Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Advent Calendar
AgencyOrange has a great ongoing project - My 11 year old son's advent calendar. An advent calendar is a tradition going back to the mid nineteenth century - you count down the days to Christmas by opening windows on a calendar to reveal pictures, often related to the Christmas story, or to receive a small gift. I'm not sure if this calendar was built by the son, or built as a gift for the son to open each day. In either case, here is the angel Gabriel coming for the Annunciation.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Annuntiatio nativitatis Christi
And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. - Luke 1:30-33
Max Pointner built the Annunciation.
Please note - on my other blogs I'm running a series of book reviews, but here on GodBricks I want to focus on the Advent season leading up to Christmas.
Max Pointner built the Annunciation.
Please note - on my other blogs I'm running a series of book reviews, but here on GodBricks I want to focus on the Advent season leading up to Christmas.
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Advent
Today is the third Sunday of Advent. This is the period approximately four weeks long leading up to Christmas day. The name comes from the Latin adventus, which means 'coming', as in the coming of the Christ child. Churches traditionally light a series of four candles (or fork 'andles here by Jim Walshe), one each Sunday, often set in an evergreen wreath. A fifth candle, the 'Christ candle' is lit and set in the center on Christmas day to celebrate Christ's birth.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Happy Hanukkah
Let's round out the Festival of Lights with this house by Tatertots. In addition to the Menorah display out front, when you look inside they're playing the dreidel game.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Interview with Joanna Brichetto of Bible Belt Balabusta
As a little Hanukkah gift, I'm happy to bring to you another interview with someone who has been featured here on GodBricks several times in the past. Joanna Brichetto's blog, Bible Belt Balabusta presents "hands-on, Jewy projects with kids, for parents and teachers." She presents creative ways to use toys, including of course LEGO, in teaching kids about their religious heritage. BTW, on her blog she defines 'balabusta' as "Yiddish for female boss of the home, a praiseworthy Jewish homemaker."
GB: Joanna, thanks for joining us. Let's start out by learning a little bit about you. Could you tell us a little about your personal religious journey. Were you raised in a religious home? Is this something that became more important to you later in life, e.g. after having kids of your own? How has living in the Bible Belt affected you?
JB: I was raised Protestant and didn't knowingly meet a Jewish person until after college. I met Mr. Right—Jewish Person #2 —studied Judaism and became Jewish shortly before our marriage. So, I know what's it's like to be an absolute beginner. And I know that doing, making, creating can go a long way in forming a Jewish identity, whatever that phrase may happen to mean. The Bible Belt: well, I've always lived here, which is the reason for the bizarre delay in my meeting anyone Jewish at all. Now, I am often the one Jewish person that other people meet, which means I end up representing an entire People, which is absurd. In the early days, before the Internet, I had to make my own resources because there were few available locally. Everything was DIY, including the raising of children.
GB: Okay, could you also tell us about your background with LEGO? Did you build with bricks as a kid? Or did this start with you becoming a mom?
JB: I got two big LEGO sets when I was about 7, and I loved them. Back then, they were marketed to children, not necessarily to a specific gender, and the packaging reflects this beautiful egalitarianism. After a few years, they got stowed in the attic. Twenty years later, when I had my daughter, they were ready for round #2. My children and I add to the collection thanks to yard sales, hand-me-downs and generous grandmothers.
GB: What's the basic philosphy behind your blog? Why do you use LEGO (and Playmobil, and pez dispensers, and swim toys, etc) to teach your kids about their heritage?
JB: To show how easy and fun it can be to use everyday stuff—as long as the materials are irresistible—to explore and enrich what it means to be Jewish. My big goal is to support spending time with children making, doing, being together in a meaningful, enjoyable way.
GB: How did this idea start? What was your first inspiration?
JB: By using what materials and objects I had on hand. There were no local sources for Jewish toys. We had to convert or make our own accompaniments to holidays. I probably started by recreating objects with food: edible crafts, like an edible dreidel.
GB: How do your kids respond? Do they like it? Or do they sometimes say 'aw, Mom, we're just trying to play here, don't make us learn things'?
