Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!lll-winken!sun-barr!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: oracle@eleazar.dartmouth.edu (Brian T. Coughlin) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Did Erasmus live in vain? Message-ID: Date: 6 Nov 90 08:24:22 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH Lines: 43 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu Re: Richard A. O'Keefe Dear Richard, (*whew!*) What a story! I was practically cringing through your entire narrative of the minister-with-the-'uh-s'... :) ... quite seriously, I'm entering the seminary next year (Catholic), and I was quite appalled. I should specify; I wasn't disturbed so much at the "uh-s" at the end of every word, though the fellow seems to be one to benefit from speech therapy... but it was the minister's abysmal ignorance of the SPIRIT of the Bible that "blew me away" with the story. Even if one were genuinely to goof up the Greek translation, and get "bucketfuls" (or whatever) instead of the metaphoric "measure", sheer common sense would usually pull a Bible reader back on track, so to speak. But the minister in question seemed so carried away with his enthusiasm that he neglected his congregation... and THAT, I think, is a true source of concern. I believe that a minister has a solemn duty to explain Scripture, and the subtle messages therein, in as faithful a way as possible. This, I believe, should certainly include an awareness of the needs/feelings of the congregation. A minister who isn't empathic with the people of his "family" isn't a minister at all, IMHO. And my imagination fails me in trying to think of a way that a "flambuoyant", "Bible-swinging but not Bible-reading" preacher could possibly be very sensitive to the needs of those who listen to him/her; a prime requisite for sensitivity is the ability to listen... and a prime requisite for listening is the ability to shut your OWN mouth up, once in a while. :) Just a few thoughts.... ---- Take care! Sincerely, Brian Coughlin oracle@eleazar.dartmouth.edu