
The Bible as Literature
Three Views of Abraham and Isaac: Sarah, Philosophy, and Poetry
The story of Abraham’s near-sacrifice of his son Isaac is one of the most well-known in the Bible. In this interactive online discussion class, we will look at the binding of Isaac, or the Akedah, through three very different lenses. First we will focus on Sarah, using both ancient and modern Jewish commentary. What did she know about her husband almost killing their son, when did she know it, and how did this incident affect her? Next we will delve into the Christian philosopher Soren Kierkegaard’s "Fear and Trembling," his book devoted exclusively to this story. Finally, we will explore the ways modern poets have used the imagery of this story in their work. Advance reading is not required; all source materials will be provided.
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Difficult Stories of Women in the Bible
It is sometimes difficult for modern people to read texts from ancient patriarchal societies and see how women were treated back then. In this interactive online discussion class we will delve into some challenging stories found in the Bible. Women studied will include Hagar, Lot’s wife and daughters, Sarah, Dinah and Esther. Each week we will also look at one or two paintings of these fascinating women.
Paintings and Other Creative Approaches to Joseph and His Brothers
In this interactive online discussion class we will delve deeply into this fascinating story, exploring themes of sibling rivalry, the potential for individuals to grow into better people, the importance of forgiveness, and the concept of free will. Some of our discussions will use the techniques of bibliodrama, midrash, and looking at paintings of Biblical scenes. All of these approaches start with carefully reading the text, noting any questions that arise from the text, and using creativity and imagination to answer those questions.
Children's Bible Stories for Adults
Many people only learn the stories of Noah’s Ark and Jonah and the whale as children, and don’t realize how complex and interesting they are. These two stories raise important questions about righteousness, and about whether there are things which can never be forgiven. In this interactive discussion class we will look at midrash to deepen our connection to the text; a midrash is a story about a story in the Bible, written to answer a question or fill in a gap that arises from the text itself. People have been writing midrash for thousands of years, and we will read both ancient and modern midrash. We might even create some of our own!
Women of the Bible: The Midwives, Pharaoh's Daughter, Abigail, Bathsheba and Esther
This interactive online discussion class will start with study of the heroic women who appear at the beginning of the Book of Exodus, and will then move to later books of the Bible. We will study Abigail, who single-handedly prevented a massacre. We will ask whether Bathsheba was David’s victim, or his partner in crime. And we will examine ways that the story of Queen Esther both empowers and degrades women. Some of our discussions will use the techniques of bibliodrama, midrash, and looking at paintings of Biblical scenes. All of these approaches start with carefully reading the text, noting any questions that arise from the text, and using creativity and imagination to answer those questions.
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