Engaging the Word: The New Testament and the Christian Believer

By Jaime Clark-Soles

Most Christians are unaware of the doctrinal debates taking place within the religious academic community. When they are aware of these discussions, they may consider them irrelevant or even harmful to Christian practice. Jaime Clark- Soles invites seminarians, seminary faculty, and church leaders to find common ground by considering the various debates, the reasons they persist, the implications of each, and how they pertain to Christian identity and faith within the larger contemporary culture. Includes study questions.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press
• Release date: Nov 17, 2010
• ISBN: 9781611640786

Jaime Clark-Soles

Jaime Clark-Solesis Professor of New Testament and Altshuler Distinguished Teaching Professor at Perkins School of Theology. She speaks and preaches frequently in churches and contributes to various online resources, including workingpreacher.org. She is the author of several books, includingReading John for Dear Life: A Spiritual Walk with the Fourth GospelandEngaging the Word: The New Testament and the Christian Believer. She serves on the editorial board of theJournal of Religion and Disability. As an ordained Baptist minister, she has served in both parish and hospice settings.

Book preview

1

Packaging the Word of God in America Today

Do you ever feel that the Bible is too big and freaky looking? Are you ever too intimidated to read it? Revolve is for you. It’s a Bible that looks like a fashion magazine! With this relevant format and over 500 further-study notes, you’ll feel comfortable exploring the Scriptures. Features Include: Blabs (Q & A) …, Love Notes from God, Issue articles, Basics of Christianity Articles, Quizzes, Beauty Secrets, Relationship articles, Devotional Reading Plans, and more!¹

So reads the product description of the 2009 Revolve Bible, a product created just for girls aged eight to twelve. That’s quite a specific market. And the Revolve Bible does not fail to deliver on its promise of beauty secrets. Take page 4, for example. Right next to the story of Herod’s Slaughter of the Innocents, the murdering of all male children aged two and under, with Rachel’s lamentation from the Old Testament, you will find emergency pimple repair. Apparently, if you rub deodorant on your zits before bed, they will be gone by the morning of Prom. What does this have to do with Matthew 2? Well, as the text says, Blemishes come and go, but God’s Word remains forever.²

As a representative example of the trend in Bible products, the Revolve Bible provokes a number of observations and questions. First, it claims to be a Bible, when it actually contains only the New Testament. For Christians, the New Testament does not constitute a Bible; this fact appears to be lost on publishers and purchasers alike in the current market. One readily finds plenty of freestanding New Testaments or New Testaments plus Psalms and Proverbs, but not freestanding Old Testaments. What does this imply about contemporary notions of canon and the nature of scriptural authority?

Second, incomparable energy is invested in making the Bible relevant and comfortable? What makes a Bible or a particular passage of the Bible relevant? What has the Slaughter of the Innocents to do with zits? Is making the Bible comfortable a worthy goal?

Third, what about the format of contemporary Bibles? On page 4 of Revolve 2007 the zit advice grabs the eye more readily than the biblical text, as does the bit about parental favoritism. The most visually boring portion of the page is the biblical text, which enjoys no color or captivating photos.

Fourth, since it takes the form of a fashion magazine, and fashions change, one must buy a new Revolve Bible every single year. Cha-ching! The page mentioned above comes from the Revolve 2007 edition, but the publisher hopes you’ll buy the newest version: "Revolve comes of age! The familiar format and look is refreshed and revved up in this 2008 edition. Girls will be thrilled to hear that the fourth edition of this best-selling Bible is available with new sidebars, features, and images but the same Bible text!"

What is happening to the Bible? In this chapter, I will assess trends in current Bible products, indicating potential promises and pitfalls and raising questions for further thought. I will emphasize three points about current Bible products: (1) They tend toward the hyperspecific; (2) they operate within the strictures of modernist interpretive strategies; and (3) they raise questions about current notions of canon and scriptural authority.

HYPERSPECIFIC FEATURES

The hyperspecific or hyperindividualistic features are first seen at the level of available translations. At the next level, they appear in terms of specific demographics. Finally, they are evident at the level of individual experts attached to the products.

Translations

Those who led the Protestant Reformation longed to place Bibles in the hands of the masses; no longer was the Bible to remain the sole property of the elite magisterium who interpreted the text and handed down the definitive conclusions about the texts to the hoi polloi. Luther himself translated the Bible into the German vernacular to make it accessible to ordinary Christians.

