Having covered the need to view the Bible as Story, and explored how we listen to Scripture, McKnight finally tackles the issue of discernment: what do we do and what do we not do in the Bible? This is the crux of the matter when it comes to “blue parakeets.”
McKnight introduces the need for discernment by highlighting the various commands from Lev. 19 (e.g., be holy, observe the Sabbath, do not reap the edges of your field, do not slander, do not plant two kinds of seeds, etc.). We must discern which of these commands to apply today and which to ignore. Most of us do not mindlessly transport all the commands from Lev. 19 into today. We find some way of discerning which to practice. Generally, McKnight proposes, our discernment process is some form of “That was then, but this is now.” Times have changed. Some of those commands were meant for then, but this is now.
McKnight moves on to the teachings of Jesus. Again, most of us engage in a process of discernment. We apply some of Jesus’ teachings to today (e.g., we pray) but not others (e.g., we don’t sell all our possessions). Our reasoning usually follows a “that was then, but this is now” logic.
McKnight’s first goal is simply to get us to confess that we do discern. We do pick and choose which parts of Scripture to apply to today and which not to apply.
Having recognized that we do discern, McKnight then offers a proposal for the most appropriate way to discern. Though only one example in his proposal, McKnight’s argument regarding divorce and remarriage contains the heart of his thinking. In Jesus’ wiki-story (my words, not McKnight’s) there is only one exception to divorce–sexual immorality (Matt. 5:32). This was the truth as far as it was revealed in this wiki-story. In Paul’s wiki-story, however, Paul discerned that there could be other exceptions to divorce–if a non believer leaves a Christian spouse (1 Cor. 7:15). Paul took the truth as it was expressed in the Jesus’ wiki-story and discerned an expansion on that truth for his own time.
What Paul did is what we must do today. We must discern in a way that recognizes the wiki-story in which our text appears may not reveal the entire truth. Thus, for example, churches today discern there may be additional exceptions to divorce, such as physical abuse by one spouse.
McKnight provides an extended example in the fourth part of the book. He takes up the “blue parakeet” of gender roles within church ministries. McKnight surveys examples in Old and New Testaments regarding what women did do. He calls these texts WDWD (what did women do). These numerous examples, he argues, point toward the fuller truth of the Story–God’s desire for male and female to be equal. In the Old Testament women spoke for God, led the nation in many aspects, sanctioned Scripture, and guided nations back to paths of righteousness. In the New Testament women like Mary, Junia, Priscilla, Phoebe and others played prominent roles. These are further WDWD texts. He contrasts these with what he calls WDWND texts (what did women not do).
Scripture presents both WDWD texts and WDWND texts. Either “what did women do” (WDWD) must be interpreted in light of “what did women not do” (WDWND) or WDWND must be interpreted in light of WDWD. What do we give more weight to? Which guides our interpretation? McKnight argues, based on texts like Acts 2:16-18 which speak of God plan for his spirit to fall on all people and for “sons and daughters” to “prophesy,” that the trajectory of the Story is clearly toward WDWD. In the Story God is working to restore the oneness and mutuality which male and female shared in the Garden. Thus, the blue parakeet WDWND texts should be interpreted in light of WDWD.
For example, Paul’s command for women to be silent (1 Cor. 14:34-35) should be interpreted in light of WDWD. Paul is not contradicting WDWD. Instead, he is calling for a temporary and special silence based on unique factors in that specific setting. McKnight surveys other “silence” passages and shows how they may be interpreted in light of WDWD.
Because the Story contains both WDWD and WDWND we must reach one of two conclusions: “either we have a general prohibition of women teaching and leading with some exceptions…or we have the possibility of women teaching and leading with some restrictions…” That is, either WDWD is the exception to the WDWND rule, or WDWND is the exception to the WDWD rule. And since the trajectory of the Story reveals an “increasing expansion of women in church ministries” with exceptions based on specific contexts, we ought to discern the WDWND in light of the WDWD texts.
