Using The Bible In Life

Here is an excerpt written by Marion L. Soards, professor of New Testament at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary:

"The author of Hebrews describes the Bible as "living and active...sharper than any double-edged sword." We are called to move beyond reading it or even meditating upon it; we are to take the next step, employing its wisdom to critique life and determine courses of action. The question is how.

Subtle differences in the ways people appeal to and use the Bible in ethical reflection seem endless. But the great variety of uses- ranging from irresponsible to responsible- people make of Scripture in deliberations about morality fall into four basic categories: proof-texts, paralells, principles, and paradigms.

Proof-texts. People may point to a "proving" text in the Bible in an effort to establish or validate an argument, idea or action- even though the Biblical material referred to at times may have at best a questionable relevance to the matter at hand.

Parallels. Biblical material is used this way when people refer to a passage, usually a sentence or story, they see as in some way analogous to a context other than that of the original Biblical text.

Principles. A Biblical text is used to establish a principle when someone derives from it a directive or standard they can then cite to make an ethical decision, either in relation to a particular situation or to general practice. More than proof-texts and parallels, principles formed and articulated from Scriptural perspectives can provide insight and guidance for serious ethical reflection.

Paradigms. Biblical texts yielding examples or patterns that may offer ethical guidance for life situations are usually identified as paradigms. Paradigmatic passages typically present pictures, most often in the form of stories, that can serve as examples, models, or precedents for thinking about ethical issues.

Because the models communicated through paradigms are often complex, this kind of text may have a unique capacity to inspire, inform, and guide our decision-making efforts. As is always the case with Biblical materials, the best use of Scripture in reflection on matters of morality comes when we pay attention to two areas: (1) the plain sense of the texts (what do they say, period, in and of themselves, in isolation from the material before and after?) and (2) their place in their original Biblical contexts (what do they say in the framework of the time, place, and unique situation in which they were written?).

At various times and in various places the Bible speaks directly, indirectly, or not at all about matters of ethical significance. Scripturally based reflections about right and wrong engage Biblical statements that seem pertinent to the issues by using a range of approaches. Because there are diverse ways of reading and responding to the Bible, people attempting to make moral decisions on a Biblical basis are wise to (1) summarize their understanding of the Scriptural statement, (2) recognize that--and how--others might interpret the material differently, and (3) be able to articulate how and why they feel this particular passage impacts their process of ethical reflection.