LTRP Note: The following is from The Berean Call’s August article about The Museum of the Bible located in Washington, DC.
By Rob Yardley
President of The Berean Call
…my heart standeth in awe of thy word. I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.—Psalm 119:161-162
The Museum of the Bible (hereafter MotB) in Washington, DC is located just three blocks from the US Capitol. It is an impressive six-story structure with 430,000 square feet of space, and one would hope that it would reflect the awe we feel as we consider God’s Word. The MotB has dozens of potential areas of focus, including the miraculous fulfilled prophecies in the Bible; the historical and scientific accuracy of the Bible in all of its details; why an all-powerful, perfect God has allowed widespread wickedness on earth and cruelty in nature (and God’s ultimate solution); the Lord’s unique relationship with the nation of Israel and the church; the Lord Jesus Christ, Israel’s Messiah, who came to be “…the Christ, the Saviour of the world” (John:4:42); and the Bible’s precise anticipation of the days in which we’re living, to name a few. Unfortunately, the MotB goes to great lengths to avoid these and other critical subjects.
On May 1, 2016, a year and a half prior to the opening of the Museum of the Bible, the Times of Israel wrote an article expressing concern that the MotB might be…biblical. The article quoted historian Noah Charney as saying, “The proximity of the museum to the world-class Smithsonian and the Capitol has raised eyebrows…. How will it fit in among the venerable institutions lining the Mall?”1 He need not have been concerned about those issues. The MotB seems to be modeled after the Smithsonian Institution, favoring secular/skeptical scholarship over biblical scholarship in every area addressed. Click here to continue reading.
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A northern Virginia church network hosted an event just prior to the museum’s opening in late 2017, saying “see for yourself the curriculum that is revolutionizing Bible education across the globe.” I recall much said about how it would be a great witnessing tool, with people from all across the world coming in to learn about the Bible. It was indicated IIRC that while a donation would be suggested, no one would have to pay to get in, thus helping expose the tourists from across the country and the world to the word of God. From their press release shortly before the event I attended:
https://www.museumofthebible.org/press/press-releases/dcs-newest-museum-to-offer-free-admission
“The MOTB “announced today it will not charge a fee for general admission. … Museum of the Bible will instead suggest a $15 donation, with guests under no obligation to pay anything.”
“Our mission is to invite all people to engage with the Bible,” said Museum of the Bible President Cary Summers. “We can think of no more fundamental way to give people access to the treasures and experiences inside this museum than to offer public admission coupled with the ability to reserve timed-entry tickets.”
Yet in 2019 when I accompanied an overseas pastor there, I recall the walkup price at $25. I recall asking to the person at the entrance if tickets were a suggested donation (as previously indicated) — with extra for special exhibits, and was told no.
So the option for guests being “under no obligation to pay anything” was apparently cast as corresponding to the entity’s “mission.” What changed? The mission? The desire for “all people to engage with the Bible?” Consider this from February 2017:
https://www.museumofthebible.org/press/press-releases/museum-of-the-bible-debuts-on-forbes-list-of-100-largest-nonprofits-in-the-united-states-for-2016
“Debuting on Forbes’ list of the “Top 100 Nonprofits in the U.S.”, Museum of the Bible brought in a remarkable $153 million in fiscal year ending June 30th 2015, landing the institution at #93 on the distinguished list. (Important later:) The Forbes list is distinctive in that its rankings are determined by private donations only, as opposed to government grants or revenue from the sale of good or services.”
““We are humbled to be featured on Forbes’ list of the top 100 nonprofits,” says Museum of the Bible President Cary Summers. “We’re most proud that this is a list based on private donations. Since the founding of Museum of the Bible, we have been overwhelmed by the both the number of donors, as well as their generosity. It speaks to how our institutional mission, to engage all people with the Bible, has resonated at a grassroots level with so many people across the country and the world.””
Our family visited the Smithsonian and the Museum of the Bible. There were more than a few things I took issue with in the Smithsonian.
The MotB, fell flat for us, surprisingly. We wanted to be inspired. I am not as scholarly as the guys at Berean Call, but I do have the Holy Spirit inside me and neither of us was stirred.
Thank you for this article and description of what is displayed. Was wondering about this museum. Tragic that people are being so misled by those so called learned experts. Sad to say, though I’m not surprised with so much unbelief in our world today. Praying for those being deceived by false teachers that our Lord will open their eyes and hearts to the Truth of his Word. Isaiah 55:11