Velvet Elvis (Hardcover) by Rob Bell - Reviews, Discussion, Bookclubs, Lists

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50 Books A Year: Suzanne's List Starting August 2008	26	187	3 days ago, 09:35PM
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12/26/07

Josh & Tiffany rated it:

(review of isbn 0310273080)

bookshelves: josh, spirituality, year2

Read in December, 2007

1) I really like Bell's enthusiasm and passion for helping people break out of a religious system that many times can be boring and basically anything but alive. Sometimes I think that I myself am far too intertwined with this system which, although good in many ways, is still man-made.

2) Bell's call to "test it. Probe it." is good advice. I have the awful tendency to read books, accepting most everything that I read as long as I trust the author or person who recommend...more 1) I really like Bell's enthusiasm and passion for helping people break out of a religious system that many times can be boring and basically anything but alive. Sometimes I think that I myself am far too intertwined with this system which, although good in many ways, is still man-made.

2) Bell's call to "test it. Probe it." is good advice. I have the awful tendency to read books, accepting most everything that I read as long as I trust the author or person who recommended the book to me.

3) I think that the way we respond to testing and probing is what can separate believers from non-believers, but unfortunately it doesn't. As you'll see below, there are some very big disagreements I have with Bell, but some of the things I've seen written and done in protest of his teachings is unbelievable. Protesting outside Bell's fellowship telling people they're going to hades isn't much of a disagreement, it borders on hatred.

4) All that being said, I have some very significant problems with some of Bell's theology. The first is his use of the trampoline analogy. Now obviously no analogy can be perfect, but the statement that all tenets of faith outside of Jesus are springs, and therefore we must be willing to allow them to flex, is very unBiblical. Now I agree with him regarding the man who said that if you don't believe in a 24-hour day creation, you don't believe in the cross. If by springs he means that we need to be open to various interpretation, I am all for that. It is when he wants my foundation to flex that I have a problem. Speaking of the virgin birth he says, "What if that spring was seriously questioned? Could a person still keep jumping?" My personal answer is that if I found that the virgin birth was untrue, the gospel writers knowingly putting a myth into their writings and thus compromising the inspiration of the Word, yes I would have some serious questions. But my personal answer doesn't carry as much weight as Paul's in regard to the resurrection saying, "...if [the Son] is not risen...then your faith is also vain." (I Cor 15:14). That doesn't sounds like a spring to me. I believe there are certain things which are bricks, or if I may add to Bell's analogy, maybe the stands on which the trampoline is raised. You take that away and you'll find that jumping on the trampoline is no different than jumping on the regular ground.

5) There was something that bothered me all through the first half of the book which I couldn't put my finger on until he basically wrote it out. Although I admire Bell's passion, I'm wary of his focus. Although he's not fully a "saved by works" preacher, he gets far too close in my mind by not emphasizing the power of the cross. Like I said, I couldn't put my finger on it until he got to his theory about Peter walking on water. That just blew my mind. Bell states, "Who does Peter lose faith in? Not Jesus; Jesus is doing fine. Peter loses faith in himself." The idea that the Son willingly gave up His life so that people like me could realize how great I already am and all of the things I am capable of borders on blasphemy. In response to that I want to ask Bell what happened when Peter got back into the boat. Did he apologize for not meeting his potential? Did he promise that next time he would be more confident in himself? Of course not. He worships the Son. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". I think those two words were missing in too much of Bell's ideology.

6) Bell far too often portrays the Word as full of metaphors. Yes, we desperately need to find the relevance for today, to apply it to our lives. I agree that this might be why so much of our "system" seems dead. However, what gives me hope in the life to come is not a personal, very subjective "...experience of [the Son] that transcends place and time" as Bell says, but rather the fact that the Son died and rose again on my behalf. I think the writers themselves make it clear that their purpose wasn't to provide metaphors, but to give us the story of our existence. Luke says, " Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught" (Lk 1:3-4).

