Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith

I wasn't sure what to expect from this, having been rather mixed in my reactions to Rob Bell's other books. But I found it very appealing, right from the start. The concept of God being concerned with all goodness and truth is one that I've been hearing and reading in many places recently, along with the importance of testing everything, going back to Scripture and (most importantly) our relationship with God.

There's an excellent chapter explaining some of the basics of Jewish thought, such as the meaning of a 'yoke', the method whereby rabbis took disciples, and what was meant by 'binding and loosing' in the first century. Jesus was, after all, thoroughly Jewish, as were his biographers; yet it's quite rare to hear a sermon letting us show more know that even the best-read Orthodox Jewish rabbis believed that the Scriptures needed constant re-evaluation and interpretation.

The rest of the book encourages us to look for God where we are, to understand that the church is a community intended to bless those outside it, not a holy huddle to meet on Sundays. It describes eternal life in terms of where we are now, as a continuum, and how Jesus talked about a new earth rather than an abstract heaven.

I don't know that I agreed with every word, but that's okay: as the author said, we should test everything, including the words he writes. We're all on different paths, with our unique temperaments and gifts, and the Holy Spirit gives us different insights. If something doesn't apply, or I think his interpretation is wrong, that's fine. While unity of heart is important, there's nothing in the Bible to say that we should all agree on every fine point of doctrine or Scriptural interpretation.

Helpful, inspiring and thought-provoking. Definitely recommended. show less

What do you when your faith is falling apart?

I can't help but feel that the the many who condemn Rob Bell for his "dangerous theology" haven't walked to the edge of their faith. (That is probably an over-generalization.) In Velvet Elvis Rob Bell is not offering apologetics, rather he's trying to reframe the conversation - or "repainting the Christian faith." He offers 7 movements for how to go forward, and he's writing to those who are dis-satisfied (or who just can't go forward) with the status quo.

The second reason for this type of book goes beyond personal struggle and points to the dramatic global changes occurring in thought and ethics, particularly in the West. Leonard Sweet argues "The Dick-and Jane world of my '50's childhood show more is over, washed away by a tsunami of change....While the world is rethinking its entire cultural formation, it is time to find new ways of being the church that are true to our postmodern context. It is time for a Postmodern Reformation." Many believe that in order to reach the post-modern world, we need a new kind of Christianity. And despite the myriad of questions such an argument brings, not to mention whether or not it's the right question to be asking about church, it seems to me that Rob Bell is offering a lay-person's response. The Christian faith is changing - throw out the old velvet Elvis and start fresh with a new painting.

As always, his stories are fun, his arguments are (mostly) compelling, and he is authentic and genuine and full-of-zest and joy. You can nit-pick if you want, but there's plenty of wisdom to glean from Bell if you're open to it.

For the theology nerds… Many associate Bell with being a “liberal,” which is partly true – some of what he’s doing is merely re-branding a liberal interpretation of scripture and faith (which started back in 1799 with Friedrich Schleiermacher). However, it’s an unfair (or perhaps an inaccurate) label because Bell also incorporates pre-modern and post-conservative interpretations. But that’s getting into the weeds.

My biggest gripe with the book are the chapter titles. He calls them movements, but each chapter is just one stinkin’ word. And when you try to google a summary of said movements, all I could get were a whole bunch of people upset with Rob Bell for being an evangelical, who converted into a “liberal.” So I listened to it (quickly) by audiobook, and couldn’t tell you the movements if I had to. He could have done much better at communicating straightforwardly.

That being said, it was quite good. (And short!)

Recommended as an introduction for those struggling to stay going to church. Or for those feeling like they can’t keep their faith but want to. Or perhaps as an introduction to Jesus. Definitely a great introduction to Rob Bell, more than his others. show less

Every time I read something by Rob Bell, or see one of his videos, it seems to capture and express what I want to say, only so much better. This was no exception. Bell describes this book as a contribution to the ongoing act of painting the Christian faith. It is a vulnerable, honest, and open expression of a vibrant and living faith that invites engagement with excitement and an expectation of changed lives. It left me exhilarated and enthused for the possibilities open to the church in contemporary culture if we really engage with this approach to our faith.

