THOUGHTS FROM THE CENTER AISLE

Comments and Meditations from the Rev. Robert Bergner, Priest-in-Charge

Welcome to Thoughts from the Center Aisle.

What follows are mainly my reflections on lectionary scripture, but also other theological and spiritual musings. Sometimes there will be a full sermon, sometimes just notes and sketches.

Please feel free to comment in a constructive, civil way. I will be happy to learn what you have to say.

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Here are three things to keep in mind when reading, thinking about and discussing scripture:

The Bible is a multivocal compilation of documents written over the course of more than a thousand years. Its authors (with several authors sometimes team writing—willingly or not—the same document) say different things in different places—even within their own writings. And that's okay!
As with any text (or anything), each reader reads and interprets biblical text from the perspective of her or his own personal experience, education and preferences (which inevitably change over time). Like snowflakes, no two readers are alike and no two interpretations are the same.
The Bible was written in three ancient languages—Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek. None of these languages have been used in their ancient form for hundreds, even thousands, of years. Those ancient languages are then translated in myriad variations into hundreds of languages that are spoken today. Given the impressive linguistic complexities of translating defunct languages and the transformation of life and culture that has taken place over several thousand years, it is nearly impossible that the sense we take from, say, a modern English translation of a biblical text is precisely what its original author or authors intended. Translation is interpretation.

Cheers,

Bob

Our Recent Posts

Reflections for Sunday, September 6, 2020

Rev. Bob’s Weekly Message, August 30, 2020

Homily by the Rev. Paul Hocking, January 19, 2020

Year A, Second Sunday after Epiphany From the moment of creation we are called—called by God—both to be, and to do! The “being” part is called “life.” The “to do” part, a vocation. It can be the tricky part for most, if not all of us; Yes? Who am I really? What is God calling me to be and to do in life? Fittingly, the Prophet Isaiah (in our first reading) lays out this confused plot for us: The Lord called me (even) before I was born .... He made my mouth like a sharp sword—(then) in the shadow of his hand he hid me! ... He made me a polished arrow—(then) in his quiver he hid me away! ... He said to me, “You are my servant ... in whom I will be glorified.” But I said, “I have labored in

Reflections for Sunday, January 12

First Sunday after the Epiphany: The Baptism of Our Lord, Year A Matthew 3:13-17 Last week Aldon invited us to reflect on journeys—myriad journeys within the biblical narrative of Jesus’ birth: the journey that Luke mentions of Mary and Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem to take part in a census, Mary and Joseph’s journey with the baby Jesus described in Matthew from Bethlehem into Egypt and then back again to Nazareth, the journey of the shepherds from their fields to a manger, the journey of the wise men from the east, and the journey of the word becoming flesh to dwell among us. And our own journeys that have brought us to this moment in time and this place and will lead us forward from i

Guest preacher, Aldon Hynes, January 5, 2020

Year A, 2nd Sunday after Christmas Merry Christmas and Happy Epiphany. It is great to be back at Grace and St. Peter’s after my semester up at Grace Church in Hartford. Thank you, Bob, for giving me the opportunity to preach this morning. It does feels like I’m just passing through. Next Saturday, I head out to California for a couple weeks for the winter intensive at school. A major theme in this week’s lessons is journeys. We start off the season of Christmas with Mary and Joseph making a journey to Bethlehem to be counted in the census. We have the shepherds making a journey from their fields to pay homage. We end off Christmas and enter Epiphany with the wise men making a journey from th

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