Luther might be satisfied to know that a contemporary English-speaking Christian has access to a dizzying number of different English translations and paraphrases. While 2,000 English translations exist if one includes the commentaries over the past 150 years, there are roughly 10 translations that are what publishers call economically viable. The King James Version still exerts a strong pull. The New Revised Standard Version, used in most mainline seminaries and among moderate to liberal Christians and heavily touted by biblical scholars, constitutes only 1 percent of the market; that is, it has virtually no influence at all upon the current sales market. I recently visited a large Christian bookstore in the Dallas area, and it did not have a single copy of an NRSV translation; the staff had never even heard of it.

The most popular translations include the King James Version, the New King James Version, the New Living Translation, the New International Version (and the TNIV: Today’s NIV), the English Standard Version, the Holman Christian Standard Bible (Southern Baptist), the New Century Version, the New American Standard Bible, the Contemporary English Version (a simplified version of the Bible designed for children and uneducated adults, those defined as at a fourth-grade reading level), and Peterson’s The Message.

In advertising, the claim that a particular translation is literal appears to increase respect and sales for it. But, of course, there is no such thing as a literal translation. All translation is interpretation. Stop, reader, and say this aloud: All translation is interpretation. Were it not so, we could have one English translation and be done with it. We have so many translations because there are different theological agendas driving each.

The Bible Plus: Study Notes, Life Application, and Other Supplementary Materials

If the meaning of the biblical texts is already narrowed down through a particular translation process, how much more so by the study notes, commentary, and numerous other extra features provided in current Bible products that are aimed at extremely specific populations? Luther might approve of the publishers who produce inexpensive mass-market Bibles so that every individual can own a Bible; but what if every individual doesn’t appear to want a Bible? Publishers have clearly studied the market and found that hyperindividualizing the Bible may inspire more people to want to purchase a Bible for themselves or as a gift for someone else. There are Bibles based on gender, but only gender as very narrowly (and perhaps problematically) defined. The insights concerning the social construction and deconstruction of gender that are routine in both the academy and popular culture are not even hinted at in the Bible market. There are Bibles for men and Bibles for women; Bibles for girls and Bibles for boys. Within the gender category, there are Bibles by age. So the Revolve Bible mentioned above is only for girls aged eight to twelve. There is no feminist Bible (there are a lot of Bibles aimed at women and have women in the title, but they are not feminist; usually quite the contrary).

In addition to gender and age, Bibles are sold according to our hobbies, careers, causes, race, ethnicity, and favorite doctrines (The Apologetics Study Bible). There’s the Green Bible for those with ecological concerns and there’s the African American Bible.

Then there’s the sneaky Bible: the Metal Bible, whose product description reads: "It’s back—now in green and orange metal. Plain, simple—and totally unexpected—this small, plain text NLT Bible is about giving young adults something unique without directly saying it’s for them…. Style-conscious teens will find this lightweight compact edition of the Scriptures irresistible" (emphasis added). A lightweight Bible? Hmmmm …

There’s The Duct Tape Bible and Immerse: the Water-Resistant Bible. But why own a water-resistant Bible when you can have a fully waterproof Bible in the form of The Outdoor Bible? There’s even a Bible for ministers, called (drumroll, please) The Minister’s Bible; among the features it sports a practical guide to visitation, sample services for weddings, funerals, and baptisms, a step-by-step plan of salvation, [and] quick-find Scripture references to answer tough questions.³

And consider The Soldier’s Bible; if you want to be more specific, you can purchase The Marine’s Bible; neither The Soldier’s Bible nor The Marine’s Bible should be confused with The American Patriot’s Bible. The former is strictly for those serving in the armed forces while the latter is

THE ONE BIBLE THAT SHOWS HOW A LIGHT FROM ABOVE SHAPED OUR NATION. Never has a version of the Bible targeted the spiritual needs of those who love our country more than The American Patriot’s Bible. This extremely unique Bible shows how the history of the United States connects the people and events of the Bible to our lives in a modern world. The story of the United States is wonderfully woven into the teachings of the Bible and includes a beautiful full-color family record section, memorable images from our nation’s history and hundreds of enlightening articles which complement the New King James Version Bible text. (emphasis added)⁴

Do the soldier, minister, and teenage girl really need different Bibles?

