Nicole M Posted June 17, 2009 Share Posted June 17, 2009 When The Bible and Its Influence was discussed on the General Board, I recall that there was general booing, though no actual hissing, if I'm remembering correctly. I was very excited out this text, though, and wonder if anyone has used it? http://www.bibleliteracy.org/site/index2.htm I'm looking for a guide to reading the Biblical texts that is respectful of sacred traditions, that takes the texts seriously, but not literally. Is there something out there that would work for a Bible as Literature course? What are your thoughts? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elizabeth Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 When The Bible and Its Influence was discussed on the General Board, I recall that there was general booing, though no actual hissing, if I'm remembering correctly. I was very excited out this text, though, and wonder if anyone has used it? http://www.bibleliteracy.org/site/index2.htm I'm looking for a guide to reading the Biblical texts that is respectful of sacred traditions, that takes the texts seriously, but not literally. Is there something out there that would work for a Bible as Literature course? What are your thoughts? Thanks. I appreciate the candor of your question and am likeminded in what I seek for our homeschool. Asimov's Guide to the Bible is terrific it also incorporates cultural anthropology , geography etc I highly recommend it for student of this age. For those who might want a more challenging text Dr Malina's books are excellent I had the privilege of sitting in his lectures for 4 years. Academically respected , sound research and certainly respectful without literal interpretation. I am delighted to see this query as I truly feel like a lone voice on the board in regards to this field of study. links below. http://www.amazon.com/Social-Science-Commentary-Synoptic-Gospels-Malina/dp/0800634918 http://www.amazon.com/Asimovs-Guide-Bible-Historical-Testaments/dp/051734582X I loved the Asimov guide as an introduction to scholarly interpretation methods and heartily advise you begin there. The Malina books require a passing acquaintance with the terminology of anthropology, sociology and psychology along with critical historical methods. You would no doubt find them fascinating but your student's eyes might glaze over. I think they are great for someone thinking about majoring in classics and certainly theology but for a novice likely not a great starting point. Insofar as Bible as literature is concerned I carefully point to clear examples when reading the Great Books . Much science fiction has elaborate theology, cosmology and teleology woven into the plot . FWIW I simply did not like what I saw in any of the Bible as literature textbooks so I had dd read The Illustrated Childrens Bible over the year and simply pointed out where the great authors crafted allegories from the source material so very abundant in the Bible. We are also reading Sociology and Anthropology Intro texts to further allow for understanding many sacred source materials in a deeper way . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted June 18, 2009 Author Share Posted June 18, 2009 Thank you, Elizabeth. I've noticed in the past that you and I have similar priorities with our homeschool. It turns out the library on the campus where I work recently ordered a copy of The Bible and Its Influence, and I was able to nip over there right before they closed this evening. (I actually ran. Usually, I run only when chased. But it would have killed me to have to wait a whole night knowing it was there waiting for me.) I will also look at the Asimov and the other book you mentioned. I majored in religion and have a degree in theology, but never had an overview course that used materials that would be accessible to my children. Most of my work was highly specialized. (I once helped proofread a book on Power in 1st Century Palestine. Now that was a real page turner.) We have really been enjoying Huston Smith's Illustrated World Religions, but I wanted something that would unpack the significance of the biblical texts, culturally, politically and give my children a "door" to enter into those texts. My oldest will be off to college in a year, and I wanted a resource for him to get a sense of the biblical texts so he recognizes allusions and all that. I also have a rising 7th grader, and have shifted to a more LCC approach with him. I like the LCC schedule for integrating religion and the bible into our work. That's what renewed my interest in the Bible Literacy Project. Although it's very textbooky and too tall (shape matters), I still like the content of TBAII. It's expensive, though, which irks me. Again, thank you for your thoughtful response. Nicole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gullicat Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 you might enjoy _the art of biblical narrative_ can't remember author right now. excellent 