The Holy Bible: Mosaic
(New Living Translation)
Hardcover: 1340 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414322038
ISBN-13: 978-1414322032
Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.8 x 1.1 inches
Buy Here: Amazon.com

Thanks to Laura Bartlett, Keith Williams and Tyndale House Publishing for sending me a copy to review!

“On our own we are little more than bits of stone and glass. Together we are the body of Christ” – From “Mosaic User’s Guide,” pg M-9.

I’m not a fan of devotional Bibles. They tend to be extremely kitschy, particular to a specific culture and time, and thus useless to anyone else at any other time. They can prey on the individualism of our culture. And usually, they simply rip a verse (sometimes half of a verse) out of context, and give some morale boosting ditty that may or may not have to do with the already-out-of-context verse.

The Holy Bible: Mosaic (HB:M), put out by Tyndale House Publishers and Credo Communications, shatters each of these concerns and gives us a unique and beautiful product that is sure to make a great addition to any bookshelf.

The HB:M is not your typical devotional Bible. The concept behind it is that it seeks to connect readers to 2,000 years of church history and church expressions from every continent. I’m most excited about these aspects of the HB:M because, if read and used correctly, could help serve as a much needed antidote to the hyper-individualization of cultural Christianity. The HB:M is divided into two major sections, the devotional material and the Bible text. This review will focus on the first section.

Aesthetics
The HB:M is gorgeous. That was my initial reaction upon opening up the mail package I received the Bible in. From the beautiful hard cover (pictured above) to the typography, the artistic imagery on the title page to the cross imagery at the top of the devotional pages, the HB:M is quite possibly one of the most gorgeous Bibles I’ve ever seen. I said this about the NLT Study Bible last year, and that is still true, but in an artistic sense of aesthetics the HB:M are far above other modern Bibles.

One of the features for each weekly devotional is some sort of artwork that goes with the theme for each week (see Features below). These range from photographs by NT Scholar Doug Moo (the current featured artwork at the time of writing this, Pentecost Week 20) to the familiar bread and fish mosaic from 380 AD to lesser known works from China, Mexico and other areas. These might just be my favorite part of the Bible, as I have lamented elsewhere about the loss of artistic vision in the Church today.

Another aesthetic feature is the use of different paper for the devotional material from the Biblical text. This has a very important reasoning behind it: it maintains the designation of the Bible text as God’s word, and the devotional as man’s (as mentioned in Rick’s review and in Keith William’s video).

Features
As mentioned, the Bible is in two parts: devotional material and bible text. The devotional material is in the form of weekly reflections, all based around the liturgical church year. There are several elements to each weekly devotional:
Artwork – as I mentioned in the previous sections, this just might be one of my favorite features of this Bible. These come in different forms, including painting, actual mosaics, and photography. Some are bold with color (see the Mosaic from Church of the Resurrection of Christ on page M-26), while others are dark and muted (see Tianigi by Somoan contemporary, Michel Tuffery, pg M-267). All are beautiful expressions of faith captured in ways that mere words might fail us.

Scripture – this would be obvious, but as a highlight, the Scriptures used weekly are not like most devotionals, with a verse or part of a verse with no contexts. The suggested readings come from various liturgical readings for that week, and are centered around a theme. This week’s theme (i.e. as I’m writing this) is “Creativity,” and has Mark 7:31-8:10, a text which shows Jesus’ sovereignty over his own creation, a creation which expresses the creativity of God, present in us in the Imago Dei.

Meditations – Each week has an original devotional thought, written specifically for the HB:M by a contributor. These serve to connect “the weekly theme to the modern world.”

Historical and Global Contributions – These include quotes, hymns, prayers, and poetry from Christian thinkers throughout church history. The purpose of these contributions is for further meditation, but also to place the reader squarely within the historical story of God, to join our story with the story of those who came before us.

Space for your own reflection- Some blank lines are given for the reader to contribute their own reflection or meditation to that week.

After these devotionals are the two Tesserae, which are a mosaic-themed concordance to all the devotional material. Tesserae are the “small pieces of marble, glass, or tile” which make up a mosaic, and that is how the tesserae sections work as well. The first gives us a list of each week in the previous section, its theme, and the bibliography, artist/person, and title of every work that appears for that week. The second is a “Chronological Tesserae,” and lists each of the pieces that comprise the devotional material according to century. For example, from the 1st Century, we have a qoute from Clement 1, Ovid, and Philo Judeus.

Using the Bible
I have been using the HB:M as a devotional resource with my wife. Each night, we take one of the Scripture readings for the week, and one of the pages of reflection materials. I absolutely recommend this usage for everyone.

The HB:M lists several other possible usages as well. Of course, it could be used liturgically , but it can also be used thematically, organically (e.g., along with whatever regular Bible reading plan the reader may be using), or just however the reader can imagine. Here’s what is said about reading it “organically:”

“Many readers will still want to follow their regular plan for Bible reading, and Holy Bible: Mosaic can also be used along with it. As you read through the Bible, icons with page numbers will point you to devotional material where the passages you’re reading are referenced. Follow those references and allow the meditations to contribute depth and color to your regular reading plan.” Pg. M-12

This is a excellent idea and a creative link between the devotional material and the Biblical text.

