Free for All: Rediscovering the Bible in Community (emersion: Emergent Village resources for communities of faith)
Unleash the ScripturesSay "free-for-all," and most people imagine a brawl. But what if we had a free-for-all with the Bible? What if we opened up to aggressive interpretation within the communities of our local churches?In this provocative book, Tim Conder and Daniel Rhodes explore the critical need to encounter Scripture collectively, and then they invite us to listen in as a group from their church delves into four Bible passages--the obscure, the emotive, the familiar, and the controversial.Free for Allmakes a compelling case for communities as a valid authority for biblical interpretation. The authors show that communities are capable of breaking open the texts in fresh and surprising ways, unleashing them anew into our lives."This is as clear and thought provoking a statement as I have seen yet of a theology of Scripture for emergence Christianity."--Phyllis Tickle, author,The Great Emergence"A wonderful exercise in biblical hermeneutics. . . . Weaving in popular culture, well-informed Christian theological insight, and excitement for the Bible as uniquely revelatory, Conder and Rhodes lead us into a fresh new encounter with Scripture."--Will Willimon, bishop, the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church; author,Conversations with Barth on Preaching"There is, in this book, good news for those of us who are passionate about Scripture, deeply committed to community, and longing to experience the power of both with candor and openness in the midst of our pain, confusions, and disappointments."--Brian J. Walsh, coauthor,Colossians RemixedandBeyond Homelessness"It's not easy to make the familiar odd, but Conder and Rhodes accomplish that feat by helping us recover what it means to read Scripture in communion."--Stanley Hauerwas, Gilbert T. Rowe Professor of Theological Ethics, Duke Divinity School"An excellent guide to recovering the place of the Bible in the life of Christian communities. . . . Following the wisdom found in these pages can help unleash the transforming power of the Bible in the church and in the lives of those who read it."--John R. Franke, Clemens Professor of Missional Theology, Biblical Seminary