Re-Membering It Forward, Part 3: Sanctified Imagination

(This blog series explores re-membering as a way to ground us wholly in the Holy. This blog explores how reading Scripture between the lines and behind the text can enliven the text and deepen our understanding.)

The space after the period and before the next sentence began caught me off guard. Another guy named Daniel brought it to our attention and invited us to accompany him on a little adventure in using our sanctified imaginations.

The sanctified imagination helps us re-member it forward by joining the stories of our lives to the lives – the questions, the struggles, the joys, the mundane, etc. – of those in Holy Scripture.

Our adventure above began in Exodus chapter 5 at the end of verse 2 and before verse 3. Here’s a quick summary: Leading up to chapter 5 we see God preparing Moses to go to Egypt to free Israel from their slavery to Pharoah. Moses, finally convinced, goes to Egypt, and in verse 1 he meets Pharoah and tells him that God says, “Let my people go…” In verse 2 Pharoah responds with “No.” And in verse 3 we see Moses’ response. But we backtracked and stopped before verse 3. Then we spent time exploring all the things Moses might have been experiencing in that moment. He had so much certainty and confirmation about what God had asked him to do. Moses knew he was to go to Egypt so that through him God could free the Israelites. He approaches Pharoah with this holy confidence, and Pharoah says, “No.”

(this is one of my favorites pictures of this confrontation, and it comes from Richard Jesse Watson - more of his work can be found by clicking this picture

Have you had times when you felt certain that things would go in one direction and then they take a different route? I have, many times. :)

We know the story of Moses and how things eventually shake out – and by using our sanctified imagination and re-membering our story to God’s faithfulness in the Moses story, we can deepen our trust that things will shake out, especially when it feels like things are out of control.

This exercise in using our sanctified imaginations has caused me to read that passage – or other passages in scripture – in deeper, more holistic ways since then.

In her book Womanist Midrash, Wilda C. Gafney talks about using the sanctified imagination to expand our wonder in God and deepen our faithful discipleship. “The sanctified imagination is the fertile creative space where the preacher-interpreter enters the text, particularly the spaces in the text, and fills them out with missing details: names, backstories, detailed descriptions of the scene and characters, and so on.” (p3)

Throughout the rest of her book, she explores the stories and gives voice to the many women mentioned, yet typically silent, in scripture. In doing so, she paints a more holistic picture of God’s love, justice, mercy, and redemption for all of Creation.

Frederick Buechner’s novel The Son of Laughter originally introduced me to the concept of a sanctified imagination, although he didn’t name it as such. He writes about the life of the ancient Israel patriarch named Jacob, the son of Isaac, which translated means laughter. As I began reading this novel I experienced a bit of shock – how could Buechner say such things about ‘the Patriarchs.’ It forced me to return to the book of Genesis and read it for what was there, and not what I had assumed was there. I realized the stories in the Bible had so much more than meets the eye.

Using the sanctified imagination differs from making assumptions about the text. It roots itself in the text and explores the spaces between the lines. Literarily it can relate to those who work in historical fiction – they combine the known facts of a time and imagine what it might have been like to live in that context.

Using the sanctified imagination well allows us to explore the many layers of scripture – it allows us to plunge the depths of the text rather than just scraping at the surface. Of course to engage our sanctified imaginations well depends upon our view of Holy Scripture – the metaphors (consciously or unconsciously) we use will affect how we approach the text.

Here are some of the metaphors I have encountered people using over time for Holy Scripture:

· a problem that needs to be solved, so we are looking for the one right answer.

· a history book full of facts and figures to give us data to support our thoughts, theories, and teaching.

· an ancient tome, an interesting story of the past at times, yet irrelevant to today.

· a frame through which we can see current circumstances.

· a framework upon which we can build our ethics and responses to experiences.

· a mystery only certain minds with specific education can understand truly.

Or… well, I wonder what metaphor you might use to describe Scripture (feel free to place it in the comment box if you like)

Reading Scripture with a sanctified imagination invites us to slow down and allow the Holy Spirit to open the eyes our hearts to see God’s truth and love in deeper ways. In doing this, it also creates opportunities for us to see our circumstances differently, and it invites us to see people around us with more grace and patience.

How can you engage your sanctified imagination this week as you look into your own lives and the lives of others around you?

I hope you try it, and I hope you see how this can open doors to re-member ourselves to God, one another, and all of Creation.