Rob Bell can be frustrating. His book Velvet Elvis is loaded with word games, logical fallacies, exegetical fallacies, and a lack of continuity. He would probably brush off such criticism as the disturbed cry of another discouraged modernist, but he would be wrong. I realize that a formal book review should begin with a presentation of the author’s themes and then proceed to a measured critique. However, it will be much easier to get right to the point.
Bell begins with a discussion of truth. He emphasizes the need for flexibility in our language about God since God is too great for language. Here, he engages in a common postmodern error, the idea that a lack of exhaustive knowledge precludes the chance of any knowledge. Since we show more can’t know God completely, we must be wary in making any assertion, in constructing “brick walls” in Bell’s language. However, God Himself had enough confidence in language to make some very absolute statements. Though I do not profess to understand the depth of the statement that “God is light,” I am confident that I now know something real about God, something without “springs.” Bell too shares this belief if he seriously considered it. The act of writing a book is an affirmation of the solidarity of meaning. He wrote with the expectation that his words would be understood in one way and not another. All I assert is that he should have the same respect for the authors of the Bible.
As the book proceeds, we see that we are called to join the disciples in creating new interpretations of the way of Jesus, in testing and changing the springs of doctrine. Ironically, Bell supports this call by horribly exegeting Matthew 18:18. The disciples were not given liberty to reinterpret Scripture. The obvious context of the passage is confronting an erring brother. The loosing and binding has to do with discipline, not hermeneutics.
Bell continues his discussion of hermeneutics by emphasizing the living nature of Scripture in the sense that narratives have a secondary, spiritual meaning that we can create as we see fit. I would suggest that this is a return to the allegorical style of Origen so many years ago and the rabbis before that. It was wrong then, and it is wrong now. The goal of good hermeneutics is the author’s intended meaning. Undoubtedly, the reader carries with him other ideas brought forth from his own experience that shape his approach to the text. It is these presuppositions that limit communication. A good reader does not abandon his presuppositions; this is not even possible. Rather, he conscientiously acknowledges them and tries to understand the author on the author’s terms. To abandon this effort is to surrender to anarchy in language. All hope is then lost.
The remainder of the book is devoted to the practices that should result from the beliefs that were presented. Here, Bell is on much firmer ground. Specifically, he provides some thought provoking discussion concerning a Christian’s role in poverty and creation.
Velvet Elvis is not the groundbreaking work that many want it to be. It is, however, a foundational book for the Emerging Church. It is a profitable read in the sense that it provides insight as to what the future will hold. The Gospel is as out of place in postmodernism as it was in modernism. There will be more confusion and more failure. I guess there really is nothing new under the sun. show less

Harper One appears to be doing a reprint of Rob Bell’s works, and sent me a nice little stack of books. So I’m beginning with Bell’s Cinderella work, Velvet Elvis, published back in 2005. I had actually never read it before. Had heard it talked about, but never turned the cover. It turns out to be a good book, but I really didn’t enjoy it as much as I did Bell’s latest, Love Wins. I’ll review that one shortly.

Velvet Elvis is written in a style exactly like I expect the young mega-church pastor to preach: friendly and colloquial, somewhat meandering, common-sensical. I don’t quite get the “Velvet Elvis” part, so let’s ignore the title and just say his is common-sense Christianity. It’s not terribly controversial show more (it’s actually more conservative than I expected), and it’s not theologically probing, but it’s clear Bell can think for himself … or rather, he can unthink some of the stray ideas that have led many Christians away from simply living a Christian life. I absolutely love this observation early in the book about what happens when you try to follow Jesus:

Over time when you purposefully try to live the way of Jesus, you start noticing something deeper going on. You begin realizing the reason this is the best way to live is that it is rooted in profound truths about how the world is. You find yourself living more and more in tune with ultimate reality. You are more and more in sync with how the universe is at its deepest levels.

What is Bell talking about? He’s talking about what it means to be a disciple of a first-century Rabbi who sees potential in each of us, and calls us to live like him. He’s talking about what happens when you quit pushing your religion on your neighbors and dwell like Christians among them. He’s talking about what happens when you view God’s dream for mankind as one of him coming down to make his home with us, rather than us peering into the heavens with a forlorn hope of rapturous escape. He’s talking about compassion, goodness, simplicity, all the things that can make this world a better place for all of us. show less

This is a book not for the faint of heart or for those who take comfort in rigidity.

Bell definitely walks a fine line; sometimes it seems he crosses over it. Nevertheless, even where one does not agree with him, he certainly provides things about which to think.

The image of the trampoline vs. the brick wall was interesting and has some value in practice. Many of his discussions are spot on; with others, you can see how he will become a lightning-rod for controversy, and how he will get to "Love Wins" and the firestorm that creates.

I can appreciate the idea that each successive generation is trying to wrestle with the faith and its practice; whether one can truly speak of "progress" in this endeavor might be another story. Bell seems to show more be simultaneously steeped in tradition while remaining culturally a late 20th/early 21st century American. He has an affinity for rabbinic exegesis; if some of these points are to be accepted as fact, they do provide interesting illumination to certain Biblical concepts.

A challenging book to be sure, and one that you will not always agree with. But it's worth consideration.

Kindle edition: very well done; the covers of the chapters do not render the best, and there's the occasional punctuation blip, but quite good in general. show less

This book is provocative and well-written (and likeable for those reasons). You can't help but enjoy Bell with his edgy, self-consciously authentic, loose-cannon style. He raises some good questions about lots of things and makes you think outside the box, which is always good for me.

But he's also a bit careless. Some of his questions leave you with big questions about what he really thinks about some pretty important core doctrines. He's also unfair - in using analogies that misrepresent what a lot of good, solid theologians of a more traditional ilk really say or think. (If you've read it, the brick wall vs. trampoline analogy is a case in point.)

Finally, he sends confusing signals. It boggles my mind that he gives an unqualified show more recommendation of books by John Piper on one hand and makes positve, unqualified references to J. Dominic Crossan, on the other. That just seems careless to me. I can't imagine giving an unqualififed recommendation of something written by a member of the Jesus Seminar. show less