Speculation has swirled in recent days surrounding the Museum of the Bible, a massive, new attraction that’s slated to open in Washington, D.C., next month, after reports last week claimed that its contents are light on the topic of Jesus Christ.
A Washington Post piece that was titled, “Sneak peek: D.C.’s huge new Museum of the Bible includes lots of tech — but not a lot of Jesus” proclaimed:
“The $500 million museum, chaired and largely funded by the conservative Christian family that owns Hobby Lobby, doesn’t say a word about the Bible’s views on sexuality or contraception. The museum doesn’t encourage visitors to take the Bible literally or to believe that the Bible has only one correct form. And on floor after gleaming floor of exhibitions, there is very little Jesus.”
This naturally sparked some intrigue and discussion. And Steven Bickley, vice president of marketing for the Museum of the Bible, responded to some of that speculation in an interview with The Christian Post.
He explained that the museum is “nonsectarian” and that everyone is invited in to “engage with the history, narrative and impact of the best-selling book of all time.”
https://www.facebook.com/museumoftheBible/videos/1435101883271432/
Bickley also said that there is a narrative floor that explains both the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament — and that part of that floor explains Jesus’ world to museum visitors.
“An intriguing element awaiting guests on this floor is ‘The World of Jesus of Nazareth,’ featuring the sights and sounds of Jesus’ day, as well as a film — produced in a stylized, ink-and-parchment motif — focused on the spread of the early church, as told from the perspective of those who knew Jesus,” he told the Christian Post.
Bickley continued, “As the film unfolds, guests will hear the New Testament story of a new community of both Jews and Gentiles whose growth was fueled by a belief that God is leading people home through Jesus, whom they believed God raised from the dead to rule as king. Throughout the 430,000-square-foot building are quotes by and about Jesus and images of Jesus, as he is a key figure in the Bible.”
In the end, Bickley said people are free to make determinations about the museum once it is open to the public on Nov. 17.
The Washington Post’s report seemed to indicate that there was a major difference between what Hobby Lobby president Steve Green and the Green family set out to do a decade ago and what they are doing now, particularly when it comes to evangelism.
The museum’s original mission was to “bring to life the living word of God …. to inspire confidence in the absolute authority” of the holy book; but Green’s recent comments about the museum led The Washington Post to speculate that something changed.
“The museum has fence posts — limits. It doesn’t overtly say the Bible is good — that the Bible is true,” he said. “That’s not its role. Its role is to present facts and let people make their own decisions.”
Earlier this year, Green took Faithwire through a towering Bible Museum exhibit at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Orlando, Florida. During that discussion, Green also broke down why the family decided to build the museum, explaining that a deep love for the Bible firmly stood at the center of their quest to see the project come to fruition.
“Our family’s had a love for the Bible and that has been passed down for generations,” Green explained.
We’ll leave you with that interactive tour below:
https://www.facebook.com/faithwirenews/videos/1869117143357737/