To conclude my thoughts, I think that Bell is very well-intentioned and should serve as a wake-up call for many people, including myself, to see how much of what I consider to be my faith is in actuality just my system or culture. While I think that I should stand against what I believe to be foundational errors in Bell's theology, I think that the best reaction I or any person can have to objections is to expend my energy not on combative arguments but on being just as passionate for what I hold to be true. I hold that in Him, and not of myself or anything that I can do, grace is given as a gift through the sacrifice of the Son for our justification - but more importantly for His glory.(less)

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08/27/07

Phil Ward rated it:

(review of isbn 031026345X)

bookshelves: emergentliterature

Has a copy to sell/swap — Read in August, 2007

recommends it for: people with the ability to think clearly

I think this book has tremendously helpful applications. There are so many challenges that are expressed through the genuine reflection of the current state of Christianity. The challenge to think deeply and to ask questions about what Christianity is and what it means. These are helpful bits of advice. There are great nuggets of wisdom that challenge people to read the Bible with the understanding that the events themselves really did happen. They are real stories about real people in real plac...more I think this book has tremendously helpful applications. There are so many challenges that are expressed through the genuine reflection of the current state of Christianity. The challenge to think deeply and to ask questions about what Christianity is and what it means. These are helpful bits of advice. There are great nuggets of wisdom that challenge people to read the Bible with the understanding that the events themselves really did happen. They are real stories about real people in real places. Moreover, the challenge to live authentically is prevalent within the writing of Rob Bell. One can truly appreciate his candid way of expressing his ideas and concerns.

The danger lies from the consistent use of argumentation that Christianity must let go of Doctrine and the need to fight for Orthodox doctrine and instead the fight should be to love Jesus and to love others as Jesus loved others. This on the surface sounds great. But if we are to implement the very things that Rob Bell writes about, such as asking questions, then we find ourselves in a place where we are forming ideas about God, these are often called doctrines. For example Bell says that we ought not fight for correct doctrine but instead we ought to live like Jesus lived, authentically and passionately obeying God's will in serving and loving others. Here are the questions: who was Jesus? what was Jesus like? who did Jesus think he was? who did his disciples think he is? was he morally correct? why should one follow this guy Jesus? By answering these questions we begin to formulate a belief and an understanding about who Jesus is. This is called Christology. The need to define who Jesus was in the New Testament is a doctrine with significant importance because it alone can differentiate correct and incorrect ideas of Jesus of the New Testament. Mormons believe in the Jesus of the New Testament and so do the Evangelicals. Who is right? Can both be right? No, because that is a logical fallacy. Then which is right? Only a set of beliefs about Jesus, a doctrine of Jesus, can sufficiently answer that question. Doctrine is important, but it is not the end, it is the means; the means to the end of thinking and worshiping God correctly and avoiding intellectual idolatry.(less)

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08/16/07

Genevieve rated it:

(review of isbn 031026345X)

bookshelves: favorites

Read in September, 2007

recommends it for: anyone disillusioned w/ Christianity; anyone with an interest in faith in the modern world

Recently, I've been doing a lot of writing concerning my own beliefs and faith practices. It tends to come up occasionally amongst my group of friends, as I'm one of only a few (if any?) practicing Christians, and I tend to think a lot about faith issues generally because my church tends to be very thought-provoking and inspiring.

About a month ago, I emailed one of my writings to my pastor, almost half-expecting him to call me a nutter and suggest I not return. Instead, he said "...more Recently, I've been doing a lot of writing concerning my own beliefs and faith practices. It tends to come up occasionally amongst my group of friends, as I'm one of only a few (if any?) practicing Christians, and I tend to think a lot about faith issues generally because my church tends to be very thought-provoking and inspiring.

About a month ago, I emailed one of my writings to my pastor, almost half-expecting him to call me a nutter and suggest I not return. Instead, he said "Read this book, I think you'll love it!"

He was right!

Sometimes, especially living in the conservative midwest, I become convinced that my views on the state of modern Christianity and on faith and belief in general are "out there," "wacky," or downright sacreligious. It's very nice to be reassured that, all of a sudden, I appear to be part of a "movement." There really are people out there reading their Bibles and NOT falling into the psycho-fundie trap! There really are people out there who think that Jesus' message and mission are a damn sight more important than traditions that end up driving more people away from God than drawing them in. There really are other folks who realize that the bottom line isn't how many rules you follow correctly, but (oh what was it that crazy kook called Christ said??) "Love the Lord your God" and "Love your neighbor as yourself."