Customer review comments of the Duct-Tape Bible on Amazon.com include the following:

"With the hundreds of Bible choices available, what makes The Duct Tape Bible stand out is its appearance. Some might think having a paperback Bible wrapped in Duct Tape is nothing more than a money-making gimmick, but others might appreciate the visual metaphor that can be both a conversation starter and also a personal reminder that God’s Word, even more than the ever-durable duct tape, never fails, is totally reliable, accomplishes its job, and lasts forever."

Combining this visual object lesson with the readability of the thought-for-thought New Century Version (NCV) makes this a Bible especially suited for teenage boys or others who are not content to remain inside a cushy comfort zone, but are into ‘living it’ or ‘keeping it real,’ or rolling up their sleeves and getting busy after leaving the Sunday morning pew.

Though the Bible doesn’t have too many extra features, not even cross-references, it does have a decent overview of the layout of the Bible and how to approach it. It also includes the ‘plan of salvation’ (how to be right with God) and a 90-Day Overview of the Bible reading plan. Structurally, it flops right open nice and flat, the print’s clear, and while it might not have the word-for-word accuracy of translations like the NASB, NKJV, KJV, or ESV, for regular reading rather than intense studying this NCV is a fine choice for a translation. The silver duct tape version speaks to me more than the camouflage version, though I can see how those heavy into spiritual warfare might choose the camouflage version.

Individual Expert Interpreters

So, Bibles are hyperindividualized with respect to the readers; but they are also hyperindividualized with respect to influential individual expert interpreters. In The Maxwell Leadership Bible, The Leadership expert, John Maxwell, brings an in-depth look at God’s laws for leaders and leadership with this revised and updated edition presenting John’s latest refinements of these principles.⁵ Reading The Joyce Meyer’s Everyday Bible is like having Joyce Meyer sitting next to you, teaching you chapter-by-chapter and precept-by-precept!⁶ You can buy Charles Stanley’s Life Principles Bible and John Macarthur’s Study Bible in both the NASB and the NKJV translations. Is this any different from having the magisterium dole out interpretations to you, dear reader? Does such a Bible represent progress or regress in terms of the Reformation’s hopes for biblical interpretation?

Groups of Expert Interpreters

Some Bibles aim to avoid the problem of a single dominant personality providing definitive interpretations to the reader. Such are the few scholarly study Bibles available, such as the New Interpreter’s Bible or The Harper Collins Study Bible. Scholarly Bibles—which include commentary and study notes by those recognized by the professional guild of biblical studies—have virtually no share of the Bible market. To date, the biblical guild appears unable or unwing to create Bible products that actually appeal to readers. Visually, these Bibles tend to be quite boring; they make little or no attempt at life application; they focus almost exclusively upon what the Bible meant back then and leave the question of what the Bible means today largely to the individual reader.

Two recent projects attempt to overcome the notable failure of scholars to engage a wide audience. The recent publication of The Voice: New Testament (there is no published release date for the Old Testament) supposedly represents a collaborative effort among scholars, pastors, writers, musicians, poets, and other artists. Four key words describe the vision of this project: holistic (considers heart, soul, and mind); beautiful (achieves literary and artistic excellence); sensitive (respects cultural shifts and the need for accuracy); and balanced (includes theologically diverse writers and scholars).⁷ This Bible stems from the Emergent Church, which itself is somewhat postmodern and somewhat postevangelical. The Voice claims to involve scholars, typically known as practitioners of biblical criticism, and even lists them first among the collaborators. But note the following dichotomous categories presented in the product description: "Instead of confining God’s Word in the framework of biblical criticism, The Voice™ highlights the beauty of God’s communication to His people."⁸ Apparently we biblical critics confine God’s Word and fail to highlight its beauty. A strong indictment, indeed.

Product Description: "The Voice™ is the product of the best minds in this emerging generation of Christian leaders. Together they are helping young people fall in love with the Scriptures. Instead of confining God’s Word in the framework of biblical criticism, The Voice™ highlights the beauty of God’s communication to His people. In The Voice™, the voice of God is heard as clearly as when He first revealed His truth. This is the first-ever complete New Testament in The Voice™ translation. Writers include Chris Seay, Lauren Winner, Brian McLaren, Greg Garrett, David B. Capes, and others."

