I want my own Bible too
by Geoff Ryan
Last week a friend of mine sent me a link advertising a new Bible entitled The Green Bible. Apparently God has now gone green, or at least his revelation has. This eco-friendly addition to the growing list of personalized, issue-
focused niche Bibles includes “verses and passages that speak to God’s care for creation highlighted in green” and “a green Bible index and personal study guide”.
For the record, it is also printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks and sports a cotton/linen cover. The Sierra Club (those well-known proponents of monotheism), the Humane Society of the United States (presumably no animals were harmed in the making of these Bibles) and the Eco-Justice Program of the National Council of Churches USA (What on earth is “Eco-justice”? Does this mean that plant species need fear oppression in the same way as people groups do?) all endorse the new Green Bible. It looks like HarperCollins have covered all their bases on this one and I bet Zondervan are ticked.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I understand the significance of coloured type when it comes to God’s Word. I remember as a child receiving my first red-letter edition of the Bible (for the uninitiated, this means the words of Jesus were printed in red). I had wanted one for ages but it seemed that they were reserved exclusively for serious Bible readers, like my grandmother and maybe the General. But when I was about ten years old, I was awarded one due to my stellar efforts in the Junior Soldier program. I was over the moon. To be honest, though, I was mostly thrilled because my red is my favourite colour and so aesthetically the red-and-black type on the pages of the Gospels really appealed to me. I thought it looked very, very cool.
At the time I was not bothered in the least by the contradictions embodied in my newly prized possession. I mean, as an evangelical I believe that the WHOLE Bible is the inspired Word of God, both Old and New Testament. So to highlight some words and not others, even if the ones highlighted are apparently the actual words Jesus spoke (had he spoken English… King James English, in my grandmother’s case), is obviously to suggest that those words were really more important than the other, black-type words… which kind of compromises the inspired integrity of everything between the covers. I mean either all of it is God’s Word or none of it – right?
Anyway, back to the eco-Bible. I understand that this is just the latest in a long line of niche-market Bibles. Meanwhile the Roman Catholics have been at it for ages with the Apocrypha, of course. It’s a kind of extra revelation just for them. Growing up as an evangelical, the impression given to me was that the Apocrypha fell vaguely in the same category as porn – a thing mysterious and fascinating, but dangerously corrupting and definitely off-limits for any true follower of Jesus.
When a soldier at one corps we were attending brought his Jerusalem Bible to Sunday School one day (“Who was this maverick?” I wondered) and inadvertently – or purposefully - left it lying around after class, I furtively picked it up and took a peek. What a revelation, so to speak. It included books with names like rock ballads (Susanna) and fantasy novels (Bell and the Dragon), not to mention a whole slew of things that Jesus apparently said that no one had ever told me about. No wonder those Catholics seemed so supercilious - they had more information! And what about that extra Psalm, number 151? How come that one didn’t make the Protestant cut? It sure fills in a lot of blanks about King David’s formative years, detailing some childhood traumas and resulting insecurities which definitely sheds light on some of his subsequent actions. David – we hardly knew you!
But in truth it is we evangelicals who have cornered the market in niche Bibles. At home on one of my bookshelves sits a large, industrial-size, leather-bound bound Wesleyan Study Bible, with The Salvation Army Crest embossed on the front in gold leaf. It looks wicked (as in hip and cool). I use it mostly to scare Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses who inadvertently knock on my front door. It is a sturdy and intimidating edition of God’s Word, embellished by John Wesley. Or rather, by more contemporary Bible scholars of the Wesleyan persuasion who decided that there was a market among people of their own tribe, if they asked What Would Wesley Do and applied this with gusto to the Scriptures.
Just a few minutes browsing on the web highlighted the following random samples:
- The Maxwell Leadership Bible which promises to “develop leaders from the Word of God” presumably aided and abetted by John Maxwell’s custom, copyrighted management principles.
