Beyond Dualistic Thinking (Bible Study #14)

Dear DJAN Friends,

This famous reading comes with a built-in sound track thanks to The Byrds' hit from 1965, "Turn! Turn! Turn!". You may want to read it at least twice, listening for nuances you may not have heard before.

For everything there is a season,

and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

a time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to break down, and a time to build up;

a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to throw away;

a time to tear, and a time to sew;

a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

a time to love, and a time to hate;

a time for war, and a time for peace

(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8).

This brief poem contains several challenging themes. For example, 1) as eager as we are to be in charge of our destiny, there is much that is beyond our control; and 2) life is full of contradictions that, at times, can feel absurd ("all is vanity"). The poem also reminds us that humans often think in dualistic terms (this or that). But notice how the author of Ecclesiastes refuses to say that one side of the duality is more valuable than the other. It may seem obvious that dancing is preferable, but there is a season in which we are called to mourn. Of course there is a time to love, but perhaps love is trustworthy only if we know when to hate those things that harm the ones we love. Consider what the poet might have written in 2022. How about: A time for reflection, and a time for action. A time to affirm, and a time to rise up in protest. A time to remember the past, and a time to envision new things. A time for anger, and a time to refrain from being angry. The challenge, with God’s help, is to discern when to do which.

May God grant us understanding and commitment.

—Rev Dr. Michael Kinnamon