JB: So far, so good. Playing is learning, and vice versa. We don't sit down to "learn," we just play, build, cook, create. And, stories are stories. Random action figures become Odysseus and Telemachus in the bathtub, for example (with LEGO Scylla and Charibdis). We don't necessarily play Jewish stories unless we are approaching a holiday.
GB: What sort of feedback have you gotten from other parents and teachers?
JB: A few people "get" it, and these are the ones I try to think about when I post. I love these people. They understand that a good toolbox contains many, many tools.
GB: What is your favorite LEGO project that you've done?
JB: The lopsided, mishmash of a Temple that became the setting for the Hanukkah story. My preschooler helped build it, and then helped demonstrate the story for his class. We rigged a battery menorah and brought in a stuffed pig and tiny jug of olive oil. It was hideous and it was perfect.
GB: What is one thing you'd really like to build with LEGO?
JB: Gosh. I can't pick one. But I'm intrigued by Technic. I bought the new book, The UnOfficial LEGO Technic Builder's Guide by Pawel Kmiec, and most of it is way over my head at the moment.
GB: Do you have a favorite LEGO creation by someone else that highlights Jewish themes?
JB: I appreciate them all. The Jewish-themed posts you find for GodBricks blow me away, whether or not they are considered "Jewish" by their own makers. The Brick Bible is, of course, spectacular and complex. Val Glaser's cake toppers for bar and bat mitzvahs are great. The group Jewish LEGO projects by Building Blocks Workshops sound promising, education-wise. But, my favorites will always be creations by children.
GB: Do you have any suggestions for parents from all faith traditions on how to use play creatively to teach our kids?
JB: Start with the stories. Interpret your own stories with LEGO or edible components or whatever materials you absolutely love to handle. If you are having fun, chances are, so is your kid.
GB: Thanks so much for answering my questions! I look forward to seeing your next LEGO inspiration.
GB: Joanna, thanks for joining us. Let's start out by learning a little bit about you. Could you tell us a little about your personal religious journey. Were you raised in a religious home? Is this something that became more important to you later in life, e.g. after having kids of your own? How has living in the Bible Belt affected you?
JB: I was raised Protestant and didn't knowingly meet a Jewish person until after college. I met Mr. Right—Jewish Person #2 —studied Judaism and became Jewish shortly before our marriage. So, I know what's it's like to be an absolute beginner. And I know that doing, making, creating can go a long way in forming a Jewish identity, whatever that phrase may happen to mean. The Bible Belt: well, I've always lived here, which is the reason for the bizarre delay in my meeting anyone Jewish at all. Now, I am often the one Jewish person that other people meet, which means I end up representing an entire People, which is absurd. In the early days, before the Internet, I had to make my own resources because there were few available locally. Everything was DIY, including the raising of children.
GB: Okay, could you also tell us about your background with LEGO? Did you build with bricks as a kid? Or did this start with you becoming a mom?
JB: I got two big LEGO sets when I was about 7, and I loved them. Back then, they were marketed to children, not necessarily to a specific gender, and the packaging reflects this beautiful egalitarianism. After a few years, they got stowed in the attic. Twenty years later, when I had my daughter, they were ready for round #2. My children and I add to the collection thanks to yard sales, hand-me-downs and generous grandmothers.
GB: What's the basic philosphy behind your blog? Why do you use LEGO (and Playmobil, and pez dispensers, and swim toys, etc) to teach your kids about their heritage?
JB: To show how easy and fun it can be to use everyday stuff—as long as the materials are irresistible—to explore and enrich what it means to be Jewish. My big goal is to support spending time with children making, doing, being together in a meaningful, enjoyable way.
GB: How did this idea start? What was your first inspiration?
JB: By using what materials and objects I had on hand. There were no local sources for Jewish toys. We had to convert or make our own accompaniments to holidays. I probably started by recreating objects with food: edible crafts, like an edible dreidel.
GB: How do your kids respond? Do they like it? Or do they sometimes say 'aw, Mom, we're just trying to play here, don't make us learn things'?
