Good As New: A Radical Retelling of the Scriptures [Hardcover]

John Henson (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"What would Christianity look like, what would Christian language sound like, if we really tried to screen out the stale, the technical, the unconsciously exclusive words and policies, and to hear for the first time what the Christian Scriptures were saying? John Henson has devoted much of his life to wrestling with this challenge, and has for many people made those scriptures speak as never before-indeed, as for the first time. Patiently and boldly, he has teased out implications, gone back to roots, linguistic and theological, and re-imagined the process in which a genuinely new language was brought to birth by those who had listened to Jesus because they knew they were in a genuinely new world. John's presentation of the Christian gospel is of extraordinary power simply because it is so close to the prose and poetry of ordinary life. Instead of being taken into a specialised religious frame of reference-as happens with the most conscientious of formal modern translations-and being given a gospel addressed to specialised concerns-as happens with even the most careful of modern "devotional" books-we have here a vehicle for thinking and worshipping that is fully earthed, recognisably about our humanity. I hope that this book will help the secret to be shared, and to spread in epidemic profusion through religious and irreligious alike." 'John Henson has the exciting capacity to awaken fresh interest in material that seems familiar. He is never dull, sometimes provocative and occasionally inspirational. I recommend his work to anyone who enjoys an unpredictable reading of Scripture.' - John Rackley, President of the Baptist Union of Great Britain. 'I found this a literally shocking read. It made me think, it made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me angry and it made me joyful. It made me feel like an early Christian hearing these texts for the first time. John Henson and the ONE Community have made the Bible accessible and alive so that a new generation may hear the news and experience it as good.' Elizabeth Stuart, Professor of Christian Theology, King Alfred's College, Winchester, and Bishop of the Open Episcopal Church. 'Nowadays we have a generation that has never read the Bible and knows nothing about Christ. This translation bridges the gap by really putting it in the language of today's street population and making it attractive to them. I wish it every blessing and success.' Derek Rawcliffe

Product Description

This radical new translation conveys the early Christian scriptures in the idiom of today. It follows principles of cultural and contextual translation, and returns to the selection of books the the early Church held in highest esteem.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 608 pages
• Publisher: O Books (June 25, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1903816734
• ISBN-13: 978-1903816738
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #1,602,128 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Engaging with a British Twist, April 29, 2006

By	B. Estes - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Good As New: A Radical Retelling of the Scriptures (Hardcover)

"Good as New: A Radical Retelling of the Scriptures" is a fresh translation from Britain that makes for good reading and gives the more American "The Message New Testament" a run for the money. This translation includes the four gospels in their chronological order of writing, and refreshingly adds the Gospel of Thomas (incorrectly identified as gnostic by some reviewers). Luke-Acts are placed together as they should be, the letters actually penned by St. Paul are labelled as such, and those by members of the pauline school are noted as being by "Paul's Team" (Great!) The pseudo-pauline letters included in the "canonical" New Testament are left out. And the non-pauline letters, such as those of James and John, are included as the "four calls". The Revelation of John is not included (something many of the early Church fathers also recommended) Un-Christian historic readings that disparage women and [...] are more lovingly and inclusively rendered in this translation, much to the chagrin of more legalistic Christians. This paraphrase includes some inovative ways of rendering people and places that takes some gettng used to. There is, as would be expected of a British translation, some idiomatic phrasing that might be unfamiliar to those used to American english. Praised by a variety of Christian teachers, including evangelist Tony Campolo and Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, this translation is suitable for private reading and for use in contemporary liturgical presentations and in public readings of the Gospels and Epistles. I highly recommend "Good as New", supplemented by a more literal translation such as the New Revised Standard Version. Innocently leaving copies around where your more conservative brothers and sisters in Christ might inadvertently pick it up and read it is highly encouraged!

24 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Think for yourself!, July 24, 2004

By	Nietzsche's Girlfriend (In a very good place) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Good As New: A Radical Retelling of the Scriptures (Hardcover)

This interpretation, while perhaps not up everyone's street, still has a huge value. Why? Because it makes the reader THINK about what the Bible says instead of simply regurgitating all the doctrinal detritus that has been culturally inculcated into our minds - twists that we tend to take as truth, when there is really nothing in the Bible to support these addendums.
In a world where religion is becoming increasingly irrelevant, I believe we need to start thinking in new ways about everything, especially scripture. Otherwise, it is no longer the living Word, but instead becomes a dusty arcane document that has no meaning in this postmodern world.
For those KJV purists, I hate to break the news to you, but the KJV is just a translation like all the others. Besides, it's not that accurate a translation anyway. And for the homophobes who decry the fact that Good as New doesn't blast gays, go back to your Bible and read the part in the same passage where there is an injunction against wearing blended fabrics. Both these sins are viewed as equally transgressive. I'd suggest that you follow ALL of God's laws, or none of them -But don't expect me to let you pick and choose which ones you want to follow.
It is ironic that the King James Version - the Christian purist's choice of scripture - was commission by King James, a (...) son of a woman known only as Jane. His homosexuality was so well known that when Queen Elizabeth died, people would shout in the street, 'Elizabeth was King, and now James is our Queen!'What a bastion of the faith! *supresses laughter here*
But I digress...while this shouldn't be the ONLY Bible in your house, it will definitely give you some new insights and may even get you to think about God in new and refreshing ways.
This text is not blasphemy - it is not irreverent toward God - it merely offers a chance for a new read of an old text.
If your sensibilities are such that you cannot handle a fresh look at an old favourite, then I encourage you to avoid this book. If you want to read something that will stimulate your mind and get you thinking about God, the Bible, and everything, then try it. It is meant to make you think - not just memorize and repeat other peoples' dogmas.
But DO read another translation as well, be it NIV, NRSV, Jerusalem, Good News, or even, yes, the dreaded KJV...
Who knows? You might learn something.

16 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New and Good, July 15, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Good As New: A Radical Retelling of the Scriptures (Hardcover)

While some of the words can be startling to one who is already familiar with more traditional versions of the New Testament (I prefer the NRSV usually), they are actually very close to the original Koine Greek. For example, the word "dipped" is used in place of "baptise," where in biblical Greek, it does literally mean "to be dipped." The changes in language sometimes made me laugh out loud but they also made me think. Bravo for Mr. Henson for this audacious, fresh and fun reading of the New Testament. I'm always looking for ways to re-read the scriptures and Mr. Henson's work definately keeps me awake and alert to what I'm reading and has helped me to understand and deepen my faith in new ways.