The Brangelina Bible

I blogged earlier in the year about The Book, the new high-end magazine style Bible. Now it transpires that the creators are going to feature a picture of Angelina Jolie, as well as other celebs, in its glossy pages. Angelina will be featured as an example of good works, given that she has set up a charity foundation with her partner Brad Pitt and is a UN goodwill ambassador.

People may scoff, but whoever said that the Bible always had to be presented like a solemn tome? And in my view, the Bible is all for publicity stunts. After all, the prophet Isaiah walked the streets naked for three years to draw attention to his message. Photo: knk cat

Comments

[Jamey]

Just some comments:

I don't think the same picture of humility is displayed by Angelina as was displayed by the prophet Isiah.

Also, the following from well known commentaries:

i. “One need not imagine that Isaiah walked around stripped for the entire three years or that Ezekiel lay on his side for 390 days without getting up (Ezek. 4:9). Perhaps part of each day was used for those designated purposes.” (Wolf)

ii. “Not stark naked, but stripped as a prisoner, his mantle or upper garment cast off.” (Trapp)

iii. “Other prophets were asked to go through equally difficult experiences as signs to Israel. Hosea endured a trying marriage, and Ezekiel’s wife died as an illustration for the nation (Ezek. 24:16-24).” (Wolf)

[Kevin]

I happen to have read an advance copy of the English translation of The Book (er, of the New Testament, at least) and just wanted to say the section Angelina Jolie appears in has more to do with humanitarianism than with celebrity... some of the people mentioned just also happen to be celebs! There's...

*Muhammad Ali
*Nelson Mandela
*Martin Luther King, Jr.
*Angelina Jolie
*Mahatma Gandhi
*Ayaan Hirsi Ali
*Bono
*Mother Teresa
*Bill Gates
*Tenzin Gyatso
*Che Guevara
*Princess Diana
*Al Gore
*Iqbal Masih
*Aung San Suu Kyi
*John Lennon
*Raol Wallenberg

And for each, there's either a blurb describing his or her work.

There's also a section titled "Eight Way To Change The World" which isn't nearly as "World Changing for Dummies" as that title makes it sound: it's a series of eight photograph essays, each with some context given by the photographers themselves, focusing on the ways in which positive change is being achieved across the globe.

I definitely agree with you, though, the Bible needn't always be presented as a solemn text -- which is not to say this edition is flip! But the formatting of it -- not to mention the photography -- does cast the Bible in a fairly radical light!