Following Jesus – the Revolutionary Storyteller – beyond Book Bans

A Reflection for Banned Books Week, September 22-28, 2024

Now there are also many other things that Jesus did.
Were every one of them to be written,
I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
– John 21:25

It is telling that when Jesus wanted to invite his followers to explore an idea, value or teaching more deeply, especially if he was challenging a practice or belief that they held dear or were pretty sure they knew everything there was to know about it, he almost always used a story.  According to the accounts given to us by the gospel writers, storytelling was one of Jesus’ most cherished movement strategies.  Perhaps he understood the power of stories in challenging the deeply embedded logics of dominance and oppression that live in us.  Perhaps he knew that stories can move, compel and inspire us to imagine beyond empire.  Perhaps he recognized the way stories invite transformation by expanding the experiences that shape us.  From good Samaritans and prodigal sons to persistent widows and dishonest managers, Jesus told stories as sacred encounters with new ways of thinking, being and acting in the world.

I wonder if people who seek to ban books likewise understand this power of stories as movement-makers, and are deeply afraid of and unsettled by it. How tempting it can be to create a protective bubble around ourselves that keeps us comfortable and confirms all we know to be true, beautiful and good, especially for those of us who society is set up to privilege and whose stories dominate our collective imagination.  But those aren’t the kind of stories Jesus tells.  In fact, most of what we call parables in the Christian scriptures would have made Jesus’ audiences profoundly uncomfortable, so much so that some of them drove him out of town and threated to throw him off a cliff (Luke 4:28-30).

So this banned books week, I’m reflecting on what it means to be a follower of the revolutionary storyteller, Jesus.  I’m asking myself how I am called to be a disciple of this Jesus during this time of increased censorship, bans, and restrictions on who and what stories we can encounter.  As part of the Body of Christ, we could help each other cultivate our critical literacy, focusing on developing how we think, not just what we think.  We could empower each other to struggle with challenging ideas instead of avoiding them, to wrestle, like Jacob, until we receive a blessing.  We could lean into our discomfort and learn to be curious about differences, and perhaps encounter a new facet of the image of God dwelling in and among us.  We could seek out the transformation that comes from learning more truth about our histories and legacies.  How do you imagine living into our callings as a followers of the revolutionary storyteller Jesus, and joining the movement toward a more just world beyond book bans?

It is important to demonstrate a Christian voice that opposes book bans—and not only opposes bans but wholeheartedly affirms the freedom to read. Our spiritual formation, regardless of creed, is enriched by a diversity of stories. Our social wellbeing, regardless of religious stripe, benefits from the wisdom of history. How can Christians confess our sins against others if we do not learn about slavery or the Holocaust? How can Christians form mature, healthy relationships if the only books we read about sexuality are shame-based? The Pilgrim Press publishes books that nurture the whole person—affirming the body, being honest about racism and sexual violence and mental illness, and envisioning communities in which justice is abundant. – Rev. Rachel G. Hackenberg, Publisher, The Pilgrim Press