Blogging the Bible by Denise Morris on 12/04/2006 at 2:54 PM

Well, our world of technology allows for pretty much anything, including a guy who is currently "blogging the Bible." David Plotz wonders "what happens when an ignoramus reads the Good Book?" Well apparently we are going to find out.

Plotz, who says he has "always been a proud Jew, but never a terribly observant one," recently became fascintated with the Bible when reading the account of Dinah and her brothers in Genesis 34. He had never heard the story before, and its plot (which includes rape, murder, deceit and slavery) intrigued him. So, he set out to read the Scriptures, blogging away chapter by chapter:

I decided I would, for the first time as an adult, read the Bible. And I would blog about it as I went along. For the millions of Jews and Christians who know the Bible intimately, this may seem obscene: Why should an ignoramus write about the stories and lessons that you know by heart and understand well? I don't intend any kind of insult. My goal is not to find contradictions, mock impossible events, or scoff at hypocrisy.

Although I haven't read most of Plotz's commentary, some of it does seem fairly irreverent. He reads the Bible, and then give his thoughts. Plain and simple.

Plotz's mission is interesting to me, because I wonder what he'll decide when he's finished. My department at work does devotions together everyday, and we're reading through the Bible one chapter at a time. Right now we're in 2 Chronicles, and I've got to be honest, there have been some odd stories so far.

When you read through the Bible slowly and purposefully, you begin to notice how God is intimately involved in every aspect of life, how He often does things we don't understand, how His sovereignty is so evident in every single verse.

Beyond just providing the Internet with his personal commentary, I hope Plotz learns something from this venture. I pray that the Bible reveals truth to him. I hope that the Holy Spirit does the same for all of us every time we read the Scriptures -- whether we're struggling through the geneologies or reading of Christ's resurrection. All of it is "God-breathed" and has something true and good to teach us.

Blogging the Bible by Denise Morris on 12/04/2006 at 2:54 PM

Well, our world of technology allows for pretty much anything, including a guy who is currently "blogging the Bible." David Plotz wonders "what happens when an ignoramus reads the Good Book?" Well apparently we are going to find out.

Plotz, who says he has "always been a proud Jew, but never a terribly observant one," recently became fascintated with the Bible when reading the account of Dinah and her brothers in Genesis 34. He had never heard the story before, and its plot (which includes rape, murder, deceit and slavery) intrigued him. So, he set out to read the Scriptures, blogging away chapter by chapter:

I decided I would, for the first time as an adult, read the Bible. And I would blog about it as I went along. For the millions of Jews and Christians who know the Bible intimately, this may seem obscene: Why should an ignoramus write about the stories and lessons that you know by heart and understand well? I don't intend any kind of insult. My goal is not to find contradictions, mock impossible events, or scoff at hypocrisy.

Although I haven't read most of Plotz's commentary, some of it does seem fairly irreverent. He reads the Bible, and then give his thoughts. Plain and simple.

Plotz's mission is interesting to me, because I wonder what he'll decide when he's finished. My department at work does devotions together everyday, and we're reading through the Bible one chapter at a time. Right now we're in 2 Chronicles, and I've got to be honest, there have been some odd stories so far.

When you read through the Bible slowly and purposefully, you begin to notice how God is intimately involved in every aspect of life, how He often does things we don't understand, how His sovereignty is so evident in every single verse.

Beyond just providing the Internet with his personal commentary, I hope Plotz learns something from this venture. I pray that the Bible reveals truth to him. I hope that the Holy Spirit does the same for all of us every time we read the Scriptures -- whether we're struggling through the geneologies or reading of Christ's resurrection. All of it is "God-breathed" and has something true and good to teach us.

Comments

[1. Maxine said the following at 6:37 PM on Dec 4:]

1

I read Slate Magazine regularly, and in his "Blogging the Bible" article, Plotz almost seems like he is a seeker. When he doesn't understand, he asks questions of the text (and of his more informed readers). I think much of his irrevrence is simply ignorance.

[1. Maxine said the following at 6:37 PM on Dec 4:]

1

I read Slate Magazine regularly, and in his "Blogging the Bible" article, Plotz almost seems like he is a seeker. When he doesn't understand, he asks questions of the text (and of his more informed readers). I think much of his irrevrence is simply ignorance.