How can poetry teach us to read Scripture?

Everything within creation

Speaks of Jesus’ Incarnation.

Likewise too, his saving Passion

Is shown forth in all that’s fashioned.

The Word God spoke before all ages

Can be traced in Scripture’s pages.

The Bible tells one vast narration

from Genesis to Revelation.

So begins "Figural Graffiti," a delightful instructional poem by theology professor Joe Mangina. "Figural Graffiti" is sincere and playful, and it's a little ditty on the method and gift of reading scripture figurally. We discuss today this ancient and lively method of reading Scripture, what we lose when we lose the knack of figural reading, and what freedom figural reading gives us as disciples and Christian leaders.

Dr. Joseph Mangina is professor of theology at Wycliffe College, Toronto. His scholarly interests include ecclesiology, ecumenism, sacramental theology, and theological interpretation of Scripture. For several years in the 2000s he served on the Anglican-Roman Catholic dialogue commission for Canada. Among other books, he's written two on Karl Barth, the Revelation commentary for the Brazos Theological Commentary series, and most recently, he's co-edited a book called Figural Reading and the Fleshly God: The Theology of Ephraim Radner.

Read "Figural Graffiti" on the Living Church's free online journal, Covenant.

Check out Joe's new book.

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