture, which was written within a worldview that is no longer valid. It conflated universal truths about God and humanity with the flawed culture of the ancient world. Further was the error of believing the Bible offered unvarnished ethical wisdom for all situations or cultures, rather than a treasure of wisdom to be translated in a changing world. These sincere leaders were blind to their own biases as white men of European culture, leading to making the Bible merely a proof text of their own preconceived ideas. 

I think some of these errors in handling theology and the Bible are being repeated today. The current debates about LGBTIA rights, abortion, nationalism, family, women, and the climate crisis are fueled by this conflict. Sadly, some interpreters today are rejecting the established views of science. Some are retreating to outdated views of humanity that promotes misogyny and bigotry, propped up by confusing theological systems. 

A recommended resource for a better approach to understanding the Bible comes from Dr. Pete Enns in his book, How the Bible Actually Works. It’s understandable and clear. He writes, “The Bible was never intended to work as a step-by-step instructional manual. Rather, it presents us with an invitation to explore… to join an ancient, well-traveled, and sacred quest to know God, the world we live in, and our place in it.” (10-11)

Let’s be wiser today as we open the pages of Scripture for the issues of our modern world. The Bible is a great source of truth about God, people, right living, and building community. It’s not easy to understand and apply. But let’s not repeat the mistakes that divided the nation in the past. We have resources today for using the Bible that are grounded in solid historical facts, global human values, and coherent theology. I hope you’ll join me in finding and living out these truths for the well-being of our world.

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CITED

Mark A. Noll. America’s God: from Jonathan Edwards to Abraham Lincoln.  Oxford University Press, 2002.

Peter Enns, How the Bible Actually Works. HarperOne, 2019.