JB: So far, so good. Playing is learning, and vice versa. We don't sit down to "learn," we just play, build, cook, create. And, stories are stories. Random action figures become Odysseus and Telemachus in the bathtub, for example (with LEGO Scylla and Charibdis). We don't necessarily play Jewish stories unless we are approaching a holiday.
GB: What sort of feedback have you gotten from other parents and teachers?
JB: A few people "get" it, and these are the ones I try to think about when I post. I love these people. They understand that a good toolbox contains many, many tools.
GB: What is your favorite LEGO project that you've done?
JB: The lopsided, mishmash of a Temple that became the setting for the Hanukkah story. My preschooler helped build it, and then helped demonstrate the story for his class. We rigged a battery menorah and brought in a stuffed pig and tiny jug of olive oil. It was hideous and it was perfect.
GB: What is one thing you'd really like to build with LEGO?
JB: Gosh. I can't pick one. But I'm intrigued by Technic. I bought the new book, The UnOfficial LEGO Technic Builder's Guide by Pawel Kmiec, and most of it is way over my head at the moment.
GB: Do you have a favorite LEGO creation by someone else that highlights Jewish themes?
JB: I appreciate them all. The Jewish-themed posts you find for GodBricks blow me away, whether or not they are considered "Jewish" by their own makers. The Brick Bible is, of course, spectacular and complex. Val Glaser's cake toppers for bar and bat mitzvahs are great. The group Jewish LEGO projects by Building Blocks Workshops sound promising, education-wise. But, my favorites will always be creations by children.
GB: Do you have any suggestions for parents from all faith traditions on how to use play creatively to teach our kids?
JB: Start with the stories. Interpret your own stories with LEGO or edible components or whatever materials you absolutely love to handle. If you are having fun, chances are, so is your kid.
GB: Thanks so much for answering my questions! I look forward to seeing your next LEGO inspiration.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Joanna's dreidels
A couple of weeks ago I noted Joanna Brichetto's search for the perfect LEGO dreidel. She came to a final decision, which she then used as part of a Hanukkah carnival at her synagogue. Kids were able to build their own LEGO dreidel and take it home with them.
If you want to build your own, either for yourself or for an event for kids in your area, she's made up a set of instructions and rules for the dreidel game that you can print up and use.
She was even kind enough to send me my very own Joanna Brichetto original LEGO dreidel, which is sitting proudly on my desk as I write this. I'm happy to report that it spins really well, also. Thanks, Joanna!
If you want to build your own, either for yourself or for an event for kids in your area, she's made up a set of instructions and rules for the dreidel game that you can print up and use.
She was even kind enough to send me my very own Joanna Brichetto original LEGO dreidel, which is sitting proudly on my desk as I write this. I'm happy to report that it spins really well, also. Thanks, Joanna!
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Dreidel
Another Hanukkah tradition is the dreidel game. The dreidel is a small top with four sides (made out of clay, as the song goes). The sides of the dreidel are labeled with the Hebrew letters נ ג ה ש, which are an acronym for the phrase 'A great miracle happened there' - referring to the miraculous burning lamp when the Temple was rededicated. The game associated with the top involves each player having some small playing pieces - pennies, buttons, M&M's, etc. You spin the top, and whichever side it lands on leads you to either add or remove pieces from the central pot.
Luke Chapman made this wonderful Dreidel, that actually incorporates the script in LEGO form.
This version is made of Mebablox, but since they built in the script I had to include it.
Another from Jack S.
Januson made this with the text in english to facilitate game play.
SaraMitts365's LEGO self is playing the dreidel game along with a dragon(?).
As are some of Santa's elves*
*This was a detail in a wonderful Advent calendar window display at 'Out of This World' a shop in Mendocino. For the first night of Hanukkah, they had this little scene. Who knew Santa's elves were Jewish? :) Probably of no relevance to anyone but me and my wife, Mendocino is where we got married - it's a beautiful place a little ways north of San Francisco. If you've seen Murder She Wrote, the town where Jessica Fletcher lives in Maine was actually filmed there. Looking at that shop, I'm quite certain we bought some gifts there. Unfortunately this wonderful LEGO display wasn't up at the time.
