Contemplate life in the pursuit of the good

It is unfortunate that the collection of writings that Christians most revere has been titled “The Holy Bible.” The title has placed this marvelous collection of letters, essays, tracts, poetry, myths, legends and stories in a category that does not allow for critical examination.

“The Bible says” are three words that end discussion rather than initiating discussion. New titles have been attempted. “Good News for Modern Man” and “The Message” are attempts that come to mind. However, neither of these titles, nor others that have been tried, grab the imagination of the reader sufficiently. I propose that we remove “Holy Bible” from the covers of all versions of our special library and replace those words with “Life in the Pursuit of the Good.”

I especially like the word “good.” Most people would agree that there is such a thing as good, but our discussion of the content of good is unending. Tasty food is definitely good. An excellent mattress would certainly qualify. Satisfying sex between loving partners would get high marks. A pain-free body would make it into the collage. Hot water for a refreshing bath would make many lists, as would a cold beer on a hot day or a slice of pizza after an evening of fine music. I would want to include the love of parents for a child and the love of grandchildren for their grandma. To define the good is very difficult, but when we see and experience the good, we recognize it. When we do something good for someone, we are pleased with what has happened, and when someone else does good for us we experience happiness.

I acknowledge that the Bible can be read with an almost endless number of perspectives. I want to make the case to read the Bible material as “Life in the Pursuit of the Good.”

Much earlier in my theological career, I struggled with the seeming conflict between my Christian faith and modern science. My struggle focused on the first chapter of the book of Genesis. Conventional understanding told me that this story was an account of the God of the Israelites creating all things out of nothing in seven days. I was exposed to all kinds of explanations about how the story could be reconciled to modern science. Modern science won all the arguments. Genesis 1 did not pass scientific muster. I reached my next conclusion. I was unwilling to throw away Genesis 1. I concluded that Genesis 1 is not history and cannot be understood as history. Genesis 1 was written as a myth and should be read as a myth. Myth is a time-honored literary form used to talk about God. Myths never make scientific sense and can never be read as history. Myths can witness to truth in a manner that mere history can never speak. I was forced to read Genesis with new eyes.

In the myth/story of Genesis 1, God does not create the world out of nothing, but rather finds a world that is useless (void). The world was without form and was engulfed in darkness. In modern language, the earth was chaotic beyond useful function.

The Genesis 1 story has ancient roots that go back to Mesopotamia, the cradle of western civilization. Mesopotamia covered the same area as modern Iraq. Babylon was its capital city. In Mesopotamian mythology, a recurring theme is the struggle with chaos. Their answer to chaos was war. However, there was something about chaos that could not be defeated by fighting it. Chaos kept coming back to haunt the people of Mesopotamia. In their mythology, war was inevitable and victory over chaos was temporary at best.

Abraham grew up in Mesopotamia. By the call of God, Abraham left the area and went on a grand journey. Over the years, Israelite thinking took a turn away from the Babylonian myths. Genesis 1 is the Israelite response to chaos and endless war. In the Genesis 1 myth, the Israelite God sets out to do something about chaos and the useless nature of the world. Simply by speaking, the Israelite God made light, vegetation, animal life and finally human life. God’s world was to be a place of plenty and robust life. As God took his chaos confronting actions, periodically he paused and said that what he was doing was good.

This alternative reading of Genesis 1 and an understanding of Genesis 1 as myth was for me a marvelous discovery. I could let science do its work. I was given a new vision of what my life as a religious person was to be about. Jesus and Paul affirm the message. Evil/chaos is never to be fought. Evil/chaos is to be overcome with the doing of good.

The book that we call Holy Bible can be more accurately entitled “Life in the Pursuit of the Good.” Genesis is the introduction to the entire Israelite/Christian story. Genesis 1 lays out the message about the power of doing good, but we keep finding ways of nullifying the program. Christians, Jews and Muslims all say that they embrace the Genesis 1 story. However, much of the time we all choose to be Babylonians rather than practitioners of one of the most profound ethical statements ever proposed.

There will always be chaos in this world. There is no shortage of people who want to fight chaos and establish order through war. Genesis 1, Jesus and Paul offer the better way.

Do not be overcome with chaos/evil, but overcome chaos/evil with good. It is the central message of the Bible materials.

The Rev. Howard Bess is a retired American Baptist minister, who lives in Palmer. His email address is hdbss@mtaonline.net.

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