Does Scripture Speak for Itself?: The Museum of the Bible and the Politics of Interpretation

The authors of this book explore the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC, which reinforces a particularized and partial interpretation of the Bible's meaning, authorizing a certain sort of white evangelical privilege and promoting a view of history aligned with that same evangelical aspiration. They show how the Museum collapses vital conceptual distinctions between its own conservative vision of the Bible and the Bible as a cultural icon, confirming that scripture can never be separated from human politics.

Format: Hardback
Length: 248 pages
Publication date: 06 October 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

The question of whether the Bible is the unadulterated Word of God or the product of human agency is a complex one that has elicited diverse responses. At the core of this book's powerful exploration lies the intricate interplay between money, race, and power, which has played a significant role in shaping the narrative of Christianity in American public life. The authors' focus is on the Museum of the Bible, located in Washington, DC, which is arguably the latest manifestation of a long line of white evangelical institutions seeking to amplify and promote their religious, political, and moral agenda. Through meticulous and compelling research, Jill Hicks-Keeton and Cavan Concannon expose the ways in which the Museum's exhibits reinforce a particularized and partial interpretation of the Bible's meaning. They shed light on the implicit messaging conveyed by the Museum regarding the scriptural provenance and intended audience, revealing how the MOTB constructs a version of the Bible that authorizes a specific kind of white evangelical privilege, promotes a historical perspective aligned with that evangelical aspiration, and ultimately shields a cohort of white evangelicals from criticism. Furthermore, the authors demonstrate how the Museum erases crucial conceptual distinctions between its conservative vision of the Bible and the Bible as a cultural icon. This revealing volume ultimately confirms that scripture, despite its claims to speak only divine truth, cannot be divorced from the realm of human politics.

Weight: 492g
Dimension: 160 x 236 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108493314