Called to Curate ~ This Dangerous Book

Sometimes our lives take twists and turns that we never could have expected. That’s what happened to Steve and Jackie Green who found themselves hunting down biblical artifacts, even though neither of them had any prior experience. Both of their families had a love for the Bible, but they didn’t foresee that they would delve into the world of archaeology to grow a collection that would one day require its own museum. Towards the end of their book, Steve says, “Everyone wants a great adventure. We all want a life of meaning.” (179) The Greens’ great adventure was on such a magnificent scale as to benefit all mankind. Steve and Jackie Green are the founders of the new Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. This Dangerous Book chronicles the events that led them to found their new museum.

I was excited when I was offered the opportunity to review This Dangerous Book. Although I had no idea what to expect, I was familiar with Steve Green as the President of Hobby Lobby, a company who I’ve grown to respect for their commitment to stand up for biblical principles. I was provided with books to read and give away, but all opinions are my own. Three lucky winners will receive a copy of This Dangerous Book. Scroll to the bottom of this post to enter.

Wunderkammer

I learned a lot while reading the Greens’ book, including a new term – “wunderkammer.” It was translated as “cabinet of wonder,” a sort of predecessor of our museums with their collections of art and artifacts, and then used to describe the Bible with its collection of stories and poems. After reading This Dangerous Book, I would apply the term to it as well.

What I found in reading This Dangerous Book was a collection of stories. I learned how the Bible influenced the Green’s family and business, and how they began buying Bibles, manuscripts, and scrolls, and the resultant need for a “warehouse.”  This book is the story behind the new Museum of the Bible, but more than that, I felt like this book took me inside the Green family, especially as Jackie shared her adoption story, and how God answered her prayers. It also contains historical accounts and quotes, passages from literature and science – all facets of life where the Bible has been influential.

In the center of the book, there’s a section of full-color photographs of some of the items the Greens were able to obtain, of the traveling exhibits, and of the Greens while they were rallying support for the museum.

A Firm Family Foundation

Both Steve and Jackie grew up in Christian homes. They share at length how important the Bible was in their families while growing up, and later within their own family. It was because of the influence of the Bible that Steve’s father, David, built his business, Hobby Lobby, on its teachings, and the family has stood up for them despite the risks. Jackie shared about an important biblical lesson that they learned early in their marriage, and applied from then on.

They were a family from the “Bible Belt” in Oklahoma who, because of their love for the holy book, found themselves acquiring biblical artifacts. As their collection grew the idea of building a museum took root and flourished, becoming a family dream.

One Long Journey

If you believe in God’s hand in events, as I do, then maybe you’ll also see how God led the Greens on this journey. Because of their faithfulness, He gave them the spiritual gift of giving that they might gather tangible proof of His Word. Their generosity benefits us all.

”Holding up the Bible as this wonderful human treasure invites people of all walks of life to come and see, explore, and discover this gift of history. It is astounding that so many people from different parts of the world—people of different cultures, ethnicities, ages, and languages—all meet up around one book that was written thousands of years ago.” (41)

Steve and Jackie Green’s motive for the museum wasn’t to proselytize, but to create an environment where people of all faiths and backgrounds could go and learn first-hand about the Bible and its impact on humanity.

“We believe the Bible can stand on its own. We’re not creating a place to proselytize. We feel our job is to share the Bible’s story in an engaging way. We want people to walk through the museum and leave inspired to dig deeper, and be intrigued by the book itself.” (101)

The Greens’ family dream materialized into a world-class, state-of-the-art museum that invites all people to explore the Bible from their perspective and leave changed by the experience.

”…the Bible’s claim is the telling of a story that is one long journey—the journey of humanity’s relationship with God.” (42)

This isn’t an ordinary museum, and it sounds amazing. It’s a place where visitors can learn in a high-tech, interactive environment. It approaches the Bible in different ways and with respect for different cultures. The Greens want everyone to have the opportunity to explore and investigate for theirselves. I’ve included a link to an article about the museum at the bottom of this post.

“God wants us to seek Him for ourselves. And when we do, the reward is the blessing of truth.” (172)

This Dangerous Book

The Bible is a miracle in itself. Over thousands of years, people have sought to destroy it and hinder the Christian religion, but without success. God has preserved artifacts for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Now the Greens have gathered them into one sensational museum, to be discovered by the “common man.” Because of their efforts, we’re able to make a pilgrimage to the Museum of the Bible to learn more about the book itself, how it has changed lives and affected the history of the world. To read This Dangerous Book is to learn about how God called the Greens to become curators of His word, and their long journey to build the Museum of the Bible.

Giveaway

Three lucky readers will win a copy of This Dangerous Book. Please enter and share with your friends. Good luck!

 

 

Related Reading

What’s Inside DC’s New $800 Million, Theme-Park-Influenced Museum of the Bible?

Helpful Links

Museum of the Bible website

Museum of the Bible on Facebook

This Dangerous Book on Amazon (affiliate)