At the core of Rob Bell's teachings is the historically-focused practice of humble questioning. He points out that in the Judaic tradition of Jesus, learning was more than just rote memorization - you were *supposed* to answer a question with a question. Furthermore, the faith tradition of Jesus was always intended to grow and change with the times... and it always has! It's an easy trap to fall into, to accept the revolutionary teachings of a wise predecessor, and forget that they *weren't tradition* when they were first suggested.

This book had me almost constantly smiling, and not just because Bell was simply eloquently stating my own thoughts. His writing style is casual, conversational and accessible. His history was in-depth enough to engender trust, yet interesting enough to make me want to actually read up on ancient Judaic practices myself! It would be a great book for anyone who is new to Christianity, and CERTAINLY for anyone who finds themself put off by the current public face of the faith.

Just be forewarned - his end-notes will have you running to the library to increase your personal Mt. To-Be-Read!(less)

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04/03/08

Matt Moment rated it:

(review of isbn 031026345X)

Read in January, 2007

Keeping in mind that this is the first "Christian" book I've ever finished and that I loath going into "Christian" stores and purchasing things produced by "Christian" companies my review of this book will consist only of a single idea portrayed in the piece that is worth all four of the stars I gave it.

I can't find the exact quote but here's the idea (and it's geared toward proclaimed "Christians");
If you woke up tomorrow and there were ...more

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12/27/07

Rebecca rated it:

(review of isbn 031026345X)

Read in January, 2008

I am watching the Nooma video series that Rob Bell does so I decided to read this book to understand his theology. I was concerned. For one, I found often that his analogies or explanations were so vague that I often wondered "and what does that mean!"

Unfortunately as I read Velvet Elvis, I actually found myself getting bored with Christianity...taking out the element of faith in God feels like taking out the adventure. Bell's theology diminishes the sovereignty of God, the...more

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10/27/07

Tim rated it:

(review of isbn 0310273080)

Read in October, 2007

Did I enjoy this book? Yes and no. Do I think this book makes a valuable contribution to Christian literature? Yes and no.

Firstly, there is nothing exorbitantly wrong in this book. I think there are ideas in it which are over emphasized and exalted maybe a little too much.

I like Rob Bell's vision of reaching out to people where they are and giving them the opportunity to experience a relationship with Christ ad then gradually come into a full knowledge of Christianity...more Did I enjoy this book? Yes and no. Do I think this book makes a valuable contribution to Christian literature? Yes and no.

Firstly, there is nothing exorbitantly wrong in this book. I think there are ideas in it which are over emphasized and exalted maybe a little too much.

I like Rob Bell's vision of reaching out to people where they are and giving them the opportunity to experience a relationship with Christ ad then gradually come into a full knowledge of Christianity. It makes sense. That's how it goes. First milk, then solid food.

I like that he talks about the need of understanding the setting, the cultural values of the time, and so on to be able to understand the Bible better.

I like that he encourages people to think critically and discern what they take in. He even exhorts the reader to do this with his book!

I don't like that his idea of a fluid faith (the whole spring analogy) that is growing and adapting seems pretty flimsy. It's hard to get an idea of just how far he might "Repaint" the Christian faith.

I don't like that his writing seems to speak of an idea that the Bible is almost unreadable without the full context of history and a full knowledge of the bible. Yea, the Bible is a difficult book, and there is a lot of nuances, treasures in scripture to be gleaned, and even things to stumble over. But, the bible is also pretty straight forward in a lot of areas. On this note I do like that he does talk about studying the Bible in community. That's a good idea no matter the other things.

Lastly, I'm not sure I understand Rob Bell's eschatology (the stuff that happens at the end of the world). He talks a lot about either bringing heaven here now or bringing hell here now. It seems a bit... odd. It just doesn't sit right.

Rob Bell has enormous influence and this book enjoys enormous popularity. Unfortunately, I think the truths that are in this book to claim are surrounded by a lot of mis-truth or at the very least unclear truth.

