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THE BIBLE IN A FEW PAGES Background The Bible is really a library of many different books and genre - romance, history, poetry, rulebook, songs, etc. Many people try to read the Bible as if it were a novel, starting with Genesis and ending with Revelation. This will probably only get you as far as Leviticus, if that far. What follows are pithy descriptions of each Book in the Bible and a fair guess at genre. As you decide what to read, or what to suggest that others read, these somewhat tongue in cheek descriptions may be helpful. I also found that there are many recurring themes in the Bible. The three that stand out most prominently to me are 1) God is up close and personal, 2) God works through very imperfect people, and 3) God calls us to work for justice. I’ve indicated which Books exhibit those themes by marking them with a UCP for up close and personal, a IP for imperfect people, and a J for Justice. The Hebrew Scriptures Genesis – In the beginning… And then people messed up big time… And God wasn’t real happy about it… But God kept trying… Five generations of our tradition’s first dysfunctional family! Part 1: Genre – Mythic pre-history (myth as in truth wrapped in a good story) Part 2: Genre – Mythic history (records history wrapped up in a good story) Themes: UCP and IP Exodus – Good news if you’re an Israelite… Let my people go! Bad news if you’re an Egyptian…(guess which group wrote it)… 10 Good Tips to help civilization run a little smoother… (Well, maybe more than tips) and some serious obsessing over priest’s clothes and tent decor Genre: Mythic History Themes: UCP, IP, and J Leviticus – How to have a great animal sacrifice… this might sound cruel in our century, but it’s what replaced human sacrifice… What to eat and what not to eat… Who to touch and who not to touch… Genre: Rule book Themes: UCP, IP, and J Numbers – The Penal Code meets Aesop’s Fables meets the census… cross the Red Sea, take a census, wander in the wilderness whining and complaining about leadership and laws, take another census. Genera: Rebuttal of Exodus version; Mythic Census Numbers Themes: UCP, IP and J Deuteronomy – ½ Penal Code, ½ Miss Manners Genre: Rule Book Themes: UCP, IP and J Joshua – Finally out of the wilderness, into the war zone of taking over already-occupied land. Nauseating if you’re a pacifist… Great stuff if you like gory war stories… Genre: War epic Themes: UCP and IP Judges – Without a leader or King, with only local judges in charge, wild people and outrageous happenings abound Genre: Legend and anit-hero stories Themes: UPC and IP Ruth – Proof that Mothers-in-law and Daughters-in-law can get along… A May/December romance just for spice… Foreigners are good, too… Genre: Family Saga; pause from war for a chick flick Themes: I Samuel – Why do we have kings anyway? Good judge Samuel says, “OK, we need a King!” Picks Saul, who makes God mad, who picks David. Saul goes crazy with jealousy. God works through children and teenagers… God works through really imperfect people… Genre: Hero Stories Themes: UCP, IP and J II Samuel – Saul dies, David messes up all by himself… Genre: Hero Stories Themes: UCP, IP, and J I and II Kings – After David, Solomon does pretty good, then a long who’s who of good King, bad King. until the Kingdom falls apart. Genre: Mythic History Themes: UCP, IP and J I and II Chronicles – The Reader’s Digest condensed version… of everything that came before… whitewashed so the heroes are really good… and the bad guys are really bad Genre: Revisionist History Themes: UCP and J Ezra/Nehemiah – How to rebuild after the war… If bad things happen to you, it’s your fault!!! Foreigners are bad… Genre: Mythic History Themes: UCP Esther – Can an oppressed girl in a foreign country find happiness as a queen? Beauty queen saves people… Genre: Romance, Hero(ine) story Themes: IP and J Job – With friends like these, who needs enemies? If bad things happen to you it’s not necessarily your fault! It’s a mystery… Genre: Reader’s Theater Themes: God is more than Up Close and Personal, God is in your face. Psalms – Songs to God…about…God…for God… Songs of joy…songs of lament…songs, songs, songs Genre: uh, Songs Themes: UCP, IP, J Proverbs – Lots of little saying suitable for framing… The female aspect of the Divine…Wisdom… Genre: uh, Proverbs Themes: UCP, J Ecclesiastes – Wanna get depressed about how insignificant you are?