Biblical Studies in Liberal Arts
The college where I work is the only liberal arts college in Eastern Europe. As such, we have to work hard to explain ourselves to potential students and the ministry of education. Both are used to either professional schools (which is what kolegia means in Lithuanian) that prepare you for a particular job or universities that are research oriented. As a liberal arts college, neither of these are our main goals.
This year, I am the head of a task force on defining what liberal arts means in this context. In my understanding, a liberal arts education focuses on:
- broad knowledge of many fields
- the ability to reason critically
- effective communication skills
This is quite different from preparing for a particular career or research, both of which are more focused. The idea is that someone with a liberal arts education is better prepared to adapt to a multitude of situations. We produce better people, not just better workers.
Within this context, I have been reflecting on how biblical studies relates to liberal arts. What role does it play? Why study it? Obviously, in a Christian liberal arts environment, the answer is because Christianity accepts the Bible as the word of God. But I am more concerned with how the academic study of the Bible fosters the goals of a liberal arts education.
Here are my thoughts so far:
- Biblical studies introduces students to ways of thinking that are very different from their own. As they try to wrap their minds around these ideas presented in the Bible, they expand their minds into new territory.
- Biblical studies produces students with a familiarity of ancient history and cultures.
- Biblical studies sharpens students’ ability to read texts. This skill is not limited to the Bible but is transferable to other texts.
- Biblical studies encourages critical thinking as students with the meaning of the text. Because religious beliefs are often held for emotional as well as logical reasons, having these beliefs challenged by the text can (but doesn’t necessarily) lead students to the critical evaluation of their positions.
- Biblical studies fosters effective communication, as students come to terms with the text and express its meaning to others (e.g., in exegesis papers).
Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list. I would love to hear any feedback from those who have taught biblical studies in a liberal arts context for longer than I have. Apart from the Bible as Scripture and our own interest in it, why are we teaching it to students?
Next post in the series: Theological InterpretationÂ
On October 22nd, 2006 at 6:47 am
I have been working along parallel lines for a paper I will deliver at SBL http://targuman.org/blog/?p=242. I think you have hit on most of the high points; the question of my paper and the session is how do we teach biblical studies in a secular context. I would simply counter to any critic why do we teach any particular literature? Why do we teach any particular period of history and region?
I suppose that sounds a bit snarky, but the reality is (whether one likes it or not) that the Bible, its stories, morals/mores/ethic, and theology (not to mention politics) has formed the basis for most of Europe and countries we call “western” (although last time I checked a lot of countries that a “eastern” were pretty well impacted as well).
I will be thinking on this more and I hope to get back to you!
On October 23rd, 2006 at 3:27 am
[…] Lately there has been a lot of talk on the blogosphere and in traditional media about the value of liberal arts colleges. Many are of the opinion that the only path to a lucrative life path is through an ivy league school or a professional school. Kevin Wilson outlines some benefits to a liberal arts education and where biblical studies fits into this framework. […]
On October 23rd, 2006 at 2:59 pm
[…] Kevin has a great post at Blue Cord […]
On October 25th, 2006 at 6:17 pm
Kevin,
I agree with your list of the “benefits” of teaching the Bible at liberal arts colleges. I would also add that European culture, especially art, is deeply rooted in the stories and teachings of the Bible. So biblical studies open the window to appreciation and deeper understanding of European context and culture.
On November 1st, 2006 at 2:46 am
[…] It is a very interesting read, although most of the article is taken with a discussion of how we understand “general education” (he parses out three derivations: “general,” “generalist,” and “generalizing”), Smith addresses many of the questions that I and Kevin have been considering, albeit in a cursory manner. Of particular interest to Kevin’s question, I think, and less so to mine, is Smith’s assertion regarding teaching the Bible as part of general education is that [First,] …the prime object of attention is not the Bible, rather a corporate agreement as to an educational project to which the Bible may be brought as an appropriate example. Second, that the ways in which the Bible might be taught will vary, appropriately, according to the ways in which that educational enterprise is understood…. A corollary to this might be bluntly formulated: teachers of the Bible need to be as informed about research in teaching as they are in biblical research. […]
On November 1st, 2006 at 8:23 pm
[…] There have been ongoing discussions about teaching the Bible in a secular context, partly due to the new session at SBL in which I am contributing a paper, but in the biblioblogsphere more due to Kevin Wilson’s discussions on bluecord. (Kevin has a whole series of posts, so be sure to follow them all.) […]
On November 6th, 2006 at 6:45 pm
[…] This article in many ways addresses specifically the questions to be addressed in our SBL sessions, but from the perspective of a different discipline. It also addresses many of the questions brought up in the discussions on the various blogs, see especially Blue Cord. Christian identifies herself as, “a practicing evangelical Christian” and she reports that she discloses this to her students saying “I believe the BIble is God’s word, and I read it every day to hear what He’s saying to me. But that’s not what we’ll be talking about in this class” (p. 87). […]