February 28, 2013
“Sometimes I’m afraid of God”
“Sometimes I’m afraid of God when I read the Bible,” said Ryan Dueck’s 11-year-old son after reading through one of the most X-rated chapters in the Bible (Genesis 19). Dueck, who writes the Rumblings blog, which is part of the Christian Century Blogs Network, shares with us the conversation he had with the boy. Thinking back on the discussion, Dueck observes: “I love words—words are my life—but it never ceases to amaze me how quickly questions about the Bible from my kids can seem to drain the words right out of me. At least all of the good and helpful ones. All of my theological education and hermeneutical sophistication and contextual sensitivity seems to go out the window when a kid encounters some bizarre passage in the Bible and wonders, quite logically, ‘what on earth does that mean and why is it in the Bible?’!” After reading Dueck’s essay, you’re likely to find yourself thinking about it for a long time. How would you have answered the child?