Feel free to pass this one up.(less)

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01/08/08

Buncencia rated it:

(review of isbn 031026345X)

Read in November, 2008

recommends it for: anyone struggling with their spirituality

I was really suspicious of this book because of how slickly it is packaged. I thought, "this is one of those 'God is awesome! Let's hang out with God, kids! On the seventh day he saw that it was cool!' books, like they'd sell in the bookstore of an Evangelical mega-church place. Plus, the author is dorky-looking and I am somewhat shallow.
Then I opened it, and saw:
"I have seen plenty done in the name of God that I'm sure God doesn't want anything to do with. I have lots...more

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05/08/07

Mandy rated it:

(review of isbn 031026345X)

Read in May, 2007

recommends it for: Mindy, Brandy, religious thinkers

I was surprised at how much of the time I found myself agreeing with Rob Bell. His central theme—that we can't continue to talk to people about faith and do things the same old way—is true. The way my parents talked about faith, entered into worship, and told others about God really just don't work in today's world. That said, I think Rob Bell starts out with a truth, but in taking his repainting of the Christian faith to the upmost extreme, he gets on some theological shaky ground. He sugge...more

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03/06/08

Bob rated it:

(review of isbn 0310273080)

Read in March, 2008

This book was everything I feared it would be. I trust "emerging" Christianity about as much as previous iterations (boomers, mega churches, the religious right, etc)...which is to say, not much.

Bell sounds just like every other emerging guy out there...interpreting the bible for himself based on personal experience, passion, and liberal use of unsubstantiated metaphor, rather than solid education, classical study, and reverence for the seriousness of the topic. I think o...more

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07/10/07

Stephen Hebert rated it:

(review of isbn 0310273080)

bookshelves: christianity

Read in October, 2006

Rob Bell has a unique way of looking at the world.

As I was reading Velvet Elvis, I felt almost like I was reading a 21st century, not-so-academic, C. S. Lewis. Bell has a knack for creating effective illustrations out of quite mundane items (bricks and walls, trampolines, for example).

I say "unacademic" not to imply that Rob Bell is dumb, but only because he lacks that higher style of a C. S. Lewis.

I admit that I read Velvet Elvis rather quickly, bu...more

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07/05/07

Jonathan rated it:

(review of isbn 031026345X)

bookshelves: personal-collection

Read in June, 2006

Rob Bell is an interesting Christian leader. I hold some negative opinions toward the "Emerging/Emergent" church--I don't particularly care for the way they obsess about marketing Jesus. In general, the movement treats Jesus as a product and although they advertise Him in a very attractive way, I don't think that's the point.

Bell brings up a lot of good points in this book. He challenges readers to think and use their minds and "test everything." I think a lot of ...more

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12/08/07

Benjamin rated it:

(review of isbn 031026345X)

bookshelves: theology

Read in October, 2004

Dangerous.

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06/13/08

Leah rated it:

(review of isbn 031026345X)

bookshelves: nonfiction, spirituality

Read in November, 2008

I have been rather reluctant to start this book, but last night I could barely put it down. The book really does attempt to "repaint the Christian faith" by asking questions and exploring different interpretations of scripture in such a way that would probably offend many traditional churchgoers today. In my own search to find some reality in the church and my own relationship with God, this book comes at a perfect time, reassuring me that it's ok to ask questions, it's ok to doubt. ...more

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04/03/08

Penny rated it:

(review of isbn 031026345X)

bookshelves: church-book-club, read-in-2008

After reading Rob Bell’s Velvet Elvis and a few ranting and raving reviews, I’m not going to comment on the fine points of Bell’s theology. Some are fine, and some are brittle. But, I would like to comment on the spiritual trampoline metaphor from my own experience.
I had a friend who owned a trampoline. We neighbor kids spent many hours at his house. It was amazing to watch him do flips. He could go forward and backward as high or as low as he wanted. He tried to teach me. I could o...more

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10/01/07

Reed rated it:

(review of isbn 031026345X)

bookshelves: jesus-books

Read in May, 2007

recommends it for: Frustrated Christians

The book is highly poetic, which increases its resonance but it is still very much a book for Christians. I wish I could recommend it to non-believers as an example of unique and intelligent progressive Christian thinking, but so much of his language depends on at least a cursory knowledge of the faith for the impact to fully set in.

