There seems to be a rash of biblioblogging hiatuses, shutdowns, and timeouts. In his compelling farewell address (a temporary one, I hope), my blogging colleague Elshaddai Edwards of He is Sufficient wrote:
Is my voice lost or changing or am I just muting what I have? I don’t know. I am not a pastor, theologian, formally educated student or anyone of any accreditation. I’m just me and at one point I thought that it might be interesting to explore how “me” viewed the Bible through a blog. I now realize that I’ve been writing over my level of understanding and that, for the time being, I should probably keep my mouth shut, to borrow Keith’s phrase. At least until I find a more mature voice to speak with (emphasis added).
This is a remarkable confession. But a true one.
However, this is not just true of the eloquent Mr. Edwards, this is true of all of us. True, there are those who are pastors, theologians, formally educated students or others with accreditations, but none of those things change that we are all writing “over our level of understanding” when it comes to the Word of God.
I do understand the need for reflection and refreshing, though. In fact, this blog came out of my own period of reflection and soul searching. I would certainly encourage anyone who takes the time to do the same.
The one thing I have learned after two years of intense Bible study is that it would take many, many lifetimes to even scratch the surface of the depth, breadth and richness of God’s Word. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
We are all parts of the body, interconnected by design, with unique jobs, contributions, and functions. None of which is any more important than the other, the person who leads one person to Christ is just as valuable as the person who leads one thousand. If I inspire one person to read the Bible, or just read it a little differently, I will consider my labors well worth it.
I know my blogging brethren (that brethren is especially for you, tc, welcome back) have so inspired me. And if Elshaddai’s voice for his blog is truly gone, it is not for lack of maturity, I can assure you. The realization that we are all writing over our level of understanding is evidence of one of the most mature perspectives I have come across.
And that it is over all of our levels of understanding is yet additional evidence of the greatness of the God we serve.
#1 by Damian on January 28, 2009 - 3:43 pm
For me, at least, I understand blogging as a ‘working out’ of my faith, rather than instructing people about a faith I already know. I (thought I) shared this with a lot of the bloggers that’ve recently disappeared (E.S., T.C.). Rather than E.S.’s ‘Be quiet until I can sing’, I’ve taken a view from the Desert Fathers of finding a community in which to ‘Manifest my thoughts’. People to share with, correct my misconceptions, and discuss with. You all play a role in my growth, and that’s why blogging is valuable.
You’re right that E.S. is a mature one, though
.
#2 by petermlopez on January 28, 2009 - 3:59 pm
I think my approach is somewhat similar to yours – the whole working things out as I go approach. I like the feedback – good and/or bad. It helps with working things out. Thanks, Damian.
#3 by Michael Metts on January 28, 2009 - 6:25 pm
I could probably offer a similar confession to Edwards’. Not in my blog posts, but in my blog comments. I do hope 2009 proves to be a more courteous year. God bless you Peter for a spiritually keen post.
Michael
#4 by Caribbean Shulamite on January 28, 2009 - 6:56 pm
I like to read bibliobloggers and I all the more appreciate you guys for being humble and wise enough to admit you could never scratch the surface of it all.
#5 by petermlopez on January 28, 2009 - 7:02 pm
Metts, I think it is the confession of us all, and I pray a year of courtesies over you.
CS, being humble is harder, but being humbled by the majesty of God’s Word is fairly easy. Thanks.
#6 by Chuck Grantham on January 28, 2009 - 11:57 pm
I definitely blog over my head, because like the little old lady in shoplifting court, “I only steal from the best”.
I think very many writers write to learn and systemize what they know, not to pontificate, because any good writer/scholar understands every bit of learning brings new questions, Also, as Kris Kringle says in “Miracle on 34th Street”, learning is the cure for what ails you. Learning is fun.
#7 by ElShaddai Edwards on January 29, 2009 - 9:40 am
Thank you for the kind words and encouragement, Peter. I agree entirely that it is an awesome thing that the Bible is beyond our level of understanding and is a testimony to the greatness of God.
I do also want to offer that the context of my thoughts, perhaps poorly expressed, was not so much the scripture texts, but our human apparatus in approaching them. It was the disciplines of translation and theology that attracted me to blogging and likewise those that burned my voice when I realized or at least felt like I had assumed a mantle of authority that was not mine to wear.
As the title of my last “post” may indicate, 1 Timothy 1:5-7 has been especially convicting and I am still searching for the balance of authorship and authority… I suppose that is all about the right relationship of the member to the body.
#8 by petermlopez on January 29, 2009 - 11:18 am
Chuck, thanks for stopping by. I couldn’t agree more. I certainly know that the more I learn, the more I realize how little I do know.
ElShaddai, thanks for the clarification, but it seems like two sides of the same coin. If the texts were less than supernatural, they would not have inspired the collective efforts of thousands if not millions of people spanning millennia to understand, decipher and/or translate. I think I understand what you are saying, though. I still feel the same way about practicing law. I have a sense for what a lawyer is supposed to sound like, act like, and look like, and I still feel like I’m just playing the role waiting to be exposed at any given moment. It’s a lie from the enemy. You are a king and a priest, and your authority stretches over the entire earth and everything therein. Take it, put it on, and wear it proudly. I think I’m giving myself a pep talk as much as anything else…
#9 by Robert Jimenez on January 29, 2009 - 1:31 pm
Peter,
I have been a bit burned out as well. But it is due to other driving forces in my life. For one thing, I work for IBM and they recently announced some lay offs, many of my friends were let go. I was not and still have a job. I do thank God for that, but in many ways I am left with a heavy heart, and very sadden by the fact that people I know now have to deal with trying to find a job during these tough economic times.