A new translation is under production by the United Methodist Publishing House, the Common English Bible. The New Testament will appear in 2010 and the Old Testament the following year. It involves a team of two hundred translators, readers, and editors; it is ecumenical in scope and the translation team represents that diversity, though no Orthodox scholars appear. Its stated emphasis is on education and worship in congregations. The team’s fourfold promise is as follows: 1. Clarity of language, as in ‘plain speaking’; 2. A reliable, genuine, and credible power to transform lives; 3. An emotional expectation to find the love of God; 4. A rational expectation to find the knowledge of God.⁹ Will it have wider appeal than previous scholarly editions?

And another question, perhaps for biblical scholars only: Why are we so averse to producing a Bible that actually appeals to people visually and with respect to life application? Consider Eugene Peterson’s The Message. No one can fault Peterson’s erudition, and no one can accuse him of simply wanting to make a fast buck. He actually wants to invite people in—everyone; he doesn’t hoard his knowledge and scoff at those who will never read Greek. Do we have to make the Bible so boring, so irrelevant to lived reality? If we do a poor job of marketing to adults, how much more so for children? No one is going to get tenure for providing solid biblical scholarship for children, of course. In fact, generally speaking, the structures of tenure and promotion militate against scholars being useful in the public domain. If we choose to allow these structures to dictate our production, we shouldn’t complain that our insights are having no effect on regular churchgoers.

MODERNIST INTERPRETIVE STRATEGIES

The history of biblical interpretation can be roughly divided into three categories of interpretive strategies: premodern (500–1500), modern (Enlightenment-20th century), and postmodern.¹⁰ Obviously the periods overlap historically. Postmodern interpretation of the Bible has been conducted for quite some time now, yet modernist reading strategies dominate the American biblical scene. The drive to narrow down the meaning of a text, to reduce the texts to timeless, generic principles; the use of positivistic notions of truth and objectivity; the preoccupation with historical accuracy, scientific validity, archaeological proof—the facts, as it were; and the perhaps unjustified optimism in the power of the historical-critical method to bring us to The One Absolute Literal Truth—all of these characterize modernist hermeneutical habits.¹¹ Two illustrative examples are The Chronological Bible and The Scofield Reference Bible. The first produces one overarching historical timeline, then chops up the entire Bible passage by passage or even verse by verse, and maps it onto the timeline. So one reads the whole Bible in what these editors consider to be the correct chronological occurrence rather than canonical order. The Scofield Reference Bible is also determined by a particular historical timeline rather than canonical categories. While these are extreme cases,¹² they do exemplify the emphasis on historical categories that appears throughout the Bible products.

A concomitant feature of modernist interpretation is the focus on the rational, disembodied brains of individuals rather than readers who are holistic, complex social beings shaped by interpretive communities. From current Bible products, one might imagine that a Christian and her Bible, and maybe Jesus, God, or the Holy Spirit, constitute a full interpretive community. But is it enough to read one’s waterproof Bible all alone in one’s kayak? And when one is reading alone, does the reader’s voice count as much as the commentator’s? Why or why not?

What would a postmodern Bible look like? Perhaps it would seek to open up multiple meanings in the text, to provoke questions at every turn and inspire a love for the power, porosity, and polysemy of language. Best-selling Bibles often highlight the fact that they simplify the Bible and make it plain. Postmodern interpreters take joy in complexifying the text or noting the regnant complexity already therein. A postmodern Christian Bible might resemble the Jewish Talmud, which in some ways was postmodern before its time.¹³

A page of Talmud has the ancient authoritative text called the Mishnah (2nd century) in the central column along with the earliest commentary, called the Gemara (4th-6th century). This central column is surrounded by the various ideas and interpretations of later commentators across the centuries, no two of whom agree. A Pomo (postmodern) Bible would model different methodological approaches and voices from diverse social locations. Since postmoderns are suspicious of authority, a Pomo Bible would not be dominated by the voice of a single expert or elite group of any kind.

Before the Reformation, interpretation was conducted by trained priestly elites and dispensed to churchgoers. The downside to that, one might argue, is that it did not allow the individual to engage in the interpretive project. On the good side, there was an emphasis on the community. In modern Protestantism, if Bible products and sales are any gauge, we might have Reformation run amok. The Bible is now available to each of us for interpretation, but is there an overemphasis on the individual and the personal customization of the Bible and the faith?

To what degree and in what ways should popular culture be engaged, accommodated, or avoided? This question appears from Genesis to Revelation and applies equally well to the manufacturing and sales of Holy Writ. Do we need to seduce people into reading the Bible? What level of commercialization is appropriate, if any? Is a Bible