I am sure that you have seen this Bible Magazine at your local Christian bookstore, or local Wal-Mart. Revolve is a Biblezine that seeks to reach out to young teen women. While this magazine Bible has good intentions, their methods are entirely wrong. Think about it: God's Holy Word, plus beauty secrets. As far as I know, the Bible doesn't talk about what make up to use on which type of skin color. Also, as Dr. Russell Moore pointed out in class today, you won't find overwight girls, or girls with acne problems, or girls that just look weird. You find young attractive females that resemble girls in a cosmopolitan magazine. This Bible presents the same message to young teen girls as a cosmopolitan magazine does: There is a particular way a teenage girl must look in order to be somebody. Granted, I think their is a serious problem when a girl doesn't take care of herself and weighs 400 pounds, but I can bet the God is not going to redeem just the girls that look like the girls in this Biblezine.
Secondly, in promotion of Revolve this is the advertisement:
In focus groups, online polling, and one-on-one discussion, Transit BooksThey claim that the Bible is "too big and freaky looking." What these people do not understand is the authority of Scripture. The Bible, whether it is too big or freaking looking, is God's word to His people and is powerful to bring salvation. It isn't the cool look that makes the Bible effective, it is the words on the pages of Scripture that are inspired, inerrant, infallible, and authoritative and brings salvation to everyone who believes.
has found that the number one reason teens don't read the Bible is that it is
"too big and freaky looking." This fashion-magazine format for the New Testament
is the perfect solution to that problem. Teen girls feel comfortable exploring
the Scriptures in the New Century Version and over 500 further-study notes
because of the relevant language and format!
We don't need to make the Bible "attractive" for people. What we need to do is to boldly proclaim God's Word to teenagers as God's ambassadors to them, and if we do that, teenagers will come willingly to Christ and believe the gospel.
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4 comments:
I have a bit of a problem with this.
While I will certainly admit the legitimacy of your critique of the particular phenomenon of the "ideal teenage girl" theme persistent throughout its pages, I don't think that the model engendered by this particular format of bible is inherently bad.
Would you further your critique to include bibles with in-line commentary, or picture-bibles for children? Both of these are materially identical in their methodology (e.g., all are trying to more effectively communicate the meaning of Scripture to their intended audiences), albeit variant in aesthetics.
Exist...you are right in your observation...I think we have to be careful with study bibles and picture bibles..Depicting Jesus as a white male with brown hair might not be good, so I think we have to be careful when we use those Bibles with children...I don't think those are terrible, but we need to be cautious..Also with Study Bibles...whether it is the Joyce Meyer everyday Bible, or RC Sproul's Reformation Study Bible...we need to keep in mind that the study notes are not the scriptures, they simply are an aid...good or bad.
Though this is the case, I think study Bibles are a bit different than these Biblezines....perhaps there will be a Biblezine that looks like a playboy, but with scripture to reach out to the porn addicts?
Or perhaps a Bible that contains sports statistics and schedules for the raving sports fan? Or A Bible that looks like National Geographic or American General?
I don't know...but I have a problem with marketing Christianity in this way. Even the Study Bibles seem to be getting a bit out of hand. However, I do look forward to the Watson Brothers Exhaustive Study Bible...I would like to have that on my shelf.
"I do look forward to the Watson Brothers Exhaustive Study Bible...I would like to have that on my shelf."
Now there's an idea! I want an autographed copy!! LOL!
:)
Though this is the case, I think study Bibles are a bit different than these Biblezines....perhaps there will be a Biblezine that looks like a playboy, but with scripture to reach out to the porn addicts?
Not a Biblezine, but a Bible (NIV) for teen girls.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/
article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43356
Read it and weep.
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