Tangled Up in the Bible: Bob Dylan and Scripture [Paperback]

"Bob Dylan is more than "just a song and dance man" and this analysis of his biblical moorings by Michael Gilmour offers more than just a peek at the religious affections of a cultural icon. This is a serious investigation that contributes both to the study of religion in America and to a deeper understanding of the twentieth century's most enduring populist poet. Gilmour respects the ambiguity and mystery of Dylan's art while exposing an undeniable engagement with scripture that has informed the hesitant prophet's lyrical repertoire for forty years. The connection between Dylan and the Bible is sufficiently vital that anyone intrigued by the artist's puzzling poems will benefit from Gilmour's insights."--Mark Allan Powell, Professor of New Testament at Trinity Lutheran Seminary (Mark Allan Powell )

"The songs of Bob Dylan are so Bible-soaked that it takes a Bible scholar to ferret out all of the references and allusions. Michael Gilmour does so with a stance that is both critical and affectionate, always enlightening and never preachy. Dylan fans will enjoy discovering the variety of ways in which the artist has drawn upon scripture throughout his forty-year career. And anyone interested in the integration of literature, religion, and culture will be simply fascinated by this insightful journey into the mind of America's pop-star prophet."--Mark Allan Powell, Professor of New Testament at Trinity Lutheran Seminary (Mark Allan Powell )

"Michael J. Gilmour's Tangled Up in the Bible is a wonderful examination of the biblical allusions that have found their way into Bob Dyalan's lyrics and poetry from his earliest writings through to the present day. As Gilmour so effectively illustrates, Dylan's spirituality is vast and complex, but firmly rooted in the Bible. Tangled Up in the Bible is likely to become a classic, of interest to Dylan's highly literate fans as well as scholars and theologians, in the ever-growing library of books about arguably the most prophetic lyricist of our time."--Marcia Ford, co-author with Scott Marshall of Restless Pilgrim: The Spiritual Journey ofBob Dylan. (Marcia Ford )

"In this insightful and engaging book Michael J. Gilmour brings his expertise as a Biblical scholar to explore connections between popular culture and the Bible. His lucid analysis of the influence of the Bible on the poetry and lyrics of Bob Dylan are accessible and valuable to a wide range of readers. There is no doubt that this book is an original piece of research that makes a substantial contribution to the field of pop culture and the Bible."--John I. Milton Lecturer in Biblical Studies, Faculty of Religious Studies, McGill University (John I. Milton )

"Michael J. Gilmour finds Dylan a profound interpreter of human nature; this is why Dylan often finds himself in the fertile words and themes of the Bible. From the neophyte to the ensconced, those 'understanding' Dylan will appreciate this volume's desire to be descriptive, rather than prescriptive. Dylan seems to think his audience 'gets it; and Gilmour's source studies explore the roots of our understanding." --Harold Penner, Assistant Editor, ARC: The Journal of the Faculty of Religious Studies, McGill University (Harold Penner )

"In Tangled Up in the Bible: Bob Dylan and Scripture, Michael J. Gilmour gives the most comprehensive analysis to date of Dylan's long love affair with the characters, themes and lyrical possibilities of both the Old and New Testaments. Gilmour's slim book is essentially a monograph on a subject that has long deserved academic treatment. But Gilmour's credentials extend beyond academe. A professor of New Testament at Providence college in Otterburne, Canada, he also draws upon more than 20 years as a self-professed Dylan fanatic. The author also includes a valuable 28-page index of biblical references and parallels in Dylan's work." -America, 5/3/04

Bob Dylan has had a profound influence on the shape of modern pop music (folk, rock, blues) and as a modern literary figure. He has also attracted enormous attention from both professional and amateur "interpreters". In this book Gilmour offers a thorough study of Dylan's reading of scriptures. He explores the ways in which Dylan transforms biblical images and concepts when he incorporates them into his literary world; it is an attempt to listen to the echoes of scripture in his published works. Gilmour closely reads Dylan's poems and songs and provides commentaries on several themes found in Dylan's work: the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus; apocalypse, justice and judgement; oppressive religion and religious irony. Through these readings, Gilmour calls attention to the various ways Dylan uses scripture both in an explicit and an implicit manner.