Bible, Bible, Who’s Got the Bible?

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Rutgers University boasts a truly diverse population. In my fourth year as an adjunct in the Religion Department at the New Brunswick campus, I am continually reminded of the religious and cultural mix of the human race. As I began my twelfth section of Introduction to the Hebrew Bible last night, it occurred to me just how tight a grip Christian-based publishers have on the Bible. I generally spend my first class session on defining the Bible since many students enter such a course (and it is always full) with notions of what the Bible is. In fact, “the Bible” is a difficult document to define.

Binding a book together indicates that what is between the covers belongs together. This is almost a subconscious fact that we pretty much take for granted. If a publisher put all of this in the same place, it must belong together. For the general consumer market, that translates into Bibles that contain the Hebrew Scriptures and the Christian Scriptures. This mix of 66 books satisfies most customers in the United States and Canada, but the Catholic reader expects some 13 additional or expanded books in her or his Bible. Jewish customers expect somewhat less, with 27 books normally in “the Bible” being specifically placed there by a later, revisionist sect. Orthodox Christian Bibles may add or leave out a book or two, depending on the tradition.

The irony of this situation strikes me as we have Bible-thumpers constantly appearing in the news. Their well worn, black leather King James Versions are “the Bible.” For them. Their message to the American public: we must get our lives back in line according to (my interpretation of) this book. What of those in this country who have fewer or more books in their Bibles, or, Yahweh forbid, completely different scriptures? Is there no room in a nation of religious liberty for them? I have a modest proposal. For the politicians who want their Bible to drive our society, stop by my class at Rutgers sometime. I am always glad to see the diversity. And it shouldn’t be too hard to find a section to fit in your schedule – I teach four sections of the class throughout the year, including summer and winter terms.

3 thoughts on “Bible, Bible, Who’s Got the Bible?”

  1. Piper Bayard

    As a child, my husband attended a Church of Christ where an Elder insisted that Jesus used the King James Version. Really. Lol. Is it too late to fit a few Elders into your class along with those politicians?

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  2. Henk van der Gaast

    Pipers comment of the Elder may be put in context. Originally hailing from one of the dutch reformed churches as a child (a few years ago) I was informed by the membership that the KJV was the true translations of the bible that would have been current in Jesus’ time.

    Of course its not wise to question… asking where the new testament appeared in Jesus’ time would have raised the hackles of the family.

    To me its all in the service. The Catholic, Anglican and Greek orthodox services blew me away when I was young. Compared to them, the once adopted Australian Branch of the Presbyterian church seemed to be a dull version of a chook pen with a duller rooster having a monologue at the furthest point from the exit door.

    We knew Sunday evening service was over when the family woke up to leave.

    Thats a pretty good effort, getting a family of four asleep within an hour and frankly, dull rooster could have been reading from Lewis Carroll’s apocrypha.

    I can see the christian bible as two establishment documents. One of the perspective of what we now call Jews and one of the perspective we call Christians. Just a small point being monickered the Old and New Testament.

    In that light, the more texts between its scroll wraps or its covers, the more interesting. Damn me for saying but a scholars consensus view of the order (historically relevant) of passages would be incredibly interesting (and yep there would be an annual edition after a bar-room fight called a conference).

    Even more interesting?
    A complete edition with all and any text written that may have any bearing on the bible as we see it. In that case we may have to abide witches and seers.

    But hey, we put up with camels and philistines in genesis…….

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  3. Chaz

    Would anyone not argue that a society meaningfully living by the 10 commandments and golden rule would have at the very least a foundation for function and harmony?

    I have no idea of the exact context of bible-thumping (TV?) preachers intent. As distasteful as they may come across, they probably have at least a partial point. Although not in the most appealing wrapper.

    To me, it doesn’t take the entire context of the Bible (KJV or otherwise) to form a healthy and functioning society.

    Take my current organization of preference… Alcoholics Anonymous. We interact guided only by our “12 Traditions”. Not 12 rules, not commandments, not orders or mandates, but traditions. They are but suggestions by which we all volountarily behave that have kept our fellowship alive and serving for now 75 years. And growing all the time.

    While I don’t align with a lot of mainstream North-American church culture, I can’t help recognize the value in some fundamental important truths that they (we?) do strive for. Such as honesty, integrity, industriousness, servanthood, grace, and humility.

    If the blow-hards are speaking of these qualities in what we need to turn back to, then I agree. But I am certain that these traits can be clearly discovered in any translation of the Bible… even the 27-book version.

    Ciao.

    Chaz

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