Jacob D. Myers

Falling in love with the Scripture is not enough to really understand the Bible's purpose. Theology wasn't meant to become science. And what to make out of all these theologians with their hidden or explicit agendas. Arguments over Scripture caused many churches to split up, endless battles about minor details, convictions and strong beliefs. Is Christianity doomed? A theology of scripture seeks to articulate a person's lived experiences and concrete practices in relation to the Bible. Enter Making Love with Scripture: Why the Bible Doesn't Mean How You Think It Means. Upcoming scholar Jacob D. Myers takes a radically different approach, consistently using the metaphor of making love. "We make theological meaning the way we make love: with body, mind, heart, and soul. To do it otherwise is not to do it at all." This is not a tell-all book. If you're looking for a book on the history of biblical interpretation or a comprehensive guide to contemporary theologies, you'll need to look elsewhere.
Despite or thanks to the abundance of references to pop culture, books and music, movies and authors, tweets, slang and humor, this guy is out to work together to fix our broken Bible reading. And, of course Myers introduces his readers to contemporary theologians, modern, postmodern, feminists, queer, ecological, deconstructive and postconstructive ones, among many others, to go back to square one. Love is the foundation, the core of Scripture, and our lives (hopefully). We have to love God, ourselves, and the others. Love's not about things or objects. "The Wor(l)d of God given in and through scripture cannot be handled; it can only be lived." By deconstructing our personal belief systems, and reading the Bible selflessly and fresh, we can be saved from idolatry (the love for things) to which we are ever prone. The author follows the principles laid out by St. Augustine of Hippo and St. Anselm of Canterbury: "Love drives faith, understanding, and action. God is love. The greatest commandment is love. The church is called to a community of love. When we pay attention to God's theological handwriting we see that it is impossible to call yourself a Christ-follower in any sense if you do not love."
I valued this renewing approach, didn't bother too much about the could-be-offensive slang, and read between the lines, where love's found.… (más)