Some of the bloggers that I follow have taken a step back and stop blogging, which has caused me to reflect as to why I blog. It is a time consuming effort. I try to blog on things that interest me, and when I do blog on theological matters it is mostly because I am trying to better understand the topic at hand. I hope that those that follow my blog would contribute and provide feedback. I never see myself as a subject matter expert, or professional in these areas. I just do my best trying to understand.
The big thing that I am wrestling with is experience and relationship with God. Am I putting an over emphasis on the Bible or theological matters verses an emphasis on knowing Christ, and allowing the Holy Spirit to be an experience reality in my life? Do I need a better balance in my life, am I being to extreme on one end? I don’t think that just by reading the bible, or knowing it very well equates to knowing Christ? The litmus test that we give for figuring out if we are Christians could very well be answered by the devil himself.
I need to think and pray more about this and then blog on it, sorry for eating up your space here. Thanks to ElShaddai, and Bryan for putting me in this state
lol
#10 by petermlopez on January 29, 2009 - 2:36 pm
Robert, I’m sorry to hear about your buddies. I pray that they will find work soon. I agree with you about relationship with Jesus being key. I think we all need to find that balance. Fortunately, I think it’s a wonderful cycle we can fall into: we get closer to Jesus and He opens up His Word, we get deeper into His Word and we get closer to Jesus. It’s great. Yes, I think we all tend to get too theological and place too much emphasis on knowledge rather than experience. I’ve fallen into that trap, too. Thank goodness God is gracious with us.
#11 by Robert Jimenez on January 29, 2009 - 2:41 pm
Peter, good advise. It’s a trap I fall into all too often — but there could be worst things to fall into I suppose.
#12 by petermlopez on January 29, 2009 - 2:50 pm
Indeed.
#13 by ElShaddai Edwards on January 29, 2009 - 4:59 pm
I guess I have to get to the place where the thinking part of my brain is okay with expressing opinions and preferences without the foundation of concrete knowledge. For example, I can tell you that l love the NEB/REB’s expression of the Greek mataiologia as “a wilderness of words”, but my response is to the English, not to its accuracy of translation of the Greek, either literally or idiomatically.
I don’t know Greek – just Strongs. How then can I write about the correctness of one translation over another? Unless of course I advocate a position that the scripture in any English translation is just as inerrant and inspired as the original Hebrew or Greek. But there don’t seem to be many takers on that view…
I probably thinking too much – but this *is* where I find myself. Paralysis by analysis… blogger burnout… thanks for letting me chew on this some more!
#14 by mom2olivia on January 30, 2009 - 10:58 am
So well put my friend, so well put, thank you!! I had taken a week off blogging, not becasue I wanted to, but I just didn’t feel God leading me, until this morning again. As much as I have tried to be transparent on my blog, and let God lead my writting and share my life, I too, have found times of copying and pasting a scripture refrence here or there to streatch the point. I truly love blogging, and hope that we will all try our best to be as authentic in our walks as God will allow us to be, and yet grow in His knowlege and power of His beautiful Word. Blessings to you! Robin
#15 by petermlopez on January 30, 2009 - 2:39 pm
ESE, you can write about anything you want to write about, if you are burdened by some self-imposed limitation on subject matter or, worse, what others might think or expect, then shed that now. But, I get the whole “paralysis by analysis” thing. I spend way to long on some ideas for the very same reason. Chew away.
M2O, thanks. I agree, I feel far more satisfied when I am being led that when I try to take the lead. I forget the shepherd/sheep relationship sometimes.
#16 by Caribbean Shulamite on January 30, 2009 - 6:42 pm
Hey Peter I have not been able to post a comment at your other blog for some days now….do you know what’s the matter? I’ve had some queries at my own blogger blog about this though..hmm
#17 by petermlopez on February 2, 2009 - 10:57 am
Thanks for the info, I looked into that, and Blogger says that in-post comment forms may not work with 3rd-party templates. So, I adjusted my comment settings, and hopefully it will work now. You might want to try that if you are having the same problems.
#18 by hiscrivener on February 5, 2009 - 7:23 am
You know, I don’t think it’s a loss of a voice. To be logical, that voice surmises your soul – your emotions, your will, your being in practicum. His voice will always be with him. Just allow ElShaddai get in a confrontation to win someone to the Lord. That “voice” will come back resounding.
What may have been lost is inspiration. I have been dealing with that a little. Some blogs I adore (like some Bible one I know, eh hem) are focused and serious (for the most part) on things of the Bible. Then there are those that enjoy life, God and all the zany stories in between (as in yours truly).
But some of those stories are depressing because just don’t appreciate Christ, love the Lord as they say and worship God the way we all should. It’s downletting, it’s upsetting, it can be heart breaking.
What keeps me going are comments.
While I don’t get as many as most others (probably because I blog 2-3 times a day), some of the comments and e-mails I get really keep me going. God is using all of us who strive to use him.
Thank the Lord. Great is his faithfulness. ElShaddai, open your mouth wide, he will fill it. Evidently, he’s done a lot of that already. Guess I need to read just what he is saying – or said – over there.
Peace to both of you,
HiScrivener
#19 by petermlopez on February 5, 2009 - 3:13 pm
Thanks, my brother. I can’t imagine that you will ever lose your voice. Keep up the good work.
#20 by tc robinson on February 23, 2009 - 5:52 am
Well, Peter, I made it back. My reason for being away was for discovery to some degree. God is good indeed to us all! Thanks for all the kind words, esp. those about Elshaddai.
#21 by petermlopez on February 23, 2009 - 12:27 pm
You are very welcome (for the thanks, but also welcome back to the blogging world). God is indeed good. I hope your time away was rejuvenating. As always, thanks for reading.