The Word of God for the People of God Quotes

“As Christians interpreting Scripture, we should exegete not only Scripture but our own culture, the culture that provides the lens through which we receive Scripture.”
― J. Todd Billings, The Word of God for the People of God: An Entryway to the Theological Interpretation of Scripture

“We should recognize that "religion is above all an external word" that "molds and shapes the self and its world.”
― J. Todd Billings, The Word of God for the People of God: An Entryway to the Theological Interpretation of Scripture

“the incarnate Word speaks through Scripture so that our faith can become our own, amidst all of our cultural particularity; yet the incarnate Word calls his disciples to a continuing conversion, wherein the Spirit uses Scripture to reshape God's people into Christ's image.”
― J. Todd Billings, The Word of God for the People of God: An Entryway to the Theological Interpretation of Scripture

“The Trinitarian Christian is not a basically good person who tries his or her best to follow God's rules. The Trinitarian Christian is one who was in bondage but now lives into an identity of being filled with the Spirit, united to Christ and his body, living in gratitude before the Father.”
― J. Todd Billings, The Word of God for the People of God: An Entryway to the Theological Interpretation of Scripture

“For example, consider the question of what theologies are operative in a given worship service. Imagine entering a worship service in which the hymns are all about the church's own action: the action of obedience, of following God's way, of experiencing life together. Along
comes the sermon, an exposition of Scripture. The punch line of the sermon does not relate to God but to a fresh understanding of how to respond to challenges at work, or to challenges in our relationships at home. God will take care of God. What we experience in this worship service is not speculation about God but more practical fare: words of insight and encouragement about how God wants us to succeed in all of our life endeavors.
Note the functional assumptions about God and Scripture in a service such as this: even if there are references to God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, the basic assumption is that knowledge of God is an abstract affair that has little to do with our practical lives. Since direct talk about God is impractical (if not presumptuous), we read Scripture and write songs in a way that focuses on what is under our control - our own will, our own decisions.”
― J. Todd Billings, The Word of God for the People of God: An Entryway to the Theological Interpretation of Scripture

“If this account of revelation is correct, then coming to know God takes place in a community that the Spirit has enlivened to receive the Word sent from the Father. While books - especially the Bible as God's chosen instrument of revelation - will be indispensable, we will ultimately need a community that loves and worships in its midst a God who has entered from outside.”
― J. Todd Billings, The Word of God for the People of God: An Entryway to the Theological Interpretation of Scripture