I completely agree with your last point and I believe that is the great tension of contemporary theology. For me one of the key claims of Christianity is that God is incarnational. If you adopt the broader view of the Franciscan school of theology then God has always been revealing Godself through the natural world and science, what Richard Rohr calls the “first Bible.”
If we accept the incarnational premise then God sometimes has to “look ugly” in order to reach people where they are. Greg Boyd addresses this in his books “Cross Vision” and the “Crucifixion of the Warrior God.” I think he is trying to hard to support a view of Scripture which is untenable though. I would summarize the challenge in the following way. You would explain Nietzsche very differently to a five year old, ten year old, fifteen year old, or twenty five year old.
As a teacher I am always trying to connect my content with my student’s world and experiences. That often looks very different based on the prior knowledge and cognitive complexity of the student.
In the same way if we posit a Divine who reveals something about Godself to the world, then that God will appear very differently to different people. Tribal warriors might only accept a God who fights for their tribe. A global empire might only accept a God who legitimizes their conquests. What I see as the heart of the Biblical story is a God who calls people out of their ignorance and hatred into communities of Peace and Love. Unfortunately some people can’t hear that message so God sends prophets to call out their hypocrisy and show a better way.
People get stuck with the idea of a fully closed canon and in effect a muted God. As the Grand Inquisitor puts it, “Don’t answer be silent. What canst Thou say, indeed? I know too well what Thou wouldst say. And Thou hast no right to add anything to what Thou hast said of old.” As long as the Church chooses power and control over pursuing service and self-sacrificial love we will remain stuck.
I’m going to try and finish up my Grand Inquisitor piece in the next several days.
