Our topic for Bible Study on Thursday, 5/28, ​is heaven and hell.  There's a rich history of how the images and understanding of heaven and hell developed, mostly through culture/art/literature, rather than scripture.  There are some good books and resources out there that unpack that more fully.
For our conversation, though, we'll turn our attention to what's in scripture (and realize what isn't).
To guide our conversation - some questions to reflect upon:

• Are questions/thoughts about heaven and hell a significant concern of yours?  Why or why not?
• What are the images of heaven and hell that you picture or hold onto?
• What images of heaven and/or hell in art, literature, or culture come to mind?  Which ones do you like or dislike?  How have you been shaped by these?
  • Do you have a favorite or memorable film depiction?
    • Two of mine (Pastor Brett) are the show The Good Place ​and the movie What Dreams May Come - the image of hell is largely drawn from Dante's Inferno, but the image of heaven is what I find interesting/compelling.
• Notice about your own reflections - were any of these informed directly by specific scripture verses or concepts, or do we just assume that they are?

Just two brief but rich resources for reading/considering ahead of our conversation:
First, theologian Richard Rohr (video from The Work of the People ​resource site, to which I have a subscription):

Second, a Lutheran perspective which also outlines the scripture that references and informs some of the images of heaven and hell: "By the light of grace: how does the ELCA understand heaven and hell?"  Go read it!  (Someone alerted me that their browser wouldn't open this link - the article is also included in this PDF - it begins on page 5 - the first four pages are a related (but not necessarily recommended) study guide.)
Additionally, shared by Bill S. - this document, and additionally this blurb: "In 1 Sam 28, Saul, just before the battle with the Philistines in which he is killed, consults with a medium (though he earlier banned them).  He asks her to bring back the dead prophet Samuel, which she does.  Samuel complains: “Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up.”  (verse 15)  This appears to mean up from the grave and that he was perhaps asleep?"  
(There are other references in the scripture, in Paul's New Testament letters and depending on interpretation, in Jesus' own words, to death as falling asleep.)

Our Thursday night Bible study had a general discussion about contradictions in scripture and how we handle them - now next Thursday, 5/21, we'll discuss three big umbrella areas of Biblical interpretation/contrast, which are relevant or come up in our actual lives:

• war/violence and peace,
• money,
• and sex/gender roles/sexuality.  

These are, obviously, BIG topics.  We will not have the opportunity to go deep on all of these in our session next week, and there are many avenues for deeper study here that you could take.  But, to provide an overview, below I provide a spectrum of scripture verses which can be used to support various opinions, and some brief notes.  
We chose these three topics as ones that all are relevant and may strike close to our own views on our identity, our behaviors, and our social views.  We never really do read any of the topical verses completely in isolation, nor should we.  So, when considering the individual topics and verses below, do any of these overarching verses/themes inform how you read and interpret the topics and specific verses?  (Or what are yours?)

• All humans are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27), made for life in community—with God, with others, and with the rest of creation.  
• God loves and has mercy on all people and creation.
• All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, so there is no distinction, but grace through Jesus Christ. - Romans 3:22-24
• (A challenging one that gets used a lot of different ways:) Jesus in the sermon on the mount: ‘You have heard that it was said, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
  ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.” But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.  Matthew 5:38-48
• One of the scribes came near and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, he asked him, ‘Which commandment is the first of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The first is, “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.” The second is this, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’  Mark 12:28-31
• Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.  John 3:17

 WAR/PEACE/VIOLENCE
Here is just a sampling of the spectrum of interpretation on this topic and the scriptures that support it (not in a particular order):

• War seen as against God's desire for peace and order:
  • He shall judge between the nations,
       and shall arbitrate for many peoples;
    they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,
       and their spears into pruning-hooks;
    nation shall not lift up sword against nation,
       neither shall they learn war any more.  Isaiah 2:4
  • He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
       he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;
       he burns the shields with fire.  Psalm 46:9
• War as needed in some seasons:
  • Proclaim this among the nations: Prepare war, stir up the warriors. Let all the soldiers draw near, let them come up. Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; let the weakling say, “I am a warrior.” (Joel 3:9-10) 
• War seen as an evidence of a cosmic battle or Satanic/other powers:
  • Primarily just seen in Revelation, which is a book that you need to decide how you regard its genre before citing.  For example: they will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.  Revelation 17:14
• War seen as an evidence of the sinful arrogance of men:
  • ​Those conflicts and disputes among you, where do they come from? Do they not come from your cravings that are at war within you? You want something and do not have it; so you commit murder. And you covet something and cannot obtain it; so you engage in disputes and conflicts. You do not have, because you do not ask.  James 4:1-2
• War seen as a judgment of God against men:
  • Rebuke the wild animals that live among the reeds,
       the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.
    Trample under foot those who lust after tribute;
       scatter the peoples who delight in war.  Psalm 68:30
  • For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the entire earth, to strengthen those whose heart is true to him. You have done foolishly in this; for from now on you will have wars.’  2 Chronicles 6:9
• War seen as a means for accomplishing God's will:
  • Hear, O Israel! You are about to cross the Jordan today, to go in and dispossess nations larger and mightier than you, great cities, fortified to the heavens, a strong and tall people, the offspring of the Anakim, whom you know. You have heard it said of them, ‘Who can stand up to the Anakim?’ Know then today that the Lord your God is the one who crosses over before you as a devouring fire; he will defeat them and subdue them before you, so that you may dispossess and destroy them quickly, as the Lord has promised you.  Deuteronomy 9:1-3
  • Many fell slain, because the war was of God. And they lived in their territory until the exile.  1 Chronicles 5:22
• War as a sign:
  • ​And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars; see that you are not alarmed; for this must take place, but the end is not yet.  Matthew 24:6

