Leif Vaage's subtitle reads, "Revolutionary Reading of the Christian Bible". It seems that Vaage is implying that the Bible presses a militant agenda to free the oppressed. It may have been Lief Vaage's intent to edit a book that would be militant, radical and subversive. He states that "the following essays are offered as a `revolutionary' alternative," but only a few of his authors (Carlos Dreher, Jose Cardena Pallares and Carlos Bravo Gallardo) remain true to the title. Divided into three sections the first set of authors deal with the problem of debt (specifically foreign debt) and by extension, the implication that money itself is to be seen as a source of social ill. The next group of scholars addresses the problem of sacrifice and the unacceptable social costs of a sacrificial theology. The final chapters discusses the spirituality of resistance.

In Latin America the Bible has always been a source of partisan debate about the legitimacy of prevailing power. The Bible has been and continues to be the one refuge that the poor and repressed can go to for both encouragement and direction. Scripture, through the interpretation of bold "subversive" theologians, can promote hope for justice, can stimulate faith to stand against tyranny and can ultimately kindle the flames of revolution and subversive action. The power of the rhetoric of the Bible can ultimately "overthrow or destroy established institutions and governments."

When all is written, it boils down to power - who has it and who doesn't. Power and who controls this power is the structural cause of injustice, poverty and oppression. In the life of the powerless and impoverished each day is a struggle to survive. Dignity as a human being is no more than an animal, and justice is only a word written on the frieze of government buildings.

This is a compilation of essays that reflect reformed liberation theology. O mi Dio, liberation theology has been reformed and co-oped, changed from its radical, revolutionary aspects to an "upright, more dignified, more palatable" theology. In today's world where prophetic proclamation promoting protest and action are desperately needed, yet we have generic, limpid preaching. Today's society is drifting without direction or coherence, listening to the wisdom of the gods and gurus of consumptive consumerism, desperately in need of "revolutionary readings (and preaching) of the Christian Bible." Subversive Scriptures is not subversive; nor is it radical or even militant. Rather, Subversive Scriptures are ten treatises of academic biblical scholarship that takes a divergent view from orthodox hermeneutics. Subversive Scripture is refreshing and provocative, sometimes . . . Subversive, No.

The above scripture highlights opposition between the existential and the intellectual. The sayings of the wise are a goad: the goad enters the hide of the ox and makes it advance; thus the word of the wise makes us advance. Subversive Scriptures by Leif E. Vaage attempts to be a goad. Vaage has assembled ten studies of prevailing cultural practices as seen through the eyes of ten learned Latin American interpreters of the Christian Bible. Each of these scholars attempts to goad the reader to re-interpret scripture and to rethinking old textual paradigms.

Leif Vaage's subtitle reads, "Revolutionary Reading of the Christian Bible". It seems that Vaage is implying that the Bible presses a militant agenda to free the oppressed. It may have been Lief Vaage's intent to edit a book that would be militant, radical and subversive. He states that "the following essays are offered as a `revolutionary' alternative," but only a few of his authors (Carlos Dreher, Jose Cardena Pallares and Carlos Bravo Gallardo) remain true to the title. Divided into three sections the first set of authors deal with the problem of debt (specifically foreign debt) and by extension, the implication that money itself is to be seen as a source of social ill. The next group of scholars addresses the problem of sacrifice and the unacceptable social costs of a sacrificial theology. The final chapters discusses the spirituality of resistance.

In Latin America the Bible has always been a source of partisan debate about the legitimacy of prevailing power. The Bible has been and continues to be the one refuge that the poor and repressed can go to for both encouragement and direction. Scripture, through the interpretation of bold "subversive" theologians, can promote hope for justice, can stimulate faith to stand against tyranny and can ultimately kindle the flames of revolution and subversive action. The power of the rhetoric of the Bible can ultimately "overthrow or destroy established institutions and governments."

When all is written, it boils down to power - who has it and who doesn't. Power and who controls this power is the structural cause of injustice, poverty and oppression. In the life of the powerless and impoverished each day is a struggle to survive. Dignity as a human being is no more than an animal, and justice is only a word written on the frieze of government buildings.

This is a compilation of essays that reflect reformed liberation theology. O mi Dio, liberation theology has been reformed and co-oped, changed from its radical, revolutionary aspects to an "upright, more dignified, more palatable" theology. In today's world where prophetic proclamation promoting protest and action are desperately needed, yet we have generic, limpid preaching. Today's society is drifting without direction or coherence, listening to the wisdom of the gods and gurus of consumptive consumerism, desperately in need of "revolutionary readings (and preaching) of the Christian Bible." Subversive Scriptures is not subversive; nor is it radical or even militant. Rather, Subversive Scriptures are ten treatises of academic biblical scholarship that takes a divergent view from orthodox hermeneutics. Subversive Scripture is refreshing and sometimes provocative, . . . Subversive, No.