Comments on: Do We Live What We Believe

By: Bob MacDonald

Bob MacDonald — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:00:34 +0000

The commenters have expanded the grammar – well done! I never noticed – shows I didn’t read the original very well – a common problem. Yes it’s passive – and it’s not a divine passive so it is doubly dangerous. Whose belief is to be lived? Whoa! Culture and self-centredness unleashed! What is that ‘belief’ that we should live it. I will not have this man to rule over me.

By: Peter Kirk

Peter Kirk — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 17:53:41 +0000

Touche! LOL! But I used the passive because I didn’t know the author’s name, so thanks for enlightening me.

By: beth

beth — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 16:34:47 +0000

Great post! Very thought-provoking.

By: Dave Black

Dave Black — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:17:25 +0000

It is sad that Peter’s opening statement has overlooked a basic rule of writing: The passive voice is to be avoided. The statement should read: “It is sad that Dave Black neutered his opening statement for the sake of the grammarians’ rule….”

LOL!

By: Peter Kirk

Peter Kirk — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 08:52:36 +0000

It is sad that the opening statement has been neutered for the sake of the grammarians’ rule disallowing singular “they”. “What is believed” indeed? By whom? What most of the world believes? That is of course how most Christians live. But the statement should read:

every follower of Jesus is to live what they believe.

I am also reminded that, from what I heard in a talk by Tony Campolo, Nietzsche came up with his formula that “God is dead” after observing a church service and noting how it felt like God’s funeral.

By: Bob MacDonald

Bob MacDonald — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:59:43 +0000

Hi Henry – good questions. There is much talk. There are many explanatory theological statements around. But the real issue is, as you say, living our faith. I have finished my first complete draft of Job – did Job live what he believed? I see it is very Deuteronomic in its relationship to covenant – the insight surprised me but shouldn’t have. Job is questioned and he responds – that’s our life. To respond to the question that is put to us at the moment – and to get on with the doing of faith – feeding the hungry, paying attention to the extent that we have such gifts, and – O the unsayable – working out in fear and trembling the reality of the salvation in which we have come to be known.