​Bill reminded me that we cannot forget that the Bible includes significant examples of and references to Genocide:  (Samuel to Saul) “Thus say the Lord of hosts, ‘I will punish the Amalekites for what they did in opposing the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt.  Now go and attack Amalek and utterly destroy all that they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”  1Sam 15:2-3

• Punishment for past actions perhaps multi-generations in the past.
• Total genocide?
• Similar Joshua 6:21 (at Jericho)

Some interesting resources/official denominational perspective: 

• The Witness of U.S. Lutherans on Peace, War, and Conscience - from 1973, but gives a really helpful overview and specific perspective on the ethical questions and the question of serving in the military.
• ELCA Social Statement, For Peace in God's World, (1995)

 MONEY
Here is just a sampling of the spectrum of interpretation on this topic and the scriptures that support it (not in a particular order):

• (From previous blog post) The Bible, and specifically Jesus, actually deals a good bit with issues around money, though we're often shy to talk about it in church/public, or to advocate for specific actions with your money.  Here's just some variety about what one should do with loans: 
  • You shall not charge interest on loans to your brother, interest on money, interest on food, interest on anything that is lent for interest. You may charge a foreigner interest, but you may not charge your brother interest, that the Lord your God may bless you in all that you undertake in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. (Deuteronomy 23:19-20)
  • Do not be one of those who give pledges,
       who become surety for debts.
    If you have nothing with which to pay,
       why should your bed be taken from under you?  (Proverbs 22:26-27)
  • Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed. (Proverbs 19:17)
• These problematically relate to how "the poor" are considered in scripture/Christianity, and how Jesus' "you will always have the poor with you" has been (mis)interpreted.
• Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. But those who want to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and in their eagerness to be rich some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pains.  1 Timothy 6:6-10

Some interesting resources/official denominational perspective: 

• ELCA Social Statement on Economic Life 

 SEX/GENDER (ROLES)/SEXUALITY
Here is just a sampling of the spectrum of interpretation on this topic and the scriptures that support it (not in a particular order):

• ​The biblical narratives both rejoice in the splendor of sexual attraction, for example:
  • Your neck is like the tower of David,
       built in courses;
    on it hang a thousand bucklers,
       all of them shields of warriors.
    Your two breasts are like two fawns,
       twins of a gazelle,
       that feed among the lilies.
    Until the day breathes
       and the shadows flee,
    I will hasten to the mountain of myrrh
       and the hill of frankincense.
    You are altogether beautiful, my love;
       there is no flaw in you.  Song of Songs/Solomon, 4:4-7
• and are candid about the harm that can result from human sexuality, for example:
  • there are many stories of rape, incest, and sexual assault in the Bible. 
  • Consider also the story of David (the king) and Bathsheba (wife of a soldier) - David sees her bathing, orders her brought to him and has sex with her.  She gets pregnant, David has her husband sent to the frontlines of battle to die, so that he can forcibly take her as a wife (he has at least eight).
• A lot of the concept of "Biblical" marriage is based on verses like this in the gospels (which references one of the creation stories in Genesis):  “But from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one put asunder.”  Mark 10: 6–9
• (This is an opinion, not everyone agrees:) There simply is NO consistent singular sexual ethic in the Bible, unless you extrapolate something general (like I'd like it to be something like mutual care - BUT that is decidedly not Biblical, given a whole lot of sketchy marriages/sexual ethics in the Bible).
• The Leviticus "abominations" verses (including  must also be seen in context of all the other stuff that is called by the same Hebrew word, "toevah" including eating shellfish and wearing mixed fiber clothing.
• A chart of marriage types in the Bible:
• Also great, Roy Zimmerman's song:  "I want a marriage like they had in the Bible"  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXlzkuFBJ7s, 
• Added by Bill:
  • The two most commonly cited verses in the NT interpreted as condemning homosexuality are in lists condemning certain activities to Hell (e.g “fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, homosexuals, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, swindlers")
     are in 1 Cor. 6:9 and 1 Tim. 1:10.   However, the term used in the original text is “Arsenokoites”  It is a word that does not elsewhere appear in Greek literature or texts.  It is a combination of the words “Arsen” meaning adult male and “Koite”  which means marriage bed. 