- The John McArthur Study Bible, confident in an unwavering certainty forged in the trenches of theological tussle - this is the version for the truly combative Calvinist.
- The Spirit-Filled Life Study Bible. The Holy Spirit not only gets his own Bible, but also the endorsement of Pentecostal patriarch, Jack Hayford. As with the self-consciously named Full Gospel Churches, the Spirit-Filled Bible (wittingly or unwittingly) casts aspirations on its competitors, casting doubt on every other version’s claim to be have the Spirit (or the full Gospel).
- The New Inductive Study Bible by Kay Arthur. Yep – it actually says: “…by Kay Arthur”. I guess she’s older than she looks, if she actually wrote the Bible.
- The T.D Jakes Holy Bible, Woman Thou Art Loosed Edition. The title alone boggles the mind and conjures up all sorts of possibilities. In reality, though, it is simply a Bible encrypted with Texas pastor T. D. Jakes teachings affirming the value of women (who, incidentally, comprise the majority of his flock). And the cover is pink.
The list truly seems endless. Students, kids and teens, soldiers and other men (both promise-keepers and promise-breakers), recovering alcoholics, women and wives, worshipers and weight-watchers, fitness freaks and Jesus Freaks, preachers and praisers and pilgrims, businessmen and factory workers, every mega and micro pastor of any self-named ministry… all have their very own Bibles.
All of which has started me thinking. I mean… why not? If I can plant churches and keep at until I actually get a church that I quite like, why can’t I do the same thing with a Bible? A lot of other people seem to be doing it. From what I can understand the trick is that I can’t take anything away, I can only add things. Which is a pity as there are a few whole books, let alone a long list of selected verses that, given free rein, I would be happy to excise from my version.
In the same way that Martin Luther rejected the Epistle to James, deeming it ”an epistle of straw”, I would probably axe at least a few of Paul’s letters as they tend to drone on and repeat themselves. The Book of Numbers would probably go as well, just to help with the flow of things. As for adding things, well, the sky’s the limit I reckon – pictures, charts, comments and insights and explanations and even apologies.
I can theme my Bible too. For example, I can create a Salvation Army Bible, full of quotes by William and Catherine Booth, Samuel Logan Brengle, George Scott Railton and other worthies from our glorious past. I can diminish the Matthew 26 account of the Last Supper down to 8-point type and highlight in red type John’s account Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. I can put in bold type every passage that supports women in ministry, highlight every military metaphor and include illustrated sections on uniforms and brass trumpets. I can focus on whatever subjects most interest and concern me. In fact, it seems that I will be able to make the Bible say whatever I want it to and serve my purposes perfectly.
And therein, when all is said and done, lies the problem.
Writer: Major Geoff Ryan is co-founder and publisher of theRubicon, co-ordinator of the 614 Network and organizes the bi-annual Urban Forum. His interests include writing, politics, coffee and his children. Geoff and his wife Sandra minister in Regent Park, a social housing project in downtown Toronto, Canada.
13 Comments to I want my own Bible too
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Geoff,
I actually own the Green Bible. I like it.
I think I grew up on the Salvation Army bible you described although they never showed it to me only told me all that stuff was in it.
I am calling the ‘copyright’, here and now on the Rubicon, for the making of the 614 bible. Its the Bible that will highlight all the verses on the poor, mission, justice, mercy….so most of the Bible. I am tired of the same old black print, white pages anyway.
I think it will have the 614 logo on the cover.
It may also be called ‘The 614 Bible by__(name here)____’ but that will require a vote by the board of reference and perhaps a large donation to the poor by the person wanting their name on it.
Who’s in?
coryh
Geoff:
There IS a Bible for people in recovery and there are several “student” edition Bibles. I have been told by those who own the recovery Bible that the discrete cover helps them spot newcomers on their path and allows them to better support them in staying on that road.
Andrea
This is so well said Geoff. I saw for the first time the Green Bible just 2 or 3 days ago as it is the feature sale book at my favorite bookstore. This comes just a few months after the ‘justice’ Bible came out which would beat the potential 614 Bible tothe punch.
