The Evangelical Hermeneutic
Rev Lamblove in interesting form again, about how the Evangelical culture trains people to read the Bible
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Maggi has kept a blog since September 2003, writing about theology and faith, the arts and literature, and a little about life and random nonsense...
In an increasingly secularised society few people have a good working knowledge of the Bible. Yet a great deal of our culture is built on stories or ideas that come from the Bible. Literature, art, music, language and even the fabric of our society - such as our justice system - are built on Christian concepts and biblical references. The Writing on the Wall provides a fascinating introduction to the Bible's best-known, and most influential, stories. Each chapter gives some background to the text of the Bible, and shows how the stories have become enmeshed in Western culture. Adam and Eve, the ten plagues of Egypt, The Prodigal Son and Mary Magdalene all feature - along with how the Bible has influenced everyone from Shakespeare to Monty Python, and Caravaggio to Banksy. 
Giving It Up explores the Lenten idea of 'giving up', taking it beyond the traditional idea of simply abstaining from something, and suggesting instead that what we need to give up is our existing ideas about God. With a daily readings for each day of Lent, from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, it follows the heroes of the Bible who had to give up their own too-small ideas about God.
This is Maggi’s bestselling book of daily readings for each day of Advent, Christmas and Epiphany. Advent is the beginning of the Church year, and marks the anticipation of the coming Messiah. These readings explore how beginnings and endings in our own lives are illuminated by the different Gospel narratives of Christ's coming.
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When I was a youth & children’s worker, I was given the task of speaking to a yr 6 class, some of whom had somehow got themselves intrested in (and dabbling with) Ouija Boards (via older siblings) – scaring them witless.
The school (not a church school) wanted me to go in to put them off it, but “without being too religious”(!).
Thankfully my Mum (a very wise woman!) gave me a very simple approach that I’ve used many times since – that connects with what you’ve posted Maggi…
I simply talked about the difference between fear that “traps us” (like the Ouija board experience that keeps people coming back and terrified of what they’ve come into contact with) compared with fear that “keeps us safe”.
The latter, of course, stops us playing on Underground tracks (or playing with Ouija boards!), the former is what Jesus wants to free us from.
I like the idea of personalising the “trapping” fear and “thanking it” before showing it the door..!