Now, I love to doodle, but I think it’s highly inappropriate to doodle all over God’s Word. And this is doodle-for-show. I get it when people like to add a visual element to learning, but this is not really a method that would help someone truly study God’s Word. So you paint an abstract scene of lilies in a field over a whole page of the Sermon on the Mount. You’ve then made a serious sermon, given by the Son of God himself, pretty. I don’t think that gets to the thrust of God’s Word there, not even if you mark it with a decorative tabby that reads “worry less” in calligraphy.

 
I’ve been a little outspoken about my apprehensiveness when it comes to niche Bibles. We have done an MoS podcast on the topic even. Many of them tend to trivialize God’s Word in my opinion, so we need to use discernment when we are looking at this market. I’ve recently encountered a new trend among women to do some “artistic” journaling in their Bibles. Take a look at this link to see what I am talking about in detail. For this new fad, women are buying particular journaling Bibles that have blank columns either on the outside or inside of the page. There’s a whole line of Bibles one can purchase now for “creative journaling.”

And before I critique this, let me just say that I’m all for art. It was actually part of my major. I even like doodling. I think there are some talented doodlers out there and that is pretty cool. I understand being inspirited to paint, draw, or sculpt after spending time in God’s Word. I am pro-art. I even understand there is a place for creative journaling. I’ve seen some impressive note-taking and reflection using this genre, even sermon notes. But what I am talking about is more like turning your Bible reading into craft time.

Women have begun Pinterest and Instagram-worthy doodlingin these Bibles. So while reading the Sermon on the Mount, you may feel inspired to paint yellow and green swatches all across the page of your Bible and stencil “consider the lilies” with your markers. Maybe you’d want to do a mini collage of flowers and birds on that page with magazine cutouts. These women read their Bibles with stamps, stickers, decorative masking tape, watercolors, acrylic paint, patterned scissors, decorative paperclips, glitter, and artist brush pens. The opportunities are endless! It’s like scrapbooking on crack!

Now, I love to doodle, but I think it’s highly inappropriate to doodle all over God’s Word. And this is doodle-for-show. I get it when people like to add a visual element to learning, but this is not really a method that would help someone truly study God’s Word. So you paint an abstract scene of lilies in a field over a whole page of the Sermon on the Mount. You’ve then made a serious sermon, given by the Son of God himself, pretty. I don’t think that gets to the thrust of God’s Word there, not even if you mark it with a decorative tabby that reads “worry less” in calligraphy. But it’s a great way to sell more specialty Bibles, along with “Christian” art supplies, and get women excited about gathering together to show off their creative godliness. It guarantees they will be posting shots of their “quiet time” on Pinterest and Instagram. It’s hard enough for women to carve out time to read their Bibles regularly. This seems to add to the supplies and expectation rather than help.< Read More