Roots of Trees
Thurman Quote: “A simple but dramatic illustration can be seen by any observer in the world of nature. The roots of trees spread out in many directions--seeking, always seeking the ground of existence for themselves...They were on the hunt--for life.”
Citation: ”I: Commitment,” in Disciplines of the Spirit, p. 13.
Description: Thurman uses the image of the persistence of tree roots as an example of the human discipline of commitment. He defines human commitment as “a determination to live.” Thinking about biblical interpretation as the persistence of tree roots opens up the opportunity for us to explore what we are committed to--even determined about--in our interpretive practices. Are we determined to interpret ways that cultivate relatedness, wholeness, and inclusion? Or, are we committed to ways of interpreting that disrupt relationships and exclude? What is the outcome of our persistence in our interpretive practices?
Reflect on: The outcomes and reverberations of our interpretive practices.
