Materializing the Bible: Scripture, Sensation, Place is a book-in-progress under contract with the "Bloomsbury Studies in Material Religion" series. In 20 short chapters, I explore the global and historic phenomenon of materializing biblical texts: transforming written scriptures into experiential, choreographed environments. The book outline is below:
Section I: Variations on Replication
1. 1:1
2. Miniaturizing
3. Re-Enacting
4. Imagineering
5. Ways of Remaining
Section II: The Power of Nature
6. Flora
7. Fauna
8. Ingesting the Word
9. How Stones Do Things
Section III: Choreographing Experience
10. Plastic Jesus
11. Visual Publicity I
12. Visual Publicity II
13. In the Garden
14. Miracles and Lavatories
15. Interactivity
16. In Place, In Motion
17. Four Crosses Over Waterbury
18. Rev. Ruth's Yard Poetics
19. Engulfed I
20. Engulfed II
Appendix: Project Methodology
Section I: Variations on Replication
1. 1:1
2. Miniaturizing
3. Re-Enacting
4. Imagineering
5. Ways of Remaining
Section II: The Power of Nature
6. Flora
7. Fauna
8. Ingesting the Word
9. How Stones Do Things
Section III: Choreographing Experience
10. Plastic Jesus
11. Visual Publicity I
12. Visual Publicity II
13. In the Garden
14. Miracles and Lavatories
15. Interactivity
16. In Place, In Motion
17. Four Crosses Over Waterbury
18. Rev. Ruth's Yard Poetics
19. Engulfed I
20. Engulfed II
Appendix: Project Methodology
Crossing the Red Sea, Hebrew Bible Experience, Museum of the Bible. Photo: James S. Bielo