Monday, March 27, 2017

A Shout-out to The Bible Project



So, I thought I could write one of those short posts of the kind that the biggies release to their millions of followers, who hang on to every word that leaves their pens. And although I am neither a star nor have more than 1 follower (yes, you, Mum), I wanted to write this (somewhat) short note on a unique and commendable piece of work that I came across. Besides, if Seth Godin can quip on his blog once a day with random thoughts, so can I, no?


The Bible Project is a series of short clips, around 5 minutes long, on the various books of the Bible. Well, they started with covering the books, but have moved on to making videos on themes, word studies, and concepts such as ‘The Holiness of God’, 'The Image of God', 'Animated Explanation of the Law', 'Animated Explanation of Heaven and Earth', to name only a few. It is a spectacular effort to break down the most complex of theological issues into simple (but not simplistic) ideas.


As an example, check out their video on the ‘Book of Leviticus’. Not for the faint-hearted, this book covers a lot of details on rituals, ceremonies, festivals, and even treatment of diseases and bodily fluids. Leviticus is not an easy read and most Christians struggle to understand the purpose, appreciate the symbolism or grasp the context in which this book was written, and subsequently preserved within the Word of God. The Bible Project creates an engaging outline of Leviticus, systematically organizing the contents of the book into thematic parts, while pointing to its central mission. Again, in no way, is the video dumbed-down or even attempts to sanitize some of the difficulties we face while reading passages from the Old Testament.

Another masterful case is the video on the 'Book of Job'. It carried a more profound exposition on human suffering, than I have often heard, preached.

These short videos are an absolute must-watch. Whether you’re a new Christian, a wandering seeker or have had a long walk with Christ, these videos from the Bible Project will whet your appetite to read the Bible systematically, and help you visualize an underlying thread linking chapter and book. Significantly, it will give you a deep insight into the essential continuity, unity and oneness between the God of the Old and New Testaments. I have heard it said that the New Testament is in the Old concealed, and the Old Testament is in the New revealed. These clips do an amazing job in bringing this idea to life. The Bible Project is executed with creativity, passion and excellence – a stand-out execution that deserves a shout-out.  


(Not such a short note, after all).

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