The Museum of the Bible: A Theme Park-Like Journey Through the History of the Bible
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. -John 1:1
Words are powerful. They can transform and shape whole societies and should not be taken lightly. Profound words that have stitched themselves in infinite arcs of time are those from the greatest book ever written, the King James Bible. Consisting of the Old and New Testaments, this monumental tome has had more influence on mankind than any other book and it now has a museum dedicated to it. The highly-anticipated Museum of the Bible opened on the eve of Thanksgiving week, on November 17, 2017. Tucked away in the far recesses of the National Mall at 400 4th Street SW, the building, a former refrigerated warehouse for the railroad, is imposing and massive, like a modern-day, edificial Noah’s Ark. As unique as the exterior is, its content is also different from standard museum artifacts.
The museum has eight levels, each offering a different biblical experience. The lobby is ticketing, the Milk & Honey Cafe, a souvenir store, and galleries with permanent and special exhibits, including the Vatican Museums and Vatican Library. The other floors are comprised of more galleries, theaters and exhibits. The walking tours have magnificent special effects and vibrant images and sounds. You feel like you’re walking through a biblical amusement park, a visual tour de force of ecclesiastical delicacies. However, what it provides in entertainment, it lacks in authenticity and soul.
In the film about the New Testament, all of the apostles looked European or Middle Eastern. The only character that had any color was Saul of Tarsus, who was initially an abhorrent person before he became Paul the Apostle. This, coupled with a narrator who sounded like he just stepped out of the neighborhood synagogue, took away from the authenticity of the portrayal of Jesus and his Apostles. The Litmus Test for biblical authenticity certainly seems to be how Jesus’ image is portrayed.
He’s usually represented like this:
When in actuality, he looked like this:
While some might say that it shouldn’t matter what Jesus looked like, that’s just an easy way to gloss over how the European images of Jesus and most biblical characters have been used to abuse, manipulate and colonize various parts of the world through Christianity for centuries. Subjugating black and brown people would have been a little more difficult if the image of God looked like them, instead of the oppressor.
The museum is teeming with many original texts and versions of the Bible. The second floor has different sections that address how the Bible has impacted the world, from fashion to literature to business, and is a very extensive permanent exhibit. You definitely need a fair amount to time to go through the priceless articles, scrolls and codex in this section.
Despite all of the research that went into putting the museum together and fine details like the digital fresco ceiling, one can’t help but feel this is capitalism at its finest. If it wants to stay true to the spirit of the Bible, there should be some items in the pricey gift store that are free. And, while general admission is free, many of the walking tours cost something. The eateries, the Milk & Honey Cafe and Manna cafeteria-style Middle Eastern restaurant, are moderately priced, but vary in style. The cafe offers strong coffee, sweet eats and a bookstore vibe, while Manna is located in the awe-inspiring atrium and has meals seasoned with herbs that are mentioned in the Bible. Most things in the museum seem to be more about presentation rather than content. The website provides educational resources for teachers and homeschooling, but, of course, that costs too.
Like the National Museum of African-American History and Culture, the Museum of the Bible is really is too much to take in in one day. If you want to see the Bible made entertaining and accessible to all, no matter their religion, you’ll enjoy the Museum of the Bible. However, if you know the real history of some of the figures and stories in the Bible and you try to live by its precepts, you might be turned off by this somewhat disingenuous presentation of aspects of the Bible.