… Just read this book… Oh, and, by the way, #$%& happens! Genre: Essay Themes: Song of Songs/Solomon – Need some erotic love poetry to send someone? Genre: That would be erotic love poetry Themes: Isaiah – Turn from God, your world falls apart! Good thing God’s still there when you come back! Genre: Morality stories Themes: UCP, IP, and J Jeremiah – A young kid speaks for God… Livin’ in exile… Genre: Morality stories Themes: UCP, IP, and J Lamentations – So where do you think the word “lament” came from? Genre: Songs of Lamentation Themes: UCP and J Ezekiel – Ever had a conversation with a schizophrenic? Psychedelic man… Genre: Mystical visions Themes: UCP Daniel – Lion Dens…fiery furnaces…thank God for Angels… Genre: Mythic Heroes Themes: UCP Hosea – Prophet and prostitute…but can this marriage be saved? Genre: One long metaphor Themes: UCP and IP Joel – Death…destruction…and the pouring out of God’s Spirit… Genre: Morality play Themes: UCP Amos – Not pleasant to read if you’re rich…great cow metaphor…and some fruit… Genre: Morality play Themes: UCP and J Obadiah – If you’re not nice to us our God will get you… Genre: Revenge story Themes: UCP Jonah – If you think a talking fish is impressive… wait until you check out the sulking prophet… Why’s he sulking? ‘Cuz God didn’t destroy anyone! Genre: Maybe God’s idea of a practical joke? Themes: UCP and J Micah – Greed will get you nowhere, baby… Genre: Morality play Themes: UCP and J Nahum – God as Rambo? Genre: Revenge story Themes: Habakkuk - #$%& still happens…good thing God is still around… Genre: Journal entry Themes: UCP Zephaniah – Sin…injustice…oppression…same old stuff… Genre: Morality story Themes: J, J, and J Haggai – See Zephaniah above… Zachariah – Repent… Genre: Morality story Themes: UCP Malachi – And who can lead us to repentance? Genre: Morality story Themes: UCP and J The Christian Scriptures Matthew – Jesus as Rabbi…the gospel written especially for the Jews… Church bureaucrat’s reporting of the Gospel… which might explain why the the disciples appear less clueless than in the other gospels… Genre: Mythic hero stories (myth as in truth wrapped in a good story) Themes: UCP, IP, and J Mark – Jesus as street corner preacher… short and sweet and urgent…Are you going to believe? Genre: Action adventure and ssrmons Themes: UCP, IP, and J Luke – Jesus as healer…the gospel written especially for the Romans… Includes types of people we though we weren’t suppose to associate with; and even holds them up as role models! Genre: Mythic hero stories Themes: UCP, IP, and J John – Jesus as philosopher…the gospel written especially for the Greeks… Genre: Mythic hero stories and soliloquies Themes: UCP, IP, and J Acts – The second “Act” of Luke… the good, the bad, the awesome, and the ugly of what the church did next. Genre: Mythic hero stories Themes: UCP, IP, and J Romans – Fools for Christ… Faith, and lots of it… Great body metaphors… Genre: Letter and essay to people Paul hadn’t met yet Themes: UCP, IP, and J 1st Corinthians – A letter to a healthy church? …Not! Genre: Letter Themes: UCP, IP, and J 2nd Corinthians – and it keeps getting sicker… Genre: Rebuttal letter Themes: UCP, and IP Galatians – So do you have to be Jewish first to become a Christian? Genre: Letter Themes: UCP and IP Ephesians – Wives be submissive to your husbands…nothing new there… And husbands love your wives like you do yourself? Gotcha… Children obey your parents…nothing new there… And fathers don’t provoke your children? Gotcha… Slaves obey your masters…nothing new there… And masters stop threatening your slaves? Gotcha… Genre: Letter Themes: UCP, IP, and J Philippians – How to write a letter from prison… Genre: Letter Themes: UCP and IP Colossians – So was Jesus human or divine? Try both… Genre: Letter Themes: UCP 1st Thessalonians – Jesus is coming right back…honest… Genre: Letter Themes: UCP and IP 2nd Thessalonians – We think the world’s gonna end soon… But while we’re waiting… Stop gossiping… Genre: Letter Themes: 1st and 2nd Timothy and Titus – Just your basic church personnel manual… Since Jesus doesn’t seem to be coming right back… Let’s figure out how to survive in this world… Genre: Letters Themes: J Philemon – What do we do about slavery? Genre: Letter Themes: Hebrews – Remember all those laws in Leviticus? Never mind… Probably written by a woman…probably Prisca (Prisilla), but nobody ever tells you that… Genre: Essay Themes: UCP James – Watch your mouth! Bite your tongue! Genre: Essay Themes: 1st Peter – No pain…no gain… Genre: Pep talk Themes: UCP 2nd Peter – What are you doing? Didn’t I teach you better than that? Genre: Scolding Themes: UCP Jude – Do it the right way! Genre: Letter Themes: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John – All you need is love… All you need is love… All you need is love, love… Love is all you need… Genre: Love letters Themes: UCP Revelation – Some scary stuff… But don’t fear… It’s all in code about the Roman Empire… And we know what happened to them…. That’s right, the good guys won in the end… Genre: Metaphor Themes: UCP and J A quite incomplete list of just some of the very imperfect people God works through in scripture…. Adam and Eve…compulsive eaters Sara…laughed at God… Moses…had a speech impediment and he was a murderer… Jacob…swindled his brother out of his inheritance… Rebekka…took advantage of the blind (her husband)… Jeremiah…was just a kid… Rahab…a prostitute… Gomer…another prostitute… King David…was an adulterer and ordered a hit on his mistress’ husband… Isaiah…by his own admission a man of unclean lips (Does that mean he had a foul mouth?)… Mary the mother of Jesus…got pregnant before she got married… Peter…quick tempered and denied his best friend in a pinch… Paul…a bit on the arrogant side… Deepening Faith: Youth Ministry Resources and Some Miscellaneous Advice Rev. Lizann Bassham, Front Porch Spirit Press Copyright © 2001
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