Doing Theology From BelowSample

Jazzing Around

Yesterday, we highlighted what it means to read scripture, not “to,” not “for”, but “with” the communities we serve, especially those at the margins. We said that Doing Theology from Below pays more attention to how we read the text and with whom than it does in trying to nail down “what” the text says.

Doing Theology from Below is also learning how to read the text through the eyes of Jesus as our Rabbi. In other words, Jesus is our living hermeneutic or interpretive lens on the text.

In Luke 23, Jesus prays for the forgiveness of those who are at that very moment murdering him: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” In the next chapter, when Jesus appears to his disciples after the resurrection he stands among them and says, “Peace be with you.” We’ll explore this more in days 4 and 5 of this plan, but Jesus’ posture here is so important in understanding what it means to read the text through his eyes. He is the crucified, risen one, who comes to forgive. The one who gives a word of peace to the very ones who abandoned him. When we read the text through those eyes, we discover what author James Alison calls the “Intelligence of the Victim” and through that intelligence, our hearts burn from within and our eyes open to God’s liberating Word.

But how is this different from how we normally read scripture? A metaphor that can be very helpful is thinking of reading Scripture from below as doing jazz theology.

Jazz is dynamic, participatory, co-creative, and improvisational. It finds beauty in the act of the performance and the soul of the performers. Jazz invites each participant to risk their voice in ways that push the envelope and make room, not only for great beauty, but also for failure. That is why the ensemble exists – to create space for exploration and interpretation of the original score and to call the performer back when they lose their way. Classical music, by contrast, is carefully structured and finds beauty in accurately re-presenting the original intentions of the composer. In classical music the performers are expected to play the notes as written.

When we apply this metaphor to theology, we might say classical theology arranges what we know about God into formal systems of thought. And there is much need for this. However, this can result in top-down systems of belief, controlled by power structures, that exclude the marginalized. On the other hand, jazz theology is participatory, co-creative, and bottom-up. It makes room for participation and a variety of voices that have often been excluded. It invites improvisation and always encourages risk. In other words, failure is woven into the very fabric of Jazz theology. Jazz theology is a much-needed complement and equal partner to classical theology. The point here is that doing theology from below is more like participating in a jazz ensemble than an orchestra.

Take a few minutes to reflect on the difference between classical theology and Jazz theology. Which of these approaches best describes how you were taught to do theology? If Jesus is the one who forgives and brings peace, what does it mean to read scripture through His eyes?