My personal favorite are the designer covers that are available for Bibles and out of those, the ‘camo’ Bible in army green is one I love the most. I could take it with me onto the combat field whilst I shoot at my enemies so that they hopefully don’t see me coming.
I must go barf now.
peace
Dion
I am not sure why I remembered this, but:
ABC News: Does ‘Jesus Loves Porn Stars’ Bible Take Things Too Far?
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=2116990&page=1
Let’s see… second bookshelf, from left to right: Student’s Life Application Bible (NKJ), Life Application Bible (NKJ), The Nelson Study Bible (NKJ), Serendipity Study Bible (NIV), Holy Bible (Wesley Bible) (NKJ), Open Bible (Russian Synod), Full Life Bible (Russian New Translation), Bible for today’s Life (Russian New Translation),God’s Word (Norwegian “newer” translation), Confirmation Bible (Norwegian), Finnish Bible (standard translation), Russian Bible (Synod updated translation).
After a few years as a Corps leader I found myself reading more commentaries and Bible study plans then a Bible itself. It is strangely attractive. I know what you mean. Nowadays I work in the prison ministry and boys that I talk to don’t really care what the difference is between the different Christian denominations. But they do care when you can tell them what the BIBLE says.
In addition I have a Manga Bible in TNIV but it is kind of exception as it has really cool pictures. And I have a God’s Game Plan (Athletes’ Bilble) Holman Christian Standard Bible which I thought to use in my Ultimate Frisbee Club.
I found an interesting reference to this Green Bible by Brian MacLaren, who has contributed an article to it’s pages: http://www.sojo.net/blog/godspolitics/2008/12/04/the-green-bible/
Reading that short blog by MacLaren caused me to wonder if all the Bibles that are clogging the bookshelves aren’t being published exclusively for their biblical content as much as they are being produced as a way to push certain agendas and hot-button topics. Maybe in even voicing such an observation, I’, stating the obvious…
Geoff,
A late comment, however as it seems you didn’t take too well to the term ‘eco-justice’, thought i should join in the conversation..
As I understand it, a simple take on eco-justice is that it is a call for humanity to care for creation.
David Rhoads takes it further and posits that “at its most profound level, the ecological crisis is a spiritual crisis‟. He believes this comes from our alienation with nature, overlooking the sacredness of all life, treating nature as a commodity and not seeing the presence of the glory of God in all reality.
As Christians, I believe we are called to understand the consequences of our lifestyle on the poor, on people with less power, and on the rest of nature. I see eco-justice and social-justice as complimentary and indeed strong partners. The environment one lives in can and does have a huge impact on living conditions and other social issues.
much more could be said, however I will leave it there.
Thanks Matt - I was being a little facetious here. More poking fun at the faddishness of certain terms that we invent and then bring come into vogue…and then get bored with and discard. Eco-justice, yeah, I get it. But hey - what about “social justice” - isn’t that a self-cancelling term? I mean, one can only show justice, or withold justice, in relation to other people so it necessarily is social in nature…right? Just a thought.
Geoff
Possibly the “social” in social justice is meant to differentiate it from other applications of justice, such as legal justice, or even retributive justice.
But iconoclasts have to have something to rail against! :p
Geoff, thank you for the insightful observations. The market certainly throws a cog in the theological formation of Christians. And stuff like this could lead to the larger problem of a theological perspective creating a ‘cannon’ within the “cannon.”
All the best,
Keith
But seriously Geoff, a 614 Bible. Think about it. All of our financial issues dealt with in one fell swoop.
We could highlight all the verses that have a 6, a 1, and a 4 in them. And we could put a picture of Rob Perry on the front cover. It would sell a billion copies.
Don’t think I haven’t thought about it. These days I’m pretty much willing to consider anything that might bring in money.
Saw, a month or so ago, a social justice Bible advertised. Sorry Coryh.