Luke Chapman made this wonderful Dreidel, that actually incorporates the script in LEGO form.
This version is made of Mebablox, but since they built in the script I had to include it.
Another from Jack S.
Januson made this with the text in english to facilitate game play.
SaraMitts365's LEGO self is playing the dreidel game along with a dragon(?).
As are some of Santa's elves*
*This was a detail in a wonderful Advent calendar window display at 'Out of This World' a shop in Mendocino. For the first night of Hanukkah, they had this little scene. Who knew Santa's elves were Jewish? :) Probably of no relevance to anyone but me and my wife, Mendocino is where we got married - it's a beautiful place a little ways north of San Francisco. If you've seen Murder She Wrote, the town where Jessica Fletcher lives in Maine was actually filmed there. Looking at that shop, I'm quite certain we bought some gifts there. Unfortunately this wonderful LEGO display wasn't up at the time.
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Bigger Menorahs
Large public Menorahs are common displays during Hanukkah. In recent years it has become fairly common to see news stories about these being built out of LEGO (or DUPLO) - often as an interactive activity to involve kids. Here are just a few from recent years.
Here are some kids in Naples, Florida, helping build what would become a 12-foot DUPLO Menorah.
A couple of years ago, kids were hard at work in Ann Arbor Michigan.
And here was the result.
Kids at the Golda Och Academy in West Orange New Jersey built this one that's a great riot of color. I'm pretty sure that project involved Stephen Schwartz of Building Blocks Workshops, who I've featured here before.
.
A couple of years ago, kids were hard at work in Ann Arbor Michigan.
And here was the result.
Kids at the Golda Och Academy in West Orange New Jersey built this one that's a great riot of color. I'm pretty sure that project involved Stephen Schwartz of Building Blocks Workshops, who I've featured here before.
.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Oil lamps
Just a quick note - that original Temple Menorah used oil lamps, not candles. Here are some quick LEGO oil lamps:
LegoMyMomma.
BrianHNielsen.
Official LEGO.
LegoMyMomma.
BrianHNielsen.
Official LEGO.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Menorah
The Menorah goes back to the Exodus, when God instructed Moses to make a golden lampstand with seven lamps for use in the Tabernacle - the portable tent sanctuary the Israelites carried in the wilderness. The Menorah was then used in the Temple once it was established in Jerusalem. This was the lamp that burned miraculously for eight nights when the Temple was rededicated. In modern usage the Menorah has nine candles. This is in part because the seven-lamp Menorah was reserved by the rabbis for Temple use (impossible since its destruction by the Romans), and also because there are eight candles for the eight nights of Hanukkah, plus one more, the 'servant candle' used to light the others. During the festival of Hanukkah, each night an additional candle is lit as the blessings are recited, so that by the end of the holiday the whole Menorah is lit.
There are just way too many LEGO Menorah's out there for me to do a comprehensive listing, so I'll just show a few. One of my favorites is by Eli and his mom. I really love how serious he looks in that picture as he's 'lighting' his Menorah.
Dave Kaleta built this one as a gift for a friend's son. More on the Hebrew script in my next post. That one also has a slide-out drawer to keep the candles, and the other side has 'Hannukah' spelled out in LEGO.
These don't have to be so elaborate. This one by DrMom is really fun. I like how the yellow bricks are for the lit candles.
This blog post highlights a number of Menorahs, ranging from very simple to elaborate sculptures.
There are just way too many LEGO Menorah's out there for me to do a comprehensive listing, so I'll just show a few. One of my favorites is by Eli and his mom. I really love how serious he looks in that picture as he's 'lighting' his Menorah.
Dave Kaleta built this one as a gift for a friend's son. More on the Hebrew script in my next post. That one also has a slide-out drawer to keep the candles, and the other side has 'Hannukah' spelled out in LEGO.
These don't have to be so elaborate. This one by DrMom is really fun. I like how the yellow bricks are for the lit candles.
