For our source for a theological reflection, Erica brought a pair of volumes called "The Brick Bible," old and new testaments. She had never looked inside them, almost dreading what she might find: she knows a boy disturbed by what he sees in these books, though her own sons have impressed adults with their Biblical acumen from recalling incidents illustrated in these volumes. It's "brick" because it's all posed with LEGOS!
Wednesday, November 04, 2020
The Brick Bible: A Theological Reflection
[I've been reminded how The Brick Bible stimulated lots of feelings and thoughts when Education for Ministry (EfM) considered it for an exercise in theological reflection. I reprint the article from my EfM Blog.]
We gathered around the books with delight at the author's ingenuity. We looked up certain passages just to see how Legos could handle them, such as the rush of demon - possessed swine off the cliff. In our exploration of our thoughts and feelings about the books, we discussed these questions:
- Is a Lego Bible a "mockery" (as an online reviewer claimed)? We decided on "lovely and campy," and also agreed, even if it is a joke, God has worked through "fools" and through flawed artists before.
- Is the Lego Bible a "dumbing down" for children? We decided it's not really for children, except "when used as directed!" Also, we decided that frank versions of the stories, at least for older kids, are better than the sugar - coated Sunday school Bibles we remember from pediatricians' offices.
- On the other hand, is a story enough? Do we need images to "get into" them? (Cf., lectio divina is a Benedictine process for us to do exactly that -- and we have a workshop on that March 2 at St. James)
- Thinking about the boy "disturbed" by the graphic violence executed on Lego figures, we thought of how we all projected ourselves on toys and items in our worlds when we were small, so that what happens to them in play is more real -- more immediate-- to us than, say, a narrative from the Bible or the news. (Does the same mechanism apply for adults to icons and objects in the church -- the Host? the Cross?)
- Do these crude and colorful reenactments of Biblical stories continue a line that stretches back to ancient carvings, medieval mystery plays, and stained glass windows?
- That the artist took ten years to complete this project makes us think it's no joke, but a calling. Are there any such "callings" in our lives? (Scott proposed that a parent's grown child was / is still a "calling.")
- Lego of our own lives. (Note: I think that may have been a pun; I don't recall why it's on the board! - SS)
- Play is a form of learning; in fact, we can't learn without play; and, furthermore, we are engaged in play when we do a TR!
Collect for Playfulness
Abba, our Heavenly Father: You taught your disciples with surprising parables and outlandish similes, and you said that the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who retain qualities of children; let us in our daily lives remember to do what gives us joy, that we may manifest Your Spirit through delight and creativity. Amen.
See a post on my personal blog that relates: "Playing's the Thing."
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