...and then the Risen Christ stepped out, to encounter those reading Scriptures. He showed his wounds and said: "I was broken so that the cycle of violence ends. I was nailed to the cross so that all may have life and have it in abundance. My power is made perfect in weakness.”
All the pictures we have seen this week of a Bible, wielded as a symbol of power were deeply disturbing and embarrassing. A weaponized Bible, abused as an instrument of domination, degrades Scripture, turning it into an empty book, stripped of its soul and its transformative power.
What a defining moment for the church: Will Scripture serve domination or will it elicit compassionate service? Will it perpetuate injustice or bring forth justice? Ultimately: will the church move forward reading the Bible with, or without Christ at its center?
I won’t repost the images I saw this past week. They were so utterly wrong. Instead, I offer this alternative picture of a Bible, assiduously read (you can see that…), held in the hands of a woman. Hands that know about hard work and how hard life can be. Hands folded for prayer, longing for the gifts of justice, peace and reconciliation to flourish.
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