Analysis
As I said, the HB:M is absolutely gorgeous. The artwork, photography, and non-devotional imagery all work together really well to be a beautiful whole.

The mosaic name and theme is excellent. It gives a nice unity to the whole project, and I can’t think of a better expression of the Church that Jesus died for. Reading through the various pieces in the devotionals, I can’t help but think of Revelation 7:9, “After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb.”

The devotionals themselves are excellent, with themes such as “Active Anticipation,” “The Kingdom of God,” “Sin and Death,” and “Possessions” (which happens to be next week, the artwork Resisting the Empire by Jeremy Collins is fantastic!). The only complaint I have is with the size of the space for personal reflection. The number of lines differ each week, and almost seem to be a space-filler, which makes me think “after-thought.” Even the more generous weeks, offering the most space, don’t really have the space I would need to put down my reflections. At the same time, I tend to be much more long-winded than others, so this might also be a personal issue that others wouldn’t think twice about.

The material comes from a very broad perspective of Evangelicalism, which some might object to (Brian McLaren has a quote in the same week as the Book of Common Prayer). I, however, find it to be very refreshing, because it introduces me to other traditions that I am unfamiliar with, and perspectives on the Scripture that is foreign to my world-view. This isn’t to say that I think there are several interpretations to Scripture (far from it!) but that others may see the same meaning from a different perspective than I (most obviously, an eastern, communal view instead of a western individualistic view).

I whole-heartedly recommend the Holy Bible:Mosaic, and celebrate it’s commitment to the historical and world-wide body of Christ. I also celebrate it’s use of art and aesthetics. Hopefully, the Bible will serve as a starting point of getting others interested into a study of Church history and historical theology, as well as a renewed interest in the arts. Either way, the Holy Bible:Mosaic is an excellent resource, and a welcomed addition to my bookshelf.

You can purchase the Holy Bible:Mosaic at Amazon.com

Tomorrow marks the release of a brand new Bible from the folks at Tyndale House Publishers: The Holy Bible: Mosaic.

I’m extremely excited about this Bible, and was able to secure a copy for a forthcoming review. Here’s the “about the book” from the new Mosaic website:

“On our own we are little more than bits of stone and glass. Together we are the Body of Christ. Holy Bible: Mosaic is an invitation to experience Christ in His Word and in the responses of his people. Each week, as you reflect on guided Scripture readings aligned with the church seasons, you will receive a wealth of insight from historical and contemporary writings. Full-color artwork, quotes, hymns, prayers, and poems enhance the rich devotional experience. Also includes a Dictionary/Concordance, NLT word study system with Hebrew/Greek dictionary.”

Essentially, it is a devotional Bible that connects the reader with church community throughout the centuries and around the world. Some of the key features include: writings from every continent and century of the Christian Church, full-color art, and liturgical readings and meditations for each week of the Church year.

If done well, this Bible could become very important to an individualistic society, reminding us of the depth and breadth of what Jesus’ Church really is. Will it be a glimpse into John’s vision?

“I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands. And they were shouting with a mighty shout,
‘Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne
and from the Lamb!’”
(Revelation 7.9–10 NLT)

Tune in tomorrow for a few Mosaic related announcements!

You can purchase the new NLT Holy Bible: Mosaic at amazon.com: Holy Bible: Mosaic

And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

So God created human beings in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Then God said, “I give you every seed–bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. 30 And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move on the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. Genesis 1:24-31

Creation of Eve by Michelangelo

[Marva Dawn devotes an entire chapter to the creation of man and woman, so the liturgy focuses on the first part of the day]

How multitudinous are the varieties of beasts and creepers and cattle, how diverse in their sounds, how exhilarating in their appearance, how remarkable in all their gifts to us. What a magnificent design it is that domestic and wild creatures continue to multiply, especially the microscopic organisms that inhabit our bodies to our benefit—and that they multiply according to their kinds. What a rude awakening it would be if the bacteria that aid our digestive systems would reproduce as mosquitoes.

How graceful the running of gazelles! How majestic the roars of lions! How preposterous the shapes of hippopotami, of giraffes, of anteaters!

And yet this is the only a part of the sixth day. But the rest is a phenomenon to itself, as we can tell because God ends the creation of the beasts with the liturgical phrase “it was good.” Since the untamed and tamed beasts are so astonishing and precious to us, let us glorify God with resounding acclaim for all the gifts of land creatures.

O come, let us worship.
We praise You, Creator, for all that is good.

Say it again for the gifts of the week. O come, let us worship.
We praise You, Creator, for all that is good.

Marva J. Dawn, In the Beginning, God, pg 39.

And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. Genesis 1:20-23

Window from St. Paul's Episcopal Church-Salinas' Creation series

How intriguing our world is with its hosts of swarming creatures, its flocks of birds with myriads of shapes and songs, its seas monsters that plough the deeps. How harmonious it is that fish continue to swim upstream to spawn and birds fly south for the winter, that pelicans don’t reproduce dolphins and whales don’t try to ascend into the air beyond their breaching.

