Blue Cord

I received a note from the SBL and Logos asking that I post a reminder about the upcoming technology paper awards.  The deadline for paper submission is May 1, 2007.  The announcement describes the awards as follows:

Logos Bible Software and the Society of Biblical Literature announce two sets of awards for papers that creatively use technology in exploring questions of grammar and syntax in biblical studies: one focusing on the Hebrew Bible, the other on the Greek New Testament. The contests are open to all those engaged in the study of those disciplines, and prizes will be awarded in both areas for student and faculty/professional categories. A total of twelve awards will be given.

For further information on the awards,  please see the full announcement.

You better be Arma-gettin’ your homework done!

I saw a trailer for a new movie last night. The movie, called The Reaping, centers around ten plagues that descend on a town in Louisiana. The movie’s web site describes the story as follows:

Hilary Swank plays a former Christian missionary who lost her faith after her family was tragically killed, and has since become a world renowned expert in disproving religious phenomena. But when she investigates a small Louisiana town that is suffering from what appear to be the Biblical plagues, she realizes that science cannot explain what is happening and she must regain her faith to combat the dark forces threatening the community.

It is interesting that the web site seems to focus on the plagues of Exodus while the trailer I saw revolved around the book of Revelation (which it cited as Revelations).

One thing that strikes me about the description above is the fact that it says she must regain her faith to combat the dark forces. I am willing to wager a large sum of money that this doesn’t mean she must regain her faith in God (and certainly not a faith in Christ). Instead, it probably means she must come to believe that spiritual forces exist, which is not a particularly good definition of faith.

Given the biblical imagery, I think I might go see the movie, which opens tomorrow. If I do, I will post a review.

I have been working on an idea for a computer program that I wanted to run by my readers.

One of the major types of Bible study that is done in congregations is the “what does this mean to you” Bible study.  This is where people get together, read the passage, and then discuss what they understand  it to mean.  Asking what a passage means for today is an important step in Bible study, but it should be the last step, not the first (and certainly not the only).  A basic understanding of the historical setting and literary aspects of the text should inform the question of what we do with the text in a modern setting.

Many people who lead Bible studies in parishes are not Bible scholars, nor can we expect them to be.  They can do a lot of work in preparing for the sessions, but then their problem is getting the information across to the other members.  Ideally, all of the participants should have read the background material before coming to the class, and sometimes this happens.  But that involves each member buying the books and taking the time to read them.

What I am considering is a computer program that would help people with the preparation for the class.  The program would be based on individual books of the Bible.  I am probably going to do Genesis first, so I will describe the project in relationship to that book.

I imagine a ten week study of the book.  Each week brings a new lesson.  The lesson will include a video presentation that will take about 30 minutes.  The presentation will be a video version of a PowerPoint presentation with voice over.   This will be followed by a section that proposes discussion questions for the class members to prepare in advance (15-30 minutes).  They will be able to enter their answers and thoughts into the program and print them out to take to class.  This will also save their answers in case they want to refer back to them later.  The program will also include a section of resources such as maps, timelines, short Bible dictionary, study methods, etc.

Lessons would be broken down by passages.  The first lesson would concentrate on an introduction to Genesis.  The next week could cover Genesis 1, with Genesis 2-3 following.  Week four would cover the Flood, and so on.

After the preparation, the class members come to class and engage in the standard “what does this mean to you” discussion.  But they will be doing so with an informed understanding of the text.  This should make the class meetings more focused and productive.

The program I am envisioning would be sold under a license that would allow the church to make copies of the CD to pass out to each of the participants in the class.  This would make it cheaper than a book, since each member of the class would not need to buy a copy of the book.  The program could remain on the class members computers so they could refer back to it long after the class was done.  The program could also be used for individual study, if someone was not part of a group.

Does this sound like the sort of thing that people would use in their congregations?  I hope to get an early version written and use it in a few congregations around here, but I would appreciate any ideas that other people have.  I would especially like to hear from those who are not biblical scholars but participate in Bible study in your congregation.  Would this type of program appeal to you?  What features would you like to see in such a program?  Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

This post is primarily aimed at other biblical scholars out there.  I am looking for a resource to pass on to someone, so I thought I would see if anyone had something already prepared.

As the webmaster for the Anglican Association of Biblical Scholars, one of my jobs is to handle questions that come in.  We have a section of the web site that allows people to submit questions about the Bible.  I answer them or pass them on to other members, depending on the question.

Someone has submitted a request for a resource that deals with the question of NT canonization.  In particular, he is looking for something that he can use in his church to counter the idea that gnostic writings and other early sources were unjustifiably excluded from the NT.  He apparently has some parishioners who want to view these works as being on the same level as the Bible.

I cover the canonization of the NT in my classes, but I don’t have anything specifically related to this topic.  I could do a bit of research and write it up, but since there are scholars who read this blog who are more focused on this issue than I am, I thought I would ask if someone has a handout or similar resource already written that they would be willing to share.  If so, please let me know.  I would greatly appreciate it.