Today we’re talking about Bible translations. What if I told you that there is a person standing between you and the pure, unadulterated Word of God. No, it’s not Satan. It’s the translator. And also maybe the committee that commissioned the translator. If that sounds weird to you, don’t worry it sounded weird to me too. I mean, a translator just looks at an old manuscript and copies into another language the words that are there, right? Maybe. But what if there is no English equivalent for that word, or what if punctuation is missing!? What then? And it begs the bigger question of how do we decide which translations are most trustworthy and which ones are just rubbish! We’ll get into all that on today's episode.

Articles:
https://www.seminary.edu/bible-politics-and-theological-bias/

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/jesuscreed/2014/10/01/the-politics-of-bible-translations/

Wesleyan Quadrilateral:

http://www.umc.org/what-we-believe/wesleyan-quadrilateral

Ben Stuart’s Sermon:

https://faithbridge.org/sermon/is-the-bible-corrupted/

Observing the Sabbath might just be the most disregarded commandment. Why? Is it any harder than telling the truth or honoring our parents or NOT committing adultery? In some ways it the one that stands out because it just seems like it doesn’t belong. It’s not as serious as the others. It’s a commandment for people who have the luxury of setting their own schedule. Luann walks us through an exploration into the Hebrew roots of Sabbath, through the lens of her Isrealite-wannabe professor - and explains the difference in keeping the Sabbath and in Sabbath-keeping practices. And that unrelenting business of life that makes a day of rest seem both unattainable and lazy? Well, we talk about the root cause of that too. Anchors aweigh, Stowaways.

Resources:

Dorothy Bass, Practicing Our Faith “Keeping Sabbath” SO HELPFUL. Examines Jewish history and then what it means for Christians. Speaks to Jesus and the Sabbath as well.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/047048411X/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_OA7XCbVYBCGE7

Ruth Haley Barton, Sacred Rhythms - Chapter 8
https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Rhythms-Arranging-Spiritual-Transformation/dp/0830833331/ref=sr_1_1?crid=19MX1JKQJQ4SQ&keywords=ruth+haley+barton+sacred+rhythms&qid=1556593441&s=gateway&sprefix=ruth+haley+barton+sacred%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-1

Abraham Joshua Heschel. The Sabbath “The Holiness of Time” & “It’s Meaning for Modern Mass. This helps to understand the Jewish perspective and significance.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0374529752/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_c_api_i_nB7XCb2BZKF6P

Mark Labberton. The Dangerous Act of Worship, Chapter 6
https://www.amazon.com/Dangerous-Act-Worship-Living-Justice/dp/0830834141/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+dangerous+act+of+worship&qid=1556593526&s=gateway&sr=8-1

Gary Thomas, How Do Young Parents Take A Sabbath?

The Nap Ministry - Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/thenapministry/?hl=en

Irresistible by Andy Stanley

https://www.amazon.com/Irresistible-Reclaiming-Jesus-Unleashed-World/dp/0310536979

N.T. Wright’s work

https://www.amazon.com/New-Testament-People-God/dp/0800626818/ref=sr_1_15?keywords=N.T.+Wright&qid=1554854777&s=gateway&sr=8-15

https://www.amazon.com/New-Testament-Its-World-Introduction/dp/0310499305/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=N.T.+Wright&qid=1554854777&s=gateway&sr=8-4

Show Notes:

Critical Thinking: What is It and Why is it Important to Believers?https://www.patheos.com/blogs/bibleandculture/2012/04/29/critical-thinking-what-is-it-and-why-is-it-important-to-believers/

What does the Bible say about Critical Thinking?https://www.openbible.info/topics/critical_thinking

A Critical Mind vs. A Critical Spirit
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/a-critical-mind-vs-a-critical-spirit/

Critical Thinking: Why is it So Hard to Teach?https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/periodicals/Crit_Thinking.pdf

What the Hell is Going On: David Mitchel’s Soapbox
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2L4TMQRzac

Sacred Rhythms, Ruth Haley Barton

https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Rhythms-Arranging-Spiritual-Transformation/dp/0830833331/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=30W3A84RE309&keywords=sacred+rhythms+ruth+haley+barton&qid=1551989961&s=books&sprefix=sacred+rhy%2Cstripbooks%2C173&sr=1-1-spons&psc=1

