[February 2001 journal entry]
For many years now, I have been making decisions on specific issues – cosmology, science, ethics, text criticism, politics, . . . – that imply core/root questions about using the ‘authority’ language (e.g., ‘lord’, ‘master’, ‘king’, . . .) common to Jewish scripture and Christian scripture. I have come to use such language less and less. The reality is that I do not make decisions based on sources considered authoritative when I cannot establish that authority. My approach to ethics and spirituality does not call for such. My way of being ‘with the world face to face’ would not collapse if ‘Jesus’ or any other reference point were completely discredited.
