The nagging feeling of an itch, it just doesn't go away until you give into its urge. It demands our attention and response on a timely manner. But what if you are unable to locate this itch, let alone define it? You may be very aware that it is there, but what if you couldn't pin point it's exact location? Perhaps you can find it, but the scratching itself is not helping, but in fact, it is making it worse.
This is the best way I can describe the ways in which I engage the Bible. Hermeneutics (The way we apply the Bible) has always left me with a shallow feeling, an itch that has not been satisfied. I could never pin point the problem. Instead I was left scratching all over in hope for some relief. I was struggling to even identify the problem let alone work toward anything that resembled any solutions.
I received "The Bible as Improv; Seeing and Living the Script in New Ways", by Ron Martoia from Zondervan to review. I had high expectations after reading Martoia's last book Transformational Architecture. Not to long after beginning the book, I knew I was on to something special.
What Martoia does so well here is that he identifies the "itch". He sheds light on some of the ways that we have tried to engage the Bible, while also illuminating new ways to apply it. Martoia appreciates the grand narrative of God and his creation. He points to the problematic attempts to pull truths out of context only to really mess things up when we try to apply it to our lives. He reminds us that the Bible is a collection of a specific people within a specific history trying to make sense of what it means to be children of God. For us to neglect this when we read the Bible is tragic.
Luckily, Ron Martoia also points us in the direction for authentic engagement with the Bible. If the Bible points us to God's sweeping narrative, then Martoia proposes that we need to immerse ourselves with in "script-ure" and improv with in our own context what it means to follow Christ. Martoia makes some fantastic metaphors using the idea of musical and theatre improv. In both situations you must attempt to stay true to the structure of the musical piece or play, but still faithfully improv so that you are moving the song or story forward.
If you find yourselves with an "itch" when you engage the Bible, I would highly recommend this book. I have truly found hope within the possibility of faithful improv of "script-ure" within my community and in my context. My hope is that many more will read this book, embrace this new hope. "The Bible as Improv" is truly an itch worth scratching.
- Dan Jones
7 comments:
Great review!
I heard Ron Martoia at STORY in October and liked what I heard - now looking forward to his book.
btw ... how did you get an early copy?
I tried to post something when you first published this, but there was a glitch somewhere.
Thanks for your review of the book, it looks very interesting and I look forward to reading it. I like to get a theological-type book into my rotation among the literary books. I'm currently reading Mere Discipleship by Lee Camp.
I really like the thought of improvising during our engagement with scripture. Thanks for your review Dan!
I love your review! You definetely need to consider a career as an editor but we've had this conversation before :) I love the topic of this book it's about time someone addressed this. One of my pet peeves is when people quote parts of scripture to promote ignorance and intolerance. You can pull out words and manipulate them to say what you want but this is not the intended purpose. I heard you raving about this book and I look forward to its release!
Excellent review, it really touched on a struggle that many Christians, and other monotheistic religions, have with interpretation of scripture. I love it. Would love to read the book, (eventually when I clear out my "to read" stack on my desk)
Wow, where was this during the presidential campaign. This is an issue we all deal with, especially in the "evangelical" church. Sounds it may be a good follow up to Transformational Architecture.
Great review Dan! I think we have created a huge gap between Jesus and his Kingdom and us, as Americans by taking too many different scriptures/stories out of their original context. If we could only see the big picture and the narrative we are all apart of, it could change the world. Can't wait to read the book...again, great review!
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