Rewritten Scripture or Evangelical Fan Fiction?

In Enticed by Eden, Schearing and Ziegler examine some of the ways in which evangelical Christians reinvent the Bible and especially the use of the images of Adam, Eve, and Eden. Although the uses and interpretations of biblical passages in promoting evangelical ideas are varied, a few particularly striking examples come in the chapter, “Someday My Prince Will Come.” Throughout this section, the book quotes several examples of Christian relationship guides, which reinvent the Bible by rewriting scripture to reflect the authors’ beliefs.

To introduce this chapter, the book discusses the popularity of Christian relationship guides, saying “sex and marital manuals have long been a preoccupation for evangelical Christian thinkers” (17). These texts provide interpretations of biblical passages, especially Genesis 1-3, that spin the scripture for the authors’ very specific causes. Among others, Joshua Harris, author of evangelical books such as I Kissed Dating Goodbye and Boy Meets Girl, is frequently quoted to demonstrate how these books reinvent the Bible. His books appear to reflect many of the ideas about relationships that Schearing and Ziegler connect to evangelicals—the hierarchy of men over women and their complementary natures—but they also summarize and paraphrase scripture in a way that rewrites it for the intended audience. For example, Harris is quoted saying, “‘Enjoy pure sex!’ God practically shouts in Proverbs 5:18-19” (21). Although one could argue for this paraphrase, it hardly seems sufficient to condense this short passage in this way. Furthermore, even if one defends this interpretation in part, the concept of purity seems to be inserted somewhat artificially by Harris.

Let your fountain be blessed,
    and rejoice in the wife of your youth,
     a lovely deer, a graceful doe.
May her breasts satisfy you at all times;
    may you be intoxicated always by her love.

Proverbs 5:18-19 (NRSV)

By condensing and simplifying these verses in this way, Harris prescribes a meaning to them, and by placing these words into the mouth of God, he tries to add authority to his interpretation. Harris’ rewriting of scripture continues when he creates “an imaginary conversation between Adam and his great-great-granddaughter Elanna, who wonders how she will find a mate pleasing to God” (21-22). This bit of creative writing appears to be something like biblical fan fiction, once again aimed at pushing his agenda. This creation of new material serves as an example of more radical rewritten scripture—a text that’s only roughly based on biblical figures and ideas.

Given these examples of how these evangelical relationship manuals reinvent the Bible, it becomes clear how much these texts are adapted to fit the needs of the author or sponsoring group. Although certain interpretations of biblical text can be helpful for different audiences, these examples show the importance of reading these texts critically and considering one’s own interpretations alongside those prescribed by others.