This blog post highlights a number of Menorahs, ranging from very simple to elaborate sculptures.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Happy Hanukkah
This evening is the first night of the Festival of Lights. I'd like to wish all of my Jewish readers a very happy Hanukkah. For other readers, perhaps a brief description is in order. Solomon built the first Temple in Jerusalem, but this was destroyed by Babylonian invaders, who also took a great number of the Israelites into captivity. As described in the biblical book of Ezra, 70 years later Jews returned from exile and rebuilt it as the Second Temple. About three and a half centuries later, Jerusalem was once again under foreign domination, and the Seleucid Empire (a division of the larger Greek empire conquered by Alexander the Great) forbade Jewish religious practices. Judas Maccabee led an army of Jewish resistance. They regained control of Jerusalem and set out to reestablish worship in the Temple. When they went to light the menorah, the oil-burning lamp, they only had enough sacred oil for one day. But miraculously the lamp kept burning for eight days, until they could produce more oil for use in the temple. The holiday of Hanukkah (which is spelled in a variety of different ways in English, btw, due to the lack of a direct transliteration from the Hebrew) celebrates the rededication of the Temple, with the eight nights of candles remembering those eight nights of the burning lamp. For some LEGO celebration, let's see some versions of the Temple (though I believe these are all supposed to depict the original, but grant me some artistic license):
Thomas tbone tbl spent over a year on his version of the Temple.
This version is from Brendan Powell Smith's Brick Testament.
Here's a Temple by Kooberz.
This Temple was a collaborative build by kids at the Harvest Bible Chapel Vacation Bible School a couple of years ago.
Jstrouse made this microscale version of ancient Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount.
Thomas tbone tbl spent over a year on his version of the Temple.
This version is from Brendan Powell Smith's Brick Testament.
Here's a Temple by Kooberz.
This Temple was a collaborative build by kids at the Harvest Bible Chapel Vacation Bible School a couple of years ago.
Jstrouse made this microscale version of ancient Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount.
Friday, December 7, 2012
Sword of the Spirit
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:13-17
Matthew Oh built the Sword of the Spirit.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Bangsangsi Tal
Painted masks, or tal, have had a place in Korean culture going back to prehistoric times. These play roles both in dramas and in religious settings. Some were revered in Shamanistic (Muistic) shrines. These masks often have traditional identities and features. One such is Bangsangsi (here by Amida). This character is an exorcist, with four golden eyes to see evil. The dancer with this mask traditionally leads funeral processions and also the Narye, a New Year's Eve ritual, to drive away any evil spirits.
Monday, November 26, 2012
Search for the perfect dreidel
Joanna at Bible Belt Balabusta is looking for the perfect LEGO dreidel.
She's tried a lot of designs, but finds that this one works best.
She's tried a lot of designs, but finds that this one works best.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Pop-up Tōdai-ji
You may recall the amazing pop-up Kinkaku-ji I posted a couple of year. Well, the builder Talpaz has done it again, with a Pop-up Tōdai-ji. The temple complex has existed in Nara, Japan since the eighth century, housing the world's largest bronze Buddha, or Daibutsu. The current Great Buddha Hall was rebuilt in 1709 after the earlier structure was damaged by fire.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Colossal Castle Contest X
I know this doesn't specifically fit the topic of any of my various blogs, but I'm also one of the admins at Classic-Castle. I and the other admins at Classic-Castle would like to invite all members of the larger LEGO community to participate in our signature annual event, the Colossal Castle Contest. Our tenth CCC challenges builders with 14 categories ranging from the size of a custom minifig to a full castle covering multiple baseplates, so there's room for everyone to play. Please see the contest page and forum discussion for details.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Book review: The Brick Bible: The New Testament
Note - I'm posting this book review across all of my blogs. I will add some blog-specific material at the end of the review where appropriate.
I was very happy to get my copy of Brendan Powell Smith's latest work The Brick Bible: The New Testament, published by Skyhorse Publishing. Those in the online LEGO community are probably already aware of Brendan's 11 year old ongoing project, the Brick Testament, in both its online and print incarnations. To you, all I really need to say is that this is a beautifully produced paperback version including many of his New Testament stories, presented in a graphic novel style. Several of the stories have been re-built and re-photographed to update the stories reflecting newer LEGO figures, elements and colors, as well as Brendan's evolving building skills over a decade of work. There is also a Kindle version, but IMO if you're going to look at this on a screen, you're just going to go straight to his website. The huge benefit of this is that you can actually hold it in your hands and flip through the pages.
