We Destroyed a Priceless Book in the Human Library
Thinking about the Human Library and the Christian faith
“Don’t judge a book by its cover” is one of the mottos of The Human Library, which has left its mark in over 80 countries 20 years after starting in Denmark. But what kind of books does it loan?
People, especially those we classify under labels of ethnic origin, beliefs, or diagnosis, among others. At the Human Library’s events, you don’t check out books, but rather “borrow” people who might live under a label — for example, “addict,” “refugee,” or “asexual.” They then tell you their story for 30 minutes in a safe framework of dialogue.
By creating these spaces, the Human Library hopes that people who would otherwise never talk can find room for conversation, helping them challenge their stereotypes and “unjudge” others, thus improving tolerance and understanding.
It’s a fascinating way to build bridges between people, isn’t it? What “book” would you want to check out? Or would you like to become a human book for a day?
Among other things, the Human Library reveals there is no more powerful story than the one that is embodied, nor a more effective way to remove prejudices and build bridges between people than authentic listening.
In the Christian faith, there was a time when God also became a “human book.” In John 1 we read that “the Word was God” (John…