How gracious it is that birds and butterflies multiply to fill the earth with every hue and tint imaginable. How amazing the fruitfulness of spawning fish! How sweet and faithful the trilling of the birds! How astonishing the diversity of bugs and beetles—all necessary for their particular functions in the harmon of creation!

O come, let us worship.
We praise You, Creator, for all that is good.

Marva J. Dawn, In the Beginning, God, pg 38-39.

And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark seasons and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day. Genesis 1:14-19

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mrsmagic/ / Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 2.0

How could we survive if the Earth did not continue to rotate around its sun? Wouldn’t it be a mammoth loss if we did no perceive the beauties of our moon’s monthly patterns and a marvelous universe full of stars? How stagnant the world would be if the moon didn’t influence the tides! How much life would be lost if the fluctuating tides and inflowing rivers didn’t oxygenate those waters to keep sea creatures and sea plants in harmony.

How good it is that the sun is for a sign of God’s grace, for seasons and days and years. What a treasure that we arise each morning to a new day, a fresh start. What a delight that most of our living places have four seasons to bring a variety of vegetation and colors and crops, that the fresh and beautiful life of spring always follows the cold and hibernations of winter.

O come, let us worship.
We praise You, Creator, for all that is good.

Marva J. Dawn, In the Beginning, God, pg 37-38.

And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good.

Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed–bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day. Genesis 1:9-13

Photo © Walter Feldman

What a gift that God separated the waters from the land and appointed the Earth on which we live! How can we ever thank God for the divine gathering of waters into the diversity of all the raindrops in the world, all the snowflakes and hailstones, the fogs and mists, all the creeks and ponds and puddles, all the glaciers and snowpacks, the streams and rivers and fjords, the wells and underground springs, the lakes and the bays and the mammoth oceans. How amazing it is that water in general keeps its boundaries so that vegetation can flourish.

And such a variety of vegetation! … At no time in the whole year is there not at least one kind of flower blossoming. Someflowers develop into fruit—apples, cherries, strawberries, raspberries, loganberries; others into multiple kinds of vegetables or seeds that produce grasses or shrubs or trees.

How much the trinity is to be honored for the waters and land and vegetation! Let us thank God that plants bear seeds and fruits according to their kinds, that we can expect bananas from banana trees and cantaloupes from their seeds in the ground.

O come, let us worship.
We praise You, Creator, for all that is good.

Marva J. Dawn, In the Beginning, God, pg 37.

And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” 7 So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. 8 God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day. Genesis 1:6-8

What a wonder it is that precisely on this planet we have the right amount of oxygen to breathe, moisture for rain and snow, atmosphere that burns up falling asteroids, an ozone layer for protection. How glad we are that God created sky!

What grace it is that the atmosphere hasn’t fallen into the sea, nor has the ocean rebelled against gravity and climbed into the heavens. God’s separation of waters from waters has continued from the beginning and made our earth an inhabitable home.

O come, let us worship.
We praise You, Creator, for all that is good.

Marva J. Dawn, In the Beginning, God, pg 37.

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. Genesis 1:3-5

The Trinity is the source of light, without which we couldn’t see to enjoy all the astonishing marvels of God’s work, without which we could do nothing ourselves. God also separated the light from the dark and gave us the rhythm that He called Day and Night.

Let us praise God that our earth has never lost its rhythm of days and nights, evenings and mornings. Let us shout for gladness that God, our Light, and God’s created light are always good.

O come, let us worship.
We praise You, Creator, for all that is good.

Marva J. Dawn, In the Beginning, God, pg 37.

So I’ve finished one book on Genesis 1 (see review), and picked up another. The book I’m now reading looks at the creation account from a completely different angle though—one of how it should effect our spiritual life. Marva J. Dawn’s book, In the Beginning God: Creation, Culture, and the Spiritual Life, has been a fascinating, if not short read thus far. In the book, Dawn argues that we should read Genesis 1:1-2:3 as liturgy, which does not contradict Walton’s view of functionality. In fact, I think the two views blend together very well. In Chapter 5, Dawn looks at the first six days of creation, and presents them to us to be read and responded too. The book calls for worship!  She has set up sections by each day of creation, along with a thought and response. In light of this, I will be uploading each thought each day next week starting with Sunday.  I will then link to them here, so that this post serves as a sort of index. They aren’t long, just a paragraph or two, but hopefully it will call us to worship by looking at the creation account in new ways.

Links:
Day One: Day! Night!
Day Two: Sky!
Day Three: Sea! Land! Plants!
Day Four: Sun! Moon! Stars! Seasons!
Day Five: Fish! Birds!
Day Six: Animals! People!

Christ is Risen: The world below lies desolate
Christ is Risen: The spirits of evil are fallen
Christ is Risen: The angels of God are rejoicing
Christ is Risen: The tombs of the dead are empty
Christ is Risen indeed from the dead,
the first of the sleepers,
Glory and power are his forever and ever!
-St. Hippolytus (AD 190-236)

He is Risen!