The Museum Of The Bible

Bringing together nationally and internationally-known scholars, The Museum of the Bible: A Critical Introduction analyzes the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C., from a variety of perspectives and disciplinary positions, including biblical studies, history, archaeology, Judaic studies, and religion and public life. The Museum of the Bible is poised to wield unparalleled influence on the national popular imagination of the Bible’s contents, history, and uses through time. This volume provides critical tools by which a broad public of scholars and students alike can assess the Museum of the Bible’s presentation of its vast collection and wrestle with the thorny interpretive issues and complex histories that are at risk of being obscured when private funds put a major museum near the National Mall.

Paul Thomas chronicles a multi-level reception study of the Bible at both the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter in Kentucky, USA. Thomas explores the commercial presentation of biblical narratives and the reception of those narratives by the patrons of each attraction, focusing upon three topics; what do young Creationists believe, how they interpret their beliefs from the Bible, and what is the user experience at the museums? The volume begins by explaining how Answers in Genesis (AiG) use Bible passages to support young-Earth creationist arguments, allowing for the chance to consider the Bible via physical means. Thomas then examines how the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter visitors receive the Bible (as presented by AiG) and how this presentation informs visitors' understanding of the text, exploring concepts such as the most prominent displays of the two attractions, the larger context of museums and theme parks and the case studies of the Methuselah display and The Noah Interview. He concludes with the summary of the user experience generated by the attractions, analyzing the degree to which patrons accept, negotiate, or resist the interpretation of the Bible offered by AiG.

An interdisciplinary investigation of the Bible's place in American experience Much has changed since the Society of Biblical Literature's Bible in American Culture series was published in the 1980s, but the influence of the Bible has not waned. In the United States, the stories, themes, and characters of the Bible continue to shape art, literature, music, politics, education, and social movements to varying degrees. In this volume, contributors highlight new approaches that move beyond simple citation of texts and explore how biblical themes infuse US culture and how this process in turn transforms biblical traditions. Features An examination of changes in the production, transmission, and consumption of the Bible An exploration of how Bible producers disseminate US experiences to a global audience An assessment of the factors that produce widespread myths about and nostalgia for a more biblically grounded nation

Different buildings on America's landscape become iconic. Others become convening spaces. And some surface on bucket lists. All three traits are manifest in the Museum of the Bible in Washington, DC. From its signature entrance and striking skyline silhouette to its gathering rooms overlooking the Capitol's rotunda, thousands of artifacts, and high-tech experiences, it's become an international destination. Millions have toured it--including hundreds of leaders and influencers from various countries and professions--and millions more are coming. This high-image book captures the overview of this amazing story, from its genesis in 2010 to its opening in 2017 and its first five years in Washington, DC. It affords a pleasant look into the museum's mission, ". . . to invite all people to engage with the transformative power of the Bible," by authors who have had a front-row seat in this journey.

This volume examines the ways in which biblical tourism is enmeshed within the production and management of heritage, global contexts of marketing and publicity, accessibility of sacred sites and routes for multiple audiences, and the forging of connections between travel and social identity. By exploring issues such as devotional piety, religious pedagogy, and entertainment, an interdisciplinary collection of scholars traces how biblical tourism experiences are choreographed and consumed, and how these practices shape embodied and narrative performances of scripture. Contributors focus on four major questions: How have people used tourism to develop new, or renewed, relationships with the Bible? Historically, what role has the Bible played in the development of modern tourism? In the context of the tourist encounter, how have people mobilized the Bible as a social and expressive resource? And what forms of social exchange shape acts of biblical tourism, such as among pilgrims, or between people and landscapes? These questions are centered not only around authorized shrines and “Holy Places,” but also festivals, museums, theme parks, and heritage sites. This book aims to create a comparative and interdisciplinary dialogue around the dynamic relationship between biblical heritage claims and the practices and infrastructures of modern tourism.

The study of the reciprocal relationship between the Bible and popular culture has blossomed in the past few decades, and the time seems ripe for a broadly-conceived work that assesses the current state of the field, offers examples of work in that field, and suggests future directions for further study. This Handbook includes a wide range of topics organized under several broad themes, including biblical characters (such as Adam, Eve, David and Jesus) and themes (like Creation, Hell, and Apocalyptic) in popular culture; the Bible in popular cultural genres (for example, film, comics, and Jazz); and "lived" examples (such as museums and theme parks). The Handbook concludes with a section taking stock of methodologies and the impact of the field on teaching and publishing. The Oxford Handbook of the Bible and American Popular Culture represents a major contribution to the field by some of its leading practitioners, and will be a key resource for the future development of the study of both the Bible and its role in American popular culture.

Read the adventurous story of the creation and building of the world’s first museum dedicated solely to one book—the Bible. Drawing on detailed firsthand accounts, Lifting Up the Bible brings the Museum’s creation to life, retelling the full background of the Museum, including the colorful stories of the Museum’s characters, concept, collection, and construction. It may be hard to believe an old refrigeration warehouse built in 1923 could be transformed into a museum, let alone one that includes such priceless artifacts, amazing displays, incredible architecture, and state of the art technology. The mueseum began as a simple idea in the minds of a handful of people. Soon it was reaching out and capturing others—bringing more and more partners to the table. There was brainstorming followed by sketches. Innovation followed by clarification. Focus followed by concrete plans. And, finally, the moment to go for it. To take that first giant, collective step, trusting that everything would fall into place. The museum is for every single person who desires to learn more about the amazing document that is the Bible. The largest single museum under one roof in Washington D.C., and the first in the world to focus on honoring the Bible, the Museum of the Bible provides guests with an immersive and personalized experience as they see the Bible in a whole new light.