Saturday, January 12, 2008

Shazam!

It's true! Christians can now "study the Bible" through the lives of Andy and Barney, Ricky and Lucy, the Clampetts, the Petries, and even Hoss Cartwright (I wonder how they missed The Three Stooges) by using curriculum based on popular entertainment because, as The Entertainment Ministry says...

"To teach a lesson,
Jesus often used a parable

- an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.


Our Lord knew everything
about the wonderful
power of storytelling.

Following his example, how exciting would it be if you could use modern parables, with the appeal to attract both young and old, to illustrate eternal Biblical principles?

Now You Can!

The Mayberry Bible Study
The Beverly Hillbillies Bible Study
The Lucy Show Bible Study
The Van Dyke Show Bible Study
The Gilligan's Island Bible Study
The Bonanza Bible Study
The Super Man Bible Study
A Christmas Carol Bible Study
feature classic episodes with relevant scriptures for you to use as modern parables on the teachings of Jesus."

I only wish this were some sort of sick joke, but it's not. It's another form of Christian pragmatism born out of the belief that God's Word is not sufficient or relevant in our culture to do what it claims: "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." II Timothy 3:16-17

Sad...very sad.

10 comments:

  1. Hmmm, let's see: I pick Bonanza (the Tyler/Hoss thing), and Gilligan.
    grannyof9

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  2. And just what do you expect to learn from Gilligan? ;)

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  3. Well, that money can't buy happiness. That being book smart won't give you all of life's answers. Neither will being a movie star. That anybody can be a captain. That girls from the mid-west aren't always "nice". And last but not least; The people who seem "simple" from the world's view, usually have their hearts in the right place.
    grannyof9

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  4. I see your point... but at the same time, I think they have some great jumping-off points. Isn't this exactly what Tolkien claimed? That every engaging story contains echoes of "The Story?" (not that he's God or anything, lol-- but I think he was right about that!)

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  5. To Linda - LOL, but give me chapter and verse...or should I say season and episode? BTW, I thought Mary Ann was always nice.

    To Christina - Unlike the rest of my family, I am not a Tolkienite, so I'm not sure what you're saying. It's the pragmatic methodology behind the curriculum that is troubling to me.

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  6. The Professor and Mary Ann had a thing at one point. And I believe she tried to have a thing with the Captain and Gilligan as well.
    On a serious note, the pragmatic methodology can be a problem. (And usually is most of the time.)
    I would have to give some serious thought to what eowyn's heir says about Tolkien's comment. And quite frankly, I won't have time for that until after Valentine's Day. :)
    grannyof9

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  7. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  8. You're right. I had forgotten that Mary Ann was quite the flirt...even with the Captain (I was always rooting for Gilligan). The pigtails gave her an appearance of sweetness...doesn't the Bible speak to that? ;)

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  9. I do think that Tolkien is right about stories containing echoes of "The Story." However, there is a significant difference between using a piece of literature, a movie, tv shows, or anything else as a jumping off point and using that thing as the central focus of a "Bible study."

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  10. Amen, Ashlea!
    grannyof9

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