Trinity has accepted the Bible Challenge with enthusiasm. We are now 140 strong, reading the Bible every day, Monday through Saturday! Ten Bible Challenge discussion groups are meeting regularly. It's never too late to join our e-mail list or to visit or join a group. Follow this link to view current groups.

This week participants received an e-mail forward from me of a meditation by Father Richard Rohr, Franciscan priest and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation. Rohr encourages us to feel tension, conflict and challenge as we read the Bible. When I asked Trinity BC participants to share how they are experiencing their daily Bible reading of Genesis and Matthew this month, here are some of their responses:

From Carol Savoie:

[Rohr offers] a very good reminder of the value of doubt and questions. They do not represent lack of faith always, but a deep effort at integrity and honesty regarding our beliefs.

From Teresa Sewell:

I find it helpful to look at the daily reading as an opportunity to cultivate the intimacy with the Lover of my soul, and I look forward to our daily trysts in the evening, eager to see how he will show up. I have found it helpful to put myself in the stories Ignatian style by sitting with Joseph in the dungeon, walking with Peter on the water, eating with the 5,000. I am reading with a beginner's mind and find my new Bible an asset in giving me a fresh start since I have been a Christ-follower for nearly 42 years.

From Rhonda Canby:
 I have been wondering about all the demon stories in the first several chapters of Matthew, especially the one in chapter 8 where the demons enter swine and jump over a cliff. Do you suppose people seeing "demons" were really witnessing epilepsy and mental illness and had no other way to describe it or were there actual evil spirits attacking people until commanded by Jesus to stop?  Some present-day sects are really wrapped up in the concept of demon possession (blaming it for pedophilia, mass murders, and sometimes even childhood misbehavior). I would like to dismiss all of the demon stuff as potentially-dangerous fairy tales, but Jesus seemed to take exorcism pretty seriously in Matthew12:22-28.

From Anonymous:

[Regarding the stories in Matthew about Jesus removing demons from people] Jesus helps me to be honest about my own demons and to seek the help I need to be made whole. Therapy and 12-Step meetings provide the "exorcism" I need.

From Nancy S.:

One of the biggest challenges for me is the idea of faith itself. For instance, one of the things I find difficult about the sacrifice-of-Isaac story is that the narrative seems untroubled by the idea that it can be very hard to discern whether a "voice" is God's.  Centuries of violence committed in the name of God, in the name of religion, of course attest to how problematic it is to carry out actions--violent actions especially--based on faith that one is doing God's will and that God will intervene (as with Isaac) if in fact, violence isn't called for after all. I wholeheartedly sympathize with Peter in Matthew 14, too: Shouldn't Peter doubt when what he thinks he sees [Jesus walking on water] defies the laws of Nature and the laws of gravity?  Faith can be such a dangerous thing, something that misleads people into destructive behaviors.  In fact, I often wish that people who have a lot of certitude might entertain more doubt!

From Morey Lloyd:

[Regarding my question to the group about whether the Bible promotes "Traditional Family Values" in Genesis] "Traditional Family Values" is another idea for "Idolatry." Any value that annuls the mercy of G-d is an idol.

Rev. Anne McKeever