For others, I suppose some further explanation is warranted. Back in the fall of 2001 Brendan showed off his initial work to the LEGO community:
As he described it in that post, his Brick Testament is a LEGO illustration of the Bible. He immediately got a lot of feedback from the community, and as he added content to his site, he also got noticed by the mainstream press with newspaper and magazine stories, appearances on radio and television, and countless blog posts, tweets, forum discussions and the like (and one notable two part interview ;) ). Over the years, his work has led to at least seven print versions.
Brendan's work has not gone free of controversy. He is not personally a religious man, and one of his stated goals is to get people to reexamine the Bible, not just their vaguely-remembered Sunday School story version. He just takes the raw text and illustrates it in a pretty literal way. I won't do this here, but elsewhere (on Lugnet and on my GodBricks blog) I've taken issues with some of his interpretive choices. Brendan has always been gracious to discuss these differences, and I've enjoyed conversations with him over the years. Also, as he noted even in his first posting back in 2001, the Bible is full of violence and sex, and he has never shied away from illustrating this in LEGO form in the online version of his work. A year ago there was a little tempest in a tea pot when Sam's Club removed his books from their shelves due to complaints over that. I have elsewhere mocked that decision, but I do want to note here for anyone considering purchasing the Brick Bible for their kids, there are no plastic toy figures placed near each other in such a way as to suggest sexual situations in the print version (plastic toy violence is another thing altogether). So, if you are highly offended by plastic toy figures placed near each other in such a way as to suggest sexual situations (PTFPNEOISAWATSSS for short), have no fear. You can buy this book in peace. Now, if you are more concerned that his interpretation of certain Bible passages doesn't match yours, well, I may share your view, but that would also mean that you have to also keep a close eye on every other Biblical interpretation in popular media from Charlton Heston parting the Red Sea on to animated vegetables singing silly songs. The key is just to be an intelligent reader, and, if you are buying this for your kids, read along with them and discuss the stories.
Now, I should spend a few minutes on this book, specifically. In large part it covers the same ground that you can find on his website, though with a different format (i.e. the website has single photos with text underneath, while this book version is laid out like a graphic novel, as you can see above). Several of the stories have been re-built and re-photographed (though not all - for example at one point the Magi are riding brick-built camels and at another Jesus tells how it is easier for a molded camel to go through the eye of the needle, so presumably the Magi photo is from before LEGO first produced the camel element in 2010). One striking difference is the lack of speech bubbles.
In the web version, Brendan uses black text in speech bubbles to indicate direct quotes from the Bible, but he sometimes has the characters make humorous asides, indicated by gray text. I kind of miss the speech bubbles and the side jokes, but I think I understand why Brendan did not include those in this. The other discrepancy between the print and web versions is simply in the choice of which material to include. Over half of the book is devoted to stories from the life of Jesus, which seems appropriate, but it seems that a third of the pages devoted to the book of Revelations seems out of scale. What's left on the cutting room floor is Brendan's treatment of the epistles of Paul, which are some of my favorite of his work.
That said, I highly recommend you get this book. Both religious and non-religious readers will enjoy the presentation. LEGO builders will particularly enjoy and appreciate seeing how Brendan translated different scenes into brick form.
GodBricks-specific content - The whole thing. I won't go into further discussion in this post, but I have often discussed Brendan's work on this blog.
I was very happy to get my copy of Brendan Powell Smith's latest work The Brick Bible: The New Testament, published by Skyhorse Publishing. Those in the online LEGO community are probably already aware of Brendan's 11 year old ongoing project, the Brick Testament, in both its online and print incarnations. To you, all I really need to say is that this is a beautifully produced paperback version including many of his New Testament stories, presented in a graphic novel style. Several of the stories have been re-built and re-photographed to update the stories reflecting newer LEGO figures, elements and colors, as well as Brendan's evolving building skills over a decade of work. There is also a Kindle version, but IMO if you're going to look at this on a screen, you're just going to go straight to his website. The huge benefit of this is that you can actually hold it in your hands and flip through the pages.
