The Blue Parakeet Review

Scot McKinght, the author of The Jesus Creed, just released a book on Biblical interpretation called The Blue Parakeet. The book is an honest look at practical biblical interpretation vs. theoretical. No one in life (except this guy) tries to follow all of the Biblical commands. We have to make some choices, because there are some very difficult commands in the Bible. (i.e. sabbath, tithing, foot washing, charismatic gifts and surrendering possessions.)

So, the question The Blue Parakeet asks is "How, then, are we to live out the Bible today?" We must read the Bible with our tradition as a story that we are to listen to and discern what it is saying.

The Bible is made up of "wiki-stories." Each author is given room to tell his story and then these stories are framed by God.

We are urged to read the Bible "relationally." To listen to the Bible and through the listening, our relationship with the God of the Bible is deepened. As our relationship is deepened, then we began to discern what to do with some of the difficult passages of the Bible. This must be done however, "through God's Spirit and in the context of our community of faith." Through this we will find a pattern of how to live out the Gospel in our world. (p.129)

The last section of the book to a practical application of the Bible to the question of "Women and the Bible" which was a very stretching and eye opening.

If you want to think through some very practical biblical interpretation issues I would recommend picking up The Blue Parakeet. It is a quick and informative read that will challenge your assumptions in the arena of Biblical Interpertation.

Thanks to Scot McKnight and Zondervan for the advance copy of The Blue Parakeet.