Velvet Elvis
Book Notes by Brian Hofmeister
Rob Bell, Velvet Elvis, Repainting the Christian Faith,Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2005.
Introduction
Bell has a cheap painting in his basement of Elvis. If this painter pronounced his work to be the end-all of painting, the world would have lost a lot. The world will also lose a lot if anyone paints a picture of the church and calls it the end-all. Velvet Elvis is Bell’s contribution to the continuation of new church pictures.
Movement 1, Jump
Bell has a trampoline theology: keep it mysterious, flexible, and reworkable and then you will be able to enjoy bouncing on it and inviting others to bounce with you. Brick theology conversely sets walls, breaks people on the brick if they are not in agreement, or the whole wall tumbles if one brick previously laid is called into question. Bell favors a trampoline theology because Jesus gave us the “Way” to live, not rigid beliefs. Mystery is to be cherished and valued instead of pushing for a set conclusion.
Movement 2, Yoke
A particular interpretation of the Bible has been rabbinically called a “yoke.” You live by it. We are all yoked to someone’s influencing thoughts despite so many claiming to “just follow the Bible.” Bell greatly values community in the process of being yoked.
Movement 3, Logos
Bell slams solo scriptura in convincing fashion – truth is to be accepted wherever it is found, and wherever truth is found, it is an indication of the Jesus’ founding. Truth is always God’s, wherever it is found – knowing this will avoid a crisis in faith for many college students. This gives a new perspective on outreach: not “taking Jesus” where He is not, but rather expose people to Jesus who is behind all that they affirm as beautiful and true. Bell greatly values questions, doubts, frank honesty as one approaches scripture – never making people chose between Jesus and honesty.
Movement 4, Tassels
Bell expresses the need for relentless pursuit of personal healing and daily salvation – especially as remedy for burnt-out ministers. We cannot help other people grow down a road of healing we are not pursuing personally - “Very few connect with their soul,” (120). Very practical advice is giving up the superstar profile we all think we are and should live up to – just be what God has given you to be.
Movement 5, Dust
In a very insightful disclosure of rabbinical life, Bell tells us to follow our Rabbi so closely that the dust He kicks up sticks to us. Of particular relevance is the rabbinical tradition of selecting disciples: The Rabbi only selects disciples that could one day be just like him and further the “yoke” he teaches. As illustrated in Peter walking/sinking on water (as well as other stories where Jesus expresses disappointment), our problem is not faith in Jesus, our problem is that we do not believe in ourselves the way Jesus believes in us –we can be like Him!
Movement 6, New
Bell presents his view on Romans 5-8, identifying us as a new creation, rather than perpetuating the belief that we are sinful and will continue in sin. Although he is neither as profound nor exegetically accurate as Watchman Nee, he does give a very compelling picture.
Movement 7, Good
God is restoring everything, making it good again. “To make the cross of Jesus just about human salvation is to miss that God is interested in the saving of everything. Every star and rock and bird. All things,” (161). Bell pushes for an environmentalist perspective on life. He also reveals the counter cultural nature of Christianity by sitting several examples of how NT believers took key superiority jargon of the Roman Empire and used it for Jesus and the Church. Bell calls us to love – love will fulfill our role of blessing the world through our blessings. “… it is so toxic when Christians picket and boycott and complain about how bad the world is. Why blame the dark for being dark? It is far more helpful to ask why the light isn’t as bright as it could be,” (166).
Review and Reflection by Brian Hofmeister
Two Things that Stood Out
Bell’s trampoline theology is quite compelling: keep it mysterious, flexible, and reworkable and then you will be able to enjoy bouncing on it and inviting others to bounce with you. Brick theology conversely sets walls, breaks people on the brick if they are not in agreement, or the whole wall tumbles if one brick previously laid is called into question. It is so refreshing to see my life as following the dynamic Jesus “Way,” rather than aspiring to for the restrictive parameters of belief.
Chapter 5’s ending spoke loudly to me. Bell presents the idea that my problem is not faith in Jesus, but rather the problem is that I do not believe in myself the way Jesus believes in us –I can be like Him!
I did not agreewith…
Bell says, “I can’t find one place… where we are to identity ourselves first and foremost as sinners.” (139). The way I read the first four chapters of Romans, and a bit of chapter five, we are to identify ourselves as sinners, not just people who commit sin.
Ways to implement this in Ministry and Personal Life
Bell slams solo scriptura in convincing fashion – truth is to be accepted wherever it is found, and wherever truth is found, it is an indication of the Jesus’ founding. Truth is always God’s, wherever it is found. While communicating a profound love for scripture as Bell does, I also want to express a love for His truth that is emerging from thousands of sources outside of scripture. The Bible should be exalted as the most reliable source of truth, but not the only source.
The prospect of burn-out scares me. I hate the idea of turning against God’s will and embarrassing his name. Bell’s relentless pursuit of personal healing and daily salvation was a great reminder of my need to assess my personal health.
I have been inspired by the rich and frank presentation of spirituality presented by Rob Bell. I can also feel the process Rob must grow through: a passage catches him in devotionals/study time, he dives into significant exegetical and commentary research of the passage, meditates on it until it is internalized into who he is, and then present it to a post-modern audience in down to earth terms. I would like to study like I imagine he studies. I would like to see spirituality in Jesus the way he sees it.