For others, I suppose some further explanation is warranted. Back in the fall of 2001 Brendan showed off his initial work to the LEGO community:
Hello, all.
I have embarked on a mammoth new project: interpreting the Bible in LEGO. I have plans for both Old and New Testament stories, but decided to start from the very beginning. I present to you the first fruits of my labor, six stories from the book of Genesis.
Enjoy, -The Rev. Brendan Powell Smith
As he described it in that post, his Brick Testament is a LEGO illustration of the Bible. He immediately got a lot of feedback from the community, and as he added content to his site, he also got noticed by the mainstream press with newspaper and magazine stories, appearances on radio and television, and countless blog posts, tweets, forum discussions and the like (and one notable two part interview ;) ). Over the years, his work has led to at least seven print versions.
Brendan's work has not gone free of controversy. He is not personally a religious man, and one of his stated goals is to get people to reexamine the Bible, not just their vaguely-remembered Sunday School story version. He just takes the raw text and illustrates it in a pretty literal way. I won't do this here, but elsewhere (on Lugnet and on my GodBricks blog) I've taken issues with some of his interpretive choices. Brendan has always been gracious to discuss these differences, and I've enjoyed conversations with him over the years. Also, as he noted even in his first posting back in 2001, the Bible is full of violence and sex, and he has never shied away from illustrating this in LEGO form in the online version of his work. A year ago there was a little tempest in a tea pot when Sam's Club removed his books from their shelves due to complaints over that. I have elsewhere mocked that decision, but I do want to note here for anyone considering purchasing the Brick Bible for their kids, there are no plastic toy figures placed near each other in such a way as to suggest sexual situations in the print version (plastic toy violence is another thing altogether). So, if you are highly offended by plastic toy figures placed near each other in such a way as to suggest sexual situations (PTFPNEOISAWATSSS for short), have no fear. You can buy this book in peace. Now, if you are more concerned that his interpretation of certain Bible passages doesn't match yours, well, I may share your view, but that would also mean that you have to also keep a close eye on every other Biblical interpretation in popular media from Charlton Heston parting the Red Sea on to animated vegetables singing silly songs. The key is just to be an intelligent reader, and, if you are buying this for your kids, read along with them and discuss the stories.
Now, I should spend a few minutes on this book, specifically. In large part it covers the same ground that you can find on his website, though with a different format (i.e. the website has single photos with text underneath, while this book version is laid out like a graphic novel, as you can see above). Several of the stories have been re-built and re-photographed (though not all - for example at one point the Magi are riding brick-built camels and at another Jesus tells how it is easier for a molded camel to go through the eye of the needle, so presumably the Magi photo is from before LEGO first produced the camel element in 2010). One striking difference is the lack of speech bubbles.
In the web version, Brendan uses black text in speech bubbles to indicate direct quotes from the Bible, but he sometimes has the characters make humorous asides, indicated by gray text. I kind of miss the speech bubbles and the side jokes, but I think I understand why Brendan did not include those in this. The other discrepancy between the print and web versions is simply in the choice of which material to include. Over half of the book is devoted to stories from the life of Jesus, which seems appropriate, but it seems that a third of the pages devoted to the book of Revelations seems out of scale. What's left on the cutting room floor is Brendan's treatment of the epistles of Paul, which are some of my favorite of his work.
That said, I highly recommend you get this book. Both religious and non-religious readers will enjoy the presentation. LEGO builders will particularly enjoy and appreciate seeing how Brendan translated different scenes into brick form.
GodBricks-specific content - The whole thing. I won't go into further discussion in this post, but I have often discussed Brendan's work on this blog.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Monday, November 5, 2012
Piazza del Duomo
Pisa's Cathedral Square (here by Parda Technic) is best known for the famous 'Leaning Tower', but some may not realize that the tower itself is the Campanile, or bell tower, accompanying the Duomo of Santa Maria Assunta.
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