Book Review: The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How You Read the Bible

The author tells the story of a blue parakeet landing amidst a flock of sparrows. The sparrows scatter, frightened by the new bird on the street. But eventually they get used to him and ignore him. Throughout the book, McKnight likens this to our relationship with God’s Word. Many passages puzzle us. but we then get used to them and ignore them. Instead, we should dive in and look for the bigger picture. We must understand how biblical concepts apply—or don’t apply—to life today.

McKnight suggests viewing the Bible as three chapters of a story—theocracy, where God heads the nation, monarchy, where kings lead, and Christocracy, Christ’s kingdom, which is not of this world. He writes: “The unity of the Bible is the King and His Kingdom Story that brings redemption. It is this Story that puts the Bible together.”

As an example of that unity, McKnight offers Acts 15, where the council at Jerusalem discussed whether or not to demand Gentiles undergo circumcision. Their meeting offers a pattern of discernment: Listen to the old, understand the present and discern how to live that old way in a new day.

The last chapters of the book take an in depth look at women of the Bible and how principles of leadership should be recognized today. McKnight also addresses race and slavery, Genesis and science issues. Appendices offer a closer look at other issues along with a discernment quiz so you can check how biased you may be.

I appreciated how this book helps you recognize that you may interpret the Bible with some inconsistencies. McKnight makes you think more deeply about what you read. Any Bible student would benefit by reading this book published by Zondervan.