Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith |
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| Title: | Velvet Elvis: Repainting the Christian Faith |
| Author: | Rob Bell |
| Publisher: | Zondervan |
| Type: | Book / Hardcover |
| Publication Date: | 01 August, 2005 |
| ISBN / ISBN-13: | 031026345X / 9780310263456 |
| List Price: | $19.99 |
| You Save: | $5.60 |
| Amazon Price: | $14.39 |
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This book is also available, brand-new, from 3rd-party marketplace sellers at Amazon.com, from $6.40.
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Editorial Review / Publisher's Information:
Product Description
We know there’s something more. We sense it, we feel it, we know it. And we want it. We want an authentic spirituality.
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Customer Reviews:
• How Can People Fall For This?
21 November, 2009
The worst part about this book is that he comes from the supposed point of a Christian so other Christians read this with their guard down and eat it all up, word for word, instead of checking it against the actual gospel (which he attacks time and time again). If everyone just assumed that he was a non-believer then they wouldn't be nearly as receptive to his work... but so long as he says "wait wait, I'm a Christian, it's not heresy, it's just conversation" then that makes it ok. Please do not read this book.
- Amazon Customer Review
• Repainting Into A New Reformation?
01 January, 2010
This book gives me a kick in the butt while affirming what I've been trying to tell other people and trying to convince myself for the past few years so I'm writing this review out of my head (literally, most likely) and heart.
In most ways Velvet Elvis is a book for outsiders. Just as a Velvetized Version of Elvis is an interpretive repainting, repainting the Church into a new look and new vision forms the basic idea behind this book. On page 11 Rob Bell mentions the picture the church of Martin Luther's day had been painting and presenting. Regarding these 21st century days, I know a lot about the picture the church has painted of itself and maybe even more so, the way outsiders to the church have viewed and interpreted that picture. Page 14: "What I do know is that this pursuit of Jesus is leading us backward as much as forward," evokes the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century.
Maybe more than anything about this book, I love reading the same theological vision and scriptural interpretations as I hold (humility from humble moi) from Rob Bell, someone I'd consider a relative theological conservative.
Hospitality is God's first call to the people of God and fundamentally defines them. From the beginning, the uniqueness of the nascent church as it moved outward from Jerusalem was its radical inclusiveness and "see how they love one another." No one lacked anything; everyone had everything in common, a true common-wealth, as the New England Puritans initially believed they'd be able to live. But it was not only about embrace and provision for the already-insiders; the first Christians embraced and provided for everyone, making no distinctions whatsoever. The outsider became incarnate, enfleshed as one of them, becoming an insider.
As we've often observed, the old mainline now longer is the central or most prominent expression of Christianity in this country, and being a mainline protestant no longer is a given part of being American. Then there's that other use of mainline, to shoot a drug into your veins. Mainline a hit of Jesus straight into your veins, so the blood of Jesus courses through your entire being? Think about it!
- Amazon Customer Review
• Embrace Your Doubts
13 February, 2010
This book has helped me to not be so concerned about having doubts about my Christian faith and not spend all of my energy learning what is factual and not factual about the Jesus story. Rob Bell's book has helped me to realize that the story of Jesus is about MOVING and being a part of the story of self sacrificial love that Jesus showed us. It doesn't mean that the story of Jesus isn't factual, but that our time and energy need to be spent showing others love and helping them see what love is instead of getting people to sign off on a set of beliefs and worry about who is "in" and who is "out".
- Amazon Customer Review
• Rockin' Christianity
19 February, 2010
Even though at some points the angles of Bell's perspective on Christianity seem a bit 'iffy', I must admit that his perspective is also fresh and revolutionary which are attributes of the entire basis of Christianity at its beginning.
I found my heart being touched and felt inspired as I read--especially during the middle-- like light tinkling bells going off for me as well as a full light bulbs turning on.
To be able to inspire me I am grateful.
- Amazon Customer Review
• Spend Your Money Elsewhere
16 December, 2009
One of my former soccer players recommended Velvet Elvis to me several years ago. Rob Bell has a different take on the Good Shepherd and what it means to live the kind of life Jesus teaches us to live. Unfortunately it's too different. Rob Bell is a talented and creative man, but I disagree with much of his core teaching. Velvet Elvis is an overpriced book that will not take long to read. There is just far too much white space on the pages. This is done to give the book a trendy appearance. I would have liked to have seen Bell dive deeper into the various topics he hits. Not only is there not enough words to justify the paper used to produce this book, there is simply not enough Scripture to support his opinions. Bell will make you think. He will force you to practice careful discernment. I cannot recommend this book, and I would definitely advise new Christians to spend their time elsewhere. For a highly critical look at Rob Bell and his teachings, visit the Apprising Ministries site.
- Amazon Customer Review
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