Random Comments on the Bible

Over the course of a few days, I heard/read inquiries/comments like this: At our church, we don't apologize for what we believe . And, I'm new to the area: can someone please recommend a church that follows and teaches the Bible?      A few years ago when our teaching pastor dealt with the question of biblical authority, interpretation and how to read the Bible, one of the results was that some people left the church. It wasn't so much what he taught during this series -- although some took exception to that as well -- it was his approach and attitude. Which was one of: I can't possibly be right 100% of the time about 100% of all things theological, therefore... humility? It deserves to be noted that said teaching pastor who advocates humility is currently working on his Phd in theology.  Some didn't like,to be reminded for example, that within any biblical tradition -- even the particular strand of, say, evangelicalism to which you belong -- there are gradients...

Anna Sewell's "Black Beauty" and Religion Who knew  Anna Sewell's Black Beauty had so much to say about religion? There is no religion without love, and people may talk as much as they like about their religion, but if it does not teach them to be good and kind to man and beast, it is all a sham […] I have heard the commandments read a great many times, and I never noticed that any of them said, 'Thou shalt be rich.' And there are a good many curious things said in the New Testament about rich men that I think would make me feel rather queer if I was one of them." (35.43) "Real religion is the best and truest thing in the world and the only thing that can make a man really happy, or make the world any better." (36.24) "[…] I don't see that your religious people are any better than the rest."  "If they are not better... it is because they are not religious. You might as well say that our country...

From Richard Rohr:  https://cac.org/loving-fully-2017-12-13/ Jesus told us, “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind” (Luke 10:27). He called us to a presence that is a broader and deeper kind of knowing than just cognitive thinking. Thinking knows things by objectifying them, capturing them as an object of knowledge. But presence knows things by refusing to objectify them; instead it shares in their very subjectivity. Presence allows full give and take, what Martin Buber (1878-1965) called the “I/Thou” relationship with things as opposed to the mere “I/it” relationship. Buber summed it up in his often-quoted phrase: “All real living is meeting.” [4]

(from https://cac.org/returning-to-essentials-2017-11-30/) Quaker pastor Philip Gulley superbly summarizes how we must rebuild spirituality from the bottom up in his book,  If the Church Were Christian.  [2] Here I take the liberty of using my own words to restate his message, which offers a rather excellent description of Emerging Christianity: Jesus is a model for living more than an object of worship. Affirming people’s potential is more important than reminding them of their brokenness. The work of reconciliation should be valued over making judgments. Gracious behavior is more important than right belief. Inviting questions is more valuable than supplying answers. Encouraging the personal search is more important than group uniformity. Meeting actual needs is more important than maintaining institutions. Peacemaking is more important than power. We should care more about love and less about sex. Life in this world is more important than the afterlife (e...