GENDER ROLES

• Regarding the role of women - all of the following are in the Bible:
  • If a woman will not veil herself, then she should cut off her hair; but if it is disgraceful for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her wear a veil. (1 Corinthians 11:6) • Wives, be subject to your husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. (Ephesians 5:22-23)
  • Women should be silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be subordinate, as the law also says. If there is anything they desire to know, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. (1 Corinthians 14:34-35)
  • When a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to be married, and lies with her, he shall give bride-price for her, and make her his wife. (Exodus 22:16)
  • Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: ‘‘It is well for a man not to touch a woman.’’ But because of cases of sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. (1 Corinthians 7:1-2)
  • When brothers reside together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her, taking her in marriage, and performing the duty of a husband’s brother to her. (Deuteronomy 25:5)
  • Yet she will be saved through childbearing, provide they continue in faith and love and holiness, with modesty. (1 Timothy 2:15)
• Contrast these with the many examples of Biblical women who are leaders, prophets, lifted up as faithful, or called out from culture's boundaries for them.  Also note that these were recorded and passed down, despite centuries/millennia of patriarchal cultures for whom they may have been a contrary word.  We also know of the presence of women among Jesus' disciples, Paul's supporters and as leaders in the early Christian church.

Some interesting resources/official denominational perspective: 

• ELCA Social Statement: Human Sexuality - Gift and Trust
• ​ELCA Social Statement: Faith, Sexism, and Justice (2019) - goes a lot further and more updated than previous documents - worth a read (there's a short version in the first few pages)

Contradictions in the Bible - will be the open discussion topic for Bible study on Thursday, 5/14/20 at 7:30.  All are welcome to join us - even if you'd just like to listen!
Here are some questions to guide our conversation, or your own thinking through this topic:
Does the Bible contradict itself?
Does it matter?  When?
Do the contradictions bother you?
Are they not contradictions but something more complicated?
Does the Bible/its authors care that there are contradictions?
Which contradictions come to mind or bother you?
What do you think God thinks?
Here's some background/resources:
So . . . have you ever come across or been faced with something that at least appeared to be a contradiction in scripture?  How did you feel about it?  Did it bother you, or no big deal?
Not to beat around the bush, the first issue is to consider whether you believe that there are contradictions in the Bible or not.  Simply put, I, Pastor Brett Davis, say YES, absolutely there are contradictions in the Bible!  (Scroll down to the accordion/drop-down menus for some examples.)  For a number of reasons, the Bible is far from internally consistent, especially when "proof-texting," pulling out a lone verse to compare with another, or even regarding some larger themes.  It's simply a truth of history that the Bible can be directly cited to support completely opposite claims.
Now, this sets me apart from doctrinal positions of some other Lutherans, including the entire denominations of the Lutheran Church Missouri-Synod (LCMS), and Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS).  This isn't to say that the ELCA has one singular view of this issue.  
A good, quick overview of what the ELCA generally believes is here, Diane Jacobsen's "What Lutherans Think about the Bible," in which she writes:

Jacobsen also said: “I take joy when scripture contradicts itself, because this indicates that God’s truth is far more complicated than my truth. If we use it to make life easy, we betray how scripture makes truth work.” Scripture does not offer us easy answers, but instead requires us to take part in the hard work of interpreting God’s word for today’s concerns.  
What do you think??
I also find helpful this explanation from Martin Marty's Lutheran Questions, Lutheran Answers, to the question "Are there Errors in the Bible?"
Bill helpfully shared this blog from scholar Bart Erhman on "The Historical Significance of Contradictions."
Some important questions to consider is - does the Bible, or individual author/community even care or know that they might be contradicting something else?
Can it be something more complicated than flat contradiction?
What genre is this writing?  How might it use language?
(FYI/background: this Bible Chronology compiled by Bill is helpful to know the history and timeline.)
Dig even deeper and consider as a  contrast to a straight factual analysis, the dialogic approach to scripture as Peter Enns describes in this video below, regarding wrestling with what the Bible says - and why it doesn't just say one thing:

In our Thursday night Bible study, we're about to start a new series of open-ended discussions, that draw on scripture passages/stories but lead us into conversation about relevant topics and things we'd like to explore.  For each, there's going to be a post here with some read-aheads/resources.  These will remain up as good resources, too, to point back to as reference in general for these topics.
The first one we're tackling, the subject of this post, is how do we read the Bible?

Here's a great < 10min video - Theologian Will Willimon on Biblical interpretation, who says: "the task of interpreting the Bible is unavoidable.  That dear soul who says, 'I just read the Bible and let it speak,' that dear soul is self-delusional.  Any act [or context of reading] are in themselves acts of interpretation."  This is a great introduction:

Hermeneutic Self-Inventory – “hermeneutics” means biblical interpretation.  This 19-question inventory takes you through thinking about what might shape or influence how you interpret the Bible, like in my example above regarding the parable of the prodigal son.  Because, whether you think so or not, factors do influence how you read the bible.

A bookmark to print and keep in your Bible –  the Lutheran Lens on scripture & Willimon’s 5 tools of interpretation.

Quotes to consider:​