Calling, William Placher

https://www.amazon.com/Callings-Twenty-Centuries-Christian-Vocation/dp/0802829279

Hearing the Voice of God, Dallas Willard

https://www.amazon.com/Hearing-God-Developing-Conversational-Relationship/dp/0830835695/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=hearing+the+voice+of+God+dallas+willard&qid=1551990416&s=books&sr=1-1-catcorr

Lectio Divina Practice

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5509ea3fe4b05a1b232493c3/t/58c5a50020099e3e84d64036/1489347840535/Lectio+Divina+Guide.pdf

Lectio Divina Group

https://www.soulshepherding.org/how-to-lead-a-lectio-divina-group/

Resources for This Episode

- Walter Brueggemann - Praying the Psalms

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=praying+the+psalms+brueggemann&crid=ZO4JOY8RL49E&sprefix=praying+the+psalms%2Caps%2C160&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_4_18

- John Witvliet - Worship Seeking Understanding

https://www.reformedworship.org/article/june-1997/time-weep-liturgical-lament-times-crisis

- John Goldingay on Lament

https://vimeo.com/99780901

- Theological Dictionary

https://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Theological-Terms-Background-Articles/dp/0684846446/ref=asc_df_0684846446/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=241983376253&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14499427038240487786&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027718&hvtargid=pla-571544620705&psc=1

- How to write personal psalm of lament

http://www.practicetribe.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/How-to-write-your-own-lament-handout-draft-2.pdf

- Soultime App: https://www.soultime.com/

Henri Nouwen’s life:

https://henrinouwen.org/about/about-henri/

Discernment by Henri Nouwen:

https://www.amazon.com/Discernment-Reading-Signs-Daily-Life/dp/0061686166/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1549667146&sr=8-1-fkmrnull

Discernment Clearness Committee Example:

http://www.couragerenewal.org/clearnesscommittee/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_J6RE5_5R4

God Is Like A Hot Dog - Spiritual Disciplines

Where do we get the idea of Spiritual Disciplines?

What is the point of Spiritual Disciplines? They create space for God to transform us, they don’t actually do anything.

Ruth’s big question: What do you long for?

What if the problem is our hearts, not our priorities?

We can’t shove spiritual transformation into the “nooks and crannies” of our life” - we have to work at it.

“Your desire for more of God… is the truest thing about you. You might think that your woundedness or your sinfulness or… your job title or your identity somehow defines you, but in reality it is your desire for God and your capacity to want more of God that speaks to the deepest essence of who you are.”

Solitude and silence. Luann and Hannah’s experiences.

“The Rule of Life” a way to evaluate the state of your soul

What if you’re a mess and the best you can do is “God is Like A Hot Dog…”

How do you start? Answer the question ‘What does your heart want?’ and ‘Is there something better I can do with my time?’ ‘Do I desire God?’

Show links:

Sacred Rhythms - Arranging Our Lives For Spiritual Transformation by Ruth Haley Barton

https://www.amazon.com/Sacred-Rhythms-Arranging-Spiritual-Transformation/dp/0830833331/ref=asc_df_0830833331/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312154644197&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7058570571150838235&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027718&hvtargid=pla-493782514258&psc=1

Let Your Life Speak - Listening for the Voice of Vocation by Robert Palmer

https://www.amazon.com/Let-Your-Life-Speak-Listening/dp/0787947350

Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth by Richard Foster

https://www.amazon.com/Celebration-Discipline-Special-Anniversary-Spiritual/dp/0062803883/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1548692599&sr=1-1&keywords=celebration+of+discipline+by+richard+foster

James Coney Island hot dogs

http://www.jamesconeyisland.com/food-menu

12 degrees of Silence

http://reclusesmiss.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Twelve-degrees-of-silence.pdf

Our main resource in this episode was “Called” by Mark Labberton. We also mentioned a short passage from the book “Orthodoxy” by G.K. Chesterton.

Seminary Stowaways makes the lively discussion of the seminary classroom accessible to everyone. A journey for those with out a ticket. Coming January 2019.