(RNS) Stephen Mansfield is the author of the new book “The Faith and Values of Sarah Palin” RNS file photo courtesy Thomas Nelson.
(RNS) When Timothy Beal, a religious studies professor at Cleveland’s Case Western Reserve University, watched “The Godfather: Part II,” he noticed a biblical narrative subliminally woven throughout the film.
“It’s totally modeled on the New Testament,” he said. “You’ve got this Italian mobster trying to kill his rival’s son. It’s all modeled on Herod trying to make sure Jesus doesn’t get to adulthood.”
Beal, who compiled need-to-know Bible stories in his new book, “Biblical Literacy,” talked about how these Sunday school stories are ingrained in pop culture. They are making appearances at your dinner parties, in your favorite music and in a theater near you.
Some answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Q: Why did you decide to write the book?
A: I’ve always worked with smart and curious college students — most of whom don’t know much about the Bible. I make connections between biblical stories and how they show up in pop culture, Western literature and art. I’m looking to be a guide or an interpreter.
Q: How might first-time readers of the Bible be surprised by what they find in your book?
A: A lot of readers will just be surprised by how completely human and engaging these stories are; how pervasive the connections are between biblical stories and the culture: why Barack Obama made allusions to Scripture in his inaugural speech, why the group Black Sabbath sounds like a biblical prophet, or why you can’t listen to two U2 songs in a row without a biblical reference.
Q: Do you think some people are intimidated by the Bible?
A: A lot of people have picked up a sort of “keep away” and “no trespassing” message when they see a Bible with a black leather cover. They are turned off by a lot of loud, strong voices in society who are telling us what the Bible means and what the Bible says. I really try to lay it out in a way that doesn’t look Bible-ly.
Q: How do biblical stories translate into contemporary times?
A: There is a disconnect between the view of the Bible and the reality of it. Murder. Drunkenness. Incest. Sex. Lying. Cheating. It’s not really tame at all. At times, it can be downright immoral. Quentin Tarantino could make a great unrated version of biblical stories.
Q: What do you think is the most important biblical story to have on hand at a dinner party?
A: I’m not sure too many of them are appropriate for dinner conversation. At a dinner party, religion and politics are on the tips of everyone’s tongues. People who argue in favor or against gay marriage draw interpretation from biblical stories. Yet, how do you go deeper in that conversation unless you know those stories deeper? It might not be light banter, but they are there in the room, at the table, even if we’re not talking about them.
Q: What about in the classroom?
A: For me, it’s the Book of Job. It is an engagement of that question about why good people suffer and why bad people prosper. Do we live in a moral universe? And if not, what does that say about God? These are powerful and profound questions that come up.
Q: Which biblical stories are people most likely to quote without realizing their origin?
A: Mostly phrases such as: “drop in the bucket,” “reaping the whirlwind,” “cast the first stone.” There are so many. They are testimony to how pervasive the biblical idiom is even in our everyday speech.
Q: How did you decide which ones to include?
A: The goal here was to bring together those stories that had the most cultural significance. I greatly acknowledge all the texts I hadn’t included. I love the biblical texts that maybe aren’t so prominent in our culture. This book is kind of a greatest hits list. You really hope people will go deeper and uncover more.
