Product Description (from Amazon.com)
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.
Product Description (from Amazon.com)
Learn how to show the absurdity of evolution.
Study how to share your faith with your family or at your workplace. Learn how to witness to an atheist. See from Scripture how to prove God’s existence without the use of faith. Discover how to prove the authenticity of the Bible through prophecy. See how the Bible is full of eye-opening scientific and medical facts. Read fascinating quotes from Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Sir Issac Newton, Louis Pasteur, Stephen Hawking, and many other well-known scientists. Read the fearful last words of famous people who died without the Savior. Learn how to refute the "contradictions" in the Bible. Study how to speak with a Mormon, a Jehovah’s Witness, a Buddhist, a Hindu and a Moslem. Find out why the Dead Sea Scrolls are relevant to the Bible. Read incredible quotes about the Bible from presidents and other famous people. Discover how to answer questions such as Where did Cain get his wife? Why is there suffering? Why did the dinosaur disappear?…and many more.
The Way of the Master is a ministry of Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort, designed to teach Christians how to share their faith simply, effectively, biblically…the way Jesus did.
I do not want to dwell on the specifics of the agendas that each of these “specialty” Bibles tout. Some believe that “this great nation” (isn’t that how it’s almost always said?) has always been a “Christian nation.” Others believe that they must “prove” scientifically (ironic, no?) that the Bible’s account of creation in Genesis 1 is a historically and scientifically verifiable account, not just a theological account; or that the obvious contradictions in wording at different points in some biblical texts can be rectified by jumping through several rational and linguistic hoops. I mean, isn’t this obviously what both of these bibles are about—namely, proposing specific agendas (agendas which are, in fact, not agreed upon by all evangelicals, let alone by the Church at large) which Scripture is then only called upon as a vehicle of “evidence” for?
This upsets me for two reasons: First, as I’ve already alluded to, the agendas that each of these Bibles tout are specific to a relatively small group (when considering the whole of the Church in time, space and number) of Christians, specifically of the American evangelical type. Let’s ask ourselves: is an “American Patriot’s Bible” really in any way pertinent to lives of the many Christians suffering from unending war and violence in Darfur? Or even less dramatic, how are our many Christians scientists, throughout the world, who believe there is some connection point between the Creation story and evolutionary development supposed to feel about someone handing them the “Evidence Bible: learn how to show the absurdity of evolution”? And maybe a bit more personally, how are my Muslim friends supposed to feel about me revealing to them that I, in fact, have learned how to convert them rationally, without even any recourse to faith or anything else that cannot be “proven”? No my friends, these Bibles are, in my opinion, idolatrous because they take a specific agenda and make Scripture—which is, remember, the word(s) of God—subservient to that agenda. “Proof text” methods almost always do this.
But secondly, and perhaps more importantly, these Bibles upset me because, as far as I can tell, they actually create the very opposite effect desired of their publishers: these Bibles are supposed to make the narrative of Scripture seem more relevant to specific audiences to whom they are marketed (and let’s face it—this is, from the publishers’ perspectives, all about marketing in the end), and I believe they would, in fact, eventually lead to the complete irrelevance of Scripture. Why do I say that? Well, quite simply put, if you don’t buy into the specific agenda of the specialty Bible being marketed, you aren’t very likely to read it. And my generation increasingly hates…let me put it more clearly…they stinkin’ looooathe marketed religion, which is what these Bibles are examples of. So if you get to a point where Bibles like these are the mainstream of published bibles, then you’re left with two alternative groups: those who buy into the specific agenda(s) of the bible(s) they purchase, and those who won’t even touch any of them. On the one hand you have Bibles dividing Christians into pet-agendas, and on the other you have people that don’t even want to touch a Bible: not a good scenario.
We need to remember that what makes the Scriptures relevant is not a specifically marketed agenda: it’s the witness of the Church, through the Holy Spirit, as we behave as the body of Christ. If we, as the Church, indwell the Scripture narrative, and allow it to form us even more into the body of Christ, it will be our witness to the world—through our lives, words and deeds—that makes the Scriptures relevant to the world in which we live…not some temporary agenda of a “special interest group.”
Although, I have to admit, I really would enjoy listening to the voice of Darth Vader read the Sermon on the Mount to me….
Ian thanks for creating a blog that makes us think. I agree with what you are saying on this issue! It just proves how much the culture has affected the church instead of the church effecting the culture. The one thing that just made me burn when I read your article was "See from Scripture how to prove God’s existence without the use of faith." WITH OUT THE USE OF FAITH!!!!!!!!!!!! What are they talking about...that is so FAR from the teachings of Jesus. He works through faith!
ReplyDeleteBrandon, I totally here you on the "prove the existence of God without faith" angle of the "Evidence Bible." It's not that great Christians throughout the centuries haven't attempted this (Thomas Aquinas comes to mind), but it's the assumption that we can sort of argue people into any sort of meaningful relationship with God, through Christ, that irks me to the nth degree! "It is by grace you have been saved," said Paul, "through faith...." Philosophical (and maybe even scientific) arguments for the existence of God surely have their place in some debates, but they will never bring anyone into a fully devoted Master-servant relationship to Christ, and isn't that the point? On a slightly broader note, I'm beginning to become convinced that, in this life at least, everything is based on faith. Even the most basic things like communication between two people is based in faith: faith that the words each person chooses will be properly understood/interpreted by the other person in the conversation. I begin to wonder if faith is all anyone can hope for in this life, and certainty (which the Evidence Bible says it can provide about all things theological and biblical) is something we will not truly get at until the next life. "Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known," says Paul in 1 Cor. 13. But this is a bit heady and I intellectually digress....
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, friend! Hope you are settling in well to life in Costa Rica!
This is really cool ian, it will fascilitate some great dialogue. I just want to speak to the disaster of "agenda driven" ministry. Since when did follower of Christ need to "sell" something to those who have not experienced the death and resurrection power of Christ? We are called to be followers of Christ, empowered by the Spirit of Christ to live as a living example. Xianity today is diluted down to a "defense" of God/Christ/Bible/ a set of principles (as if God ever needed a defense, dont get me started on apologetics). Ahhhh, I lost my first comment and now I cannot remember what all I said, dont you hate that. Anyways, Why do "Xian"' organizations expend so much energy and money on "protecting" ideals (i.e. these weird bibles) and a "Christian nation," instead of serving the dire needs of humanity. Maybe then Christianity wouldnt be such a stench in the nostrils of those in the "secular" world, if that demarcation even truly exists between the "spiritual." Well I will hang up my hat on this one for now.
ReplyDeleteNate, this is why you are going to be a preacher, my friend!
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