That having been said, I am a believer and it resonated tremendously with me (I only killed that fifth star because of the crossover difficulty for non-C...more

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03/05/07

Angela rated it:

(review of isbn 0310273080)

bookshelves: religion

This book follows the trend of the Emerging Church Movement, which I am wary of. One thing I liked about this book is it does make you think outside the box and it emphasizes the idea that God is everywhere around us in this time and place... that He is not some far off being that we cannot touch. He is in every detail of our lives whether we are aware of it or not.

There are certain thoughts in here that I completely disagree with though. Too much emphasis on emotion and feeling...more

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10/21/08

Matt rated it:

(review of isbn 031026345X)

Has a copy to sell/swap — Read in February, 2008

I will say after first reading this book I was excited. But after I chewed on it a bit I became uneasy about a lot of Rob Bell's theology or lack there of. Theres just too much wishy-washy here. I can tell that there is a desire to know and come to an understanding of God and I can even relate to some truth in some of his observations. He talks about discussing and argueing and coming to an understanding of God and Christ. However, Rob Bell really does try to not just repaint the Christian faith...more

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02/24/08

Michelle rated it:

(review of isbn 031026345X)

Read in January, 2008

Pretty much the same line of thought as "Mere Christianity" addressing some crucial issues of our faith, but it fixed a fatal flaw of C.S. Lewis' work: It was written in a contemporary format that invites younger, less academic, but sold-out-for-Jesus readers to carry on with verver to the end in a way that Rob Bell has perfected over time with his Nooma clips. The book is written in the exact way that he speaks, making it a true trade mark accomplishment and a different style all toge...more

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01/23/09

Christie rated it:

(review of isbn 031026345X)

Read in January, 2009

This book really resonated with me as it explores what is means to be a Christian and what Christianity really is, giving context to our faith and interpretation of the Bible.

I definitely intend to reread this book. It is a quick read, but it still contains lots of interesting perspectives. It has given me opportunities to relate Bell’s opinions to several aspects of my life and to encourage me to keep the faith, to keep searching, to keep interpreting.

A few key quotes...more

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01/15/09

Kristy rated it:

(review of isbn 031026345X)

bookshelves: non-fiction

Read in January, 2009

"Somewhere in my basement sits a Velvet Elvis - a painting of the King himself, air-brushed onto black velvet in a wooden frame.
What if the painter of my Velvet Elvis announced there was no more need to paint, that he had painted the ultimate painting? We would think he had lost his mind because of our instinctive understanding that art is never done - it's the endless process of learning, exploring, shaping and forming.
And it's no different with faith. The Christian faith will ...more "Somewhere in my basement sits a Velvet Elvis - a painting of the King himself, air-brushed onto black velvet in a wooden frame.
What if the painter of my Velvet Elvis announced there was no more need to paint, that he had painted the ultimate painting? We would think he had lost his mind because of our instinctive understanding that art is never done - it's the endless process of learning, exploring, shaping and forming.
And it's no different with faith. The Christian faith will never be complete. We will always be exploring and discovering what it means to live in harmony with God and each other. If we don't, our faith may end up in the basement.
This book is about the endless need to keep painting. . .Rob Bell."

I began reading Velvet Elvis with the awareness that there was some controversy over it. People either seem to love it or hate it (someone even referred to it as "refreshing and frustrating"), so I was curious as to what all the fuss was about.

To be honest, I really enjoyed this book. There were some parts I struggled with, but in a way that made the book more enjoyable and impacting... it challenged me to think about what I believe and why. I think that's a good thing. Rob Bell shares some great insights and challenges in this book, especially when digging into the Jewish culture and relating it to certain scriptures in the Bible. He also shares very openly about his own personal life and struggles.

It took me a while to get used to the way Rob Bell writes, as he seems to move through various subjects as though going on a journey. Very easy reading though, as well as challenging. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone... as one reader said, "if you are looking for a strong systematic theology, you're looking in the wrong place. If you are looking for how theology lives itself out in every day life, you may have the right book."

If you are someone who has become a bit cynical or jaded with the Christian faith, this book is for you. A very refreshing and impacting read.
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