Question

(Theology question) How can scripture function as a critic of the Church’s life and life in our modern society? Give examples. Please reference chapter 4 in "Reading the Old Testament" by Lawrence Boadt

Answer 1

Note: This response is in UK English, please paste the response to MS Word and you should be able to spot discrepancies easily. You may elaborate the answer based on personal views or your classwork if necessary. Also, I do not own the book mentioned in your question. You may have to add any pertinent lines from it.

(Answer) The Bible, like most religious books, is full of precepts and instructions that are fundamentals of the life of the follower. Most religions have fundamental precepts about issues like murder, stealing and other problems that a follower must heed.

In the bible, instructions about the functions of the church, instructions about its functionalism and life in modern society are outlined. Matthew 23: 1-22 outlines how Jesus believes that religion should be accessible to the common folk and sinner. Furthermore, Jesus stated his disapproval at religion being elitist.

However, the basis of the religious community according to Jesus in the New Testament is that it should be formed around the principle of humility. The men and women of the cloth should accept a life of humble service in which God and his children are made a priority. Jesus goes on to criticise hypocrisy in preachers and teachers of the law.

Similarly, in modern society, the 10 commandments serve as precepts for upholding the fundamental law of God. These laws dictate that one should not kill, not commit adultery, not steal, not bear false witness etc. The commandment that one must adopt in modern life according to the New Testament is that of “loving thy neighbour.” In this way, the fundamental Christian religion follows that instruction of the Bible in order to formulate the workings of the church and better the life in modern society.