I saw a church sign on the side of I-35 while driving up to Oklahoma for Christmas celebrations with my family-in-law (I was told over the break that some of that family reads this, to them I say hello and you should do something better with your time other than reading this garble). The sign was upsetting to me because it seemed to epitomize the both the prosperity gospel and the individualism of our culture:
"Unto YOU a child is given"
Of course this an alteration of the Scripture which is most frequently known from the "Messiah" which says, "Unto US a child is given."
I know many people will not think this is a big deal and I know this matters very little to the majority of people. However the change from "us" to "you" is another bit of evidence that Christianity, which has a very strong communitarian tone in the entire Bible/tradition, is being influenced by the western ideal of individualism and independence.
I know the argument could be made the "YOU" is plural (such as in the Texan word "Y'all") however I do not believe this is what most people driving by this sign would interpret. In fact most of the time when our bibles say "you" they really me "y'all" but we read "you" and think "me". For instance...
1 Corinthians 3:16 says, "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?"
I have seen this scripture used to talk about many things ranging from sexuality to smoking, but it is always used to talk about how God dwells in "you" individually. But the thing is Paul is not saying "You" as individuals, rather he is saying "You" as in "Y'all". This teaching has been removed from the communitarian and interpreted as personal. When that happens the text changes meaning.
Back to the sign on I-35.
Unto YOU a child is given or unto US a child is given?
I think the pronoun matters.
"Unto YOU a child is given"
Of course this an alteration of the Scripture which is most frequently known from the "Messiah" which says, "Unto US a child is given."
I know many people will not think this is a big deal and I know this matters very little to the majority of people. However the change from "us" to "you" is another bit of evidence that Christianity, which has a very strong communitarian tone in the entire Bible/tradition, is being influenced by the western ideal of individualism and independence.
I know the argument could be made the "YOU" is plural (such as in the Texan word "Y'all") however I do not believe this is what most people driving by this sign would interpret. In fact most of the time when our bibles say "you" they really me "y'all" but we read "you" and think "me". For instance...
1 Corinthians 3:16 says, "Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?"
I have seen this scripture used to talk about many things ranging from sexuality to smoking, but it is always used to talk about how God dwells in "you" individually. But the thing is Paul is not saying "You" as individuals, rather he is saying "You" as in "Y'all". This teaching has been removed from the communitarian and interpreted as personal. When that happens the text changes meaning.
Back to the sign on I-35.
Unto YOU a child is given or unto US a child is given?
I think the pronoun matters.