Follow us
Connect with us
Pinterest
Writers' videos
Instagram
vicarsfaq.co.uk
The Upside-down Bible
What Jesus really said about money, sex and violence
Symon Hill
Paperback |192 pp |198 x 126 mm
'Symon turns traditional church interpretations of Jesus's teachings on their head; offering a radical reinterpretation that connects Christ's message to daily life, personal relationships and political struggles today.'
‘Jesus' stories are basically about life, not religious geekery. So what do first-timers or all faiths and none make of them? Symon Hill has listened carefully to a wide variety of people, many encountering the parables for the first time, to refresh and restore our idea of what it means to be human. He uses some knowledge from well-chosen experts, but draws us easily into the text in a playful and engaging way. TUDB is a book of questions as much as answers, where stories we thought we knew sparkle with fresh possibilities. It invites us to dive into Jesus’ teaching from many different angles, and reflect. There’s something valuable here for everyone, whether complete first-timer or seasoned preacher.’
'If you're turned off by the Church but think Jesus might have been on to something – this is your book. Symon Hill reintroduces us to Jesus the teacher, whose stories don't always make easy sense because they are intended to make us instead. As always, Hill is contagiously on cue, fair and provocative.'
Attempts to read Jesus’ teachings with an open mind can be hampered by years of being told the ‘right’ interpretation in church. Christians familiar with the texts can gain fresh insights by listening to people coming to it for the first time, who may find the traditional readings far from obvious.
Symon Hill has led many Bible study groups with largely non-Christian groups and has discovered surprising and helpful insights that are less likely to be found among Christians used to reading the Bible. For example, these readers will often relate to different characters and find meanings that may surprise us.
In The Upside-down Bible, Hill presents alternative readings of some of Jesus’ best-known parables – focusing on topical themes of money, power, sex and violence – which will help us to consider the teaching of the Bible with a fresh perspective and gain a deeper spiritual and cultural understanding of the Bible texts. Each chapter includes questions, prompts and reflection points making it useful for group and individual Bible study.
