@lensweet Leonard Sweet
Oxford UP sells 250,000+ copies of King James Bible every year---the more cultural clout KJV loses, the more copies it sells
In The Rise and Fall of the Bible, Timothy Beal highlights a contradiction with (purported) Bible readers. Two-thirds of Americans believe the Bible answers the most basic life questions, yet 28% of those admit to never or rarely reading the Bible. Biblical literacy is low, yet sales have exploded. The Bible publishing industry has seen 10% growth each year for several years, even during an economic downturn.
Beal has noticed the reluctance and frustration of many people who actually attempt to read the Bible, because of popular ideas that influence us before we even approach the text. He remarks, "When people actually read biblical literature, honestly and closely, they discover a multitude of potential meanings. This makes them uneasy, because they believe there is supposed to be one right reading for any biblical text" (p. 37).
One of the most intriguing things Beal has pointed out so far is consumerism and value-added Bibles. Companies are re-packaging and re-inventing the Bible to promote sales, whether it be a fancy cover or "extras" on the inside. As we already know, people continue to buy copies, despite the fact that the Bible is actually free and widely available.
And because the actual words of the Bible can be so frustrating, publishers have added "extras," such as notes, commentary, graphics, and other supplemental text. These add-ons often end up interpreting Scripture for the reader, imposing a view that is supposed to be the most accepted.
Beal uses the issue of homosexuality to illustrate his point. Although the Bible only discusses homosexual behavior in a small number of passages, it is a hot-button issue that Christians have rallied against. It's a sin -- the Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it. But Beal notes:
The popular cultural assumption is that the Bible very clearly says that homosexuality is an abominable sin. Biblical literature itself, however, is not so clear. In fact, it has very little explicitly to offer by way of moral teaching or legislation on matters of sexuality, let alone homosexuality, and what it does have to say does not speak directly to the issue as it appears in contemporary society. (p. 55).
For example, the prohibitions in Leviticus reference a man lying with another man "as he lies with a woman." Beal points out that these references appear alongside prohibitions, among other things, against marrying a divorced woman, wearing mixed-fiber clothing, and planting different plants in the same garden. Leviticus also condones slavery.
Beal notes that Jesus did not specifically address homosexuality, while Paul never condemns consensual same-sex relations among adults. Beal is not necessarily trying to argue that Scripture supports homosexuality; rather, his goal is to highlight an issue on which the Bible is not crystal clear. However, given the way that Christians have presented this issue, many would be surprised to find that the Bible does not give a definitive answer.
The supplemental, consumer-driven Bibles we see today also present a much clearer picture of "the" biblical view on homosexuality. A popular teen study Bible includes commentary in Leviticus, dubbed "Only One Right Choice," which states, "If someone tells you homosexuality is an alternative lifestyle--meaning that it's OK--don't let those words fool you. It's an alternative all right. A sinful one."
The extra-biblical notes are doing the interpreting for us. Readers arrive at the text expecting clear answers--the Bible is our instruction book after all. And readers come away from the text thinking they have clear answers on things like homosexuality. The Bible said it was a sin, right?
Greg has a post up as well about interpreting Scripture, albeit he discusses what happens in the other direction --when one wants to, say, affirm homosexuality. Needless to say, the BIble and everything that comes with it can be tricky to navigate...
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