Author: Scot McKnight
Book Name: The Blue Parakeet
I’m Glad it Wasn’t Called: When Birds Poop Out Binoculars
Book Synopsis in Twitteresque 140 characters or less: We must study the Bible with tradition, not through tradition. We must use discernment for tough passages. We must read the Bible as story.
Where I Bought It: Borders in Lancaster, PA.
Paid for With: A $20 bill (store did not accept attempted payment with Chuck E Cheese tokens)
How Long it Took Me to Read: about a month. It was not a book that compelled me to read it while sitting on the shelf, but once I would start reading, I would be into it.
Who I WOULD NOT recommend this book to: Someone who thinks the Bible is a farce. If you have no respect for the Bible, then you’d find this to be a very boring read. I would also not recommend this book to my son’s Kindergarten class. They can’t even read “Goodnight Moon”.
Who I WOULD recommend this book to: Anyone who has ever read the Bible and come across passages they weren’t sure what to make of. If you’re the type of Christian who likes to ask questions not just bury them, this book might be for you.
What I used for a bookmark: It was a hardcover book with a paper cover (those are called dust jackets, right?). I used the flap of the cover as a bookmark.
What were some interesting concepts from the book: McKnight presents the Bible as a story, and each book as a Wiki-story that ties in to the overall Story…McKnight says, “God gave the Bible, not so we could know it, but so we can know and love God through it.”…McKnight implies that anyone who claims to do EXACTLY what the Bible says is lying. We do not follow all Old Testament and New Testament commands and guidelines (do you greet people with a holy kiss as Paul says we should? Didnt think so.) His point is we ALL read and discern what is applicable to us to some degree.
What were some interesting concepts NOT from the book: Is the space-time continuum a straight line, a ribbon that folds on itself, or a three-dimensional figure eight?
What I learned from this book that I will apply to my next book: You can make up your own terms if you want to. McKnight refers to passages of the Bible that are hard to make sense of as “blue parakeets” based on a story from his bird-watching days. Not only does he use the phrase “blue parakeet” over and over again after coining it, but he also uses it as the title of his book. Perhaps my next book should be called “Cannarf.”
Expectations Going In: I was looking for a book that talked about the Bible as a whole, and addressed the fact that there are passages in the Bible that are tough to understand and reconcile in the culture we find ourselves in. I was hoping it would be academic, but wouldn’t make my brain hurt.
Cannarf Rating: Blue Parakeet was very close to the book I hoped it would be. I found the first half to be a bit slow at times, but it still held my attention. The second half of the book focused specifically on the “blue parakeet” of the place of women in ministry. This almost felt like it could have been a book in itself, but I felt that McKnight laid out a pretty good case for what he believes regarding the topic. (I can tell you if you want to know…or you can pick up the book and read for yourself). The Rating: +2 cannarfs. (what’s a cannarf?)
Have any of you read The Blue Parakeet? If so, what’s your cannarf rating?