The church has not taught the faithful how to read comparative stories in order to form their faith. Have you noticed there are two creation stories noting their similarities and differences? Even the names of God in the original text are different. What about three versions of the ten commandments (Duet.5; Ex.20; & Ex.34)? Some of these promises from God are unconditional and some are conditional.
How do you hold onto that the Lord is a "God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity and transgression of sin" (Ex.34:6-7), and also ascribe the idea that "if you seek (God), he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will abandon you forever" (1 Chron.28:9).
God's Word invites us into a conversation with competing ideas and stories. Some Christians will focus on one story and others on an another but what do these stories tell us about God? What circumstances may be behind the words to divergent audiences? Do we silence the dialogue by picking and choosing who we want to listen to? How does the conversation change or progress in the light of God's final revelation---Jesus?
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