'bible-as-literature' text -sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 When The Bible and Its Influence was discussed on the General Board, I recall that there was general booing, though no actual hissing, if I'm remembering correctly. I was very excited out this text, though, and wonder if anyone has used it? http://www.bibleliteracy.org/site/index2.htm Really? I thought I remember reading that people thought it was very good. Selective memory? :D Where some (me included) were dubious wasn't about this textbook itself, but whether or not, in a public school situation, teachers (and students) could really pull off a "Bible as literature" course without a clear pro or anti religious sentiment coming out. Doing it yourself has some advantages. The New Oxford Annotated Bible might interest you as well for the scholarly notes. http://www.amazon.com/Annotated-Apocrypha-Augmented-Revised-Standard/dp/0195288815/ref=pd_sim_b_4 And I like Gunther Plaut's Commentaries on the Torah (from a liberal Jewish perspective). http://www.amazon.com/Torah-Modern-Commentary-Revised/dp/0807408832 And the Anchor Yale commentaries on the books of the Bible are fantastic if you really want to go deep. http://www.amazon.com/Genesis-Anchor-Yale-Bible-Commentaries/dp/0300140258/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245305967&sr=1-1 Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spy Car Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 I appreciate the candor of your question and am likeminded in what I seek for our homeschool. Asimov's Guide to the Bible is terrific it also incorporates cultural anthropology , geography etc I highly recommend it for student of this age. For those who might want a more challenging text Dr Malina's books are excellent I had the privilege of sitting in his lectures for 4 years. Academically respected , sound research and certainly respectful without literal interpretation. I am delighted to see this query as I truly feel like a lone voice on the board in regards to this field of study. links below. http://www.amazon.com/Social-Science-Commentary-Synoptic-Gospels-Malina/dp/0800634918 http://www.amazon.com/Asimovs-Guide-Bible-Historical-Testaments/dp/051734582X I loved the Asimov guide as an introduction to scholarly interpretation methods and heartily advise you begin there. The Malina books require a passing acquaintance with the terminology of anthropology, sociology and psychology along with critical historical methods. You would no doubt find them fascinating but your student's eyes might glaze over. I think they are great for someone thinking about majoring in classics and certainly theology but for a novice likely not a great starting point. Insofar as Bible as literature is concerned I carefully point to clear examples when reading the Great Books . Much science fiction has elaborate theology, cosmology and teleology woven into the plot . FWIW I simply did not like what I saw in any of the Bible as literature textbooks so I had dd read The Illustrated Childrens Bible over the year and simply pointed out where the great authors crafted allegories from the source material so very abundant in the Bible. We are also reading Sociology and Anthropology Intro texts to further allow for understanding many sacred source materials in a deeper way . These look interesting. Thank you Elizabeth! Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peek a Boo Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 Really? I thought I remember reading that people thought it was very good. Selective memory? :D Where some (me included) were dubious wasn't about this textbook itself, but whether or not, in a public school situation, teachers (and students) could really pull off a "Bible as literature" course without a clear pro or anti religious sentiment coming out. This is what i remembered as well. In fact, a friend was asking if I'd consider doing a Bible 101 class in a couple years and this text immediately jumped to mind. We'd have to do some fundraising to cover the cost of the texts tho! :eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted June 18, 2009 Author Share Posted June 18, 2009 Really? I thought I remember reading that people thought it was very good. Selective memory? :D Where some (me included) were dubious wasn't about this textbook itself, but whether or not, in a public school situation, teachers (and students) could really pull off a "Bible as literature" course without a clear pro or anti religious sentiment coming out. Doing it yourself has some advantages. The New Oxford Annotated Bible might interest you as well for the scholarly notes. http://www.amazon.com/Annotated-Apocrypha-Augmented-Revised-Standard/dp/0195288815/ref=pd_sim_b_4 And I like Gunther Plaut's Commentaries on the Torah (from a liberal Jewish perspective). http://www.amazon.com/Torah-Modern-Commentary-Revised/dp/0807408832 And the Anchor Yale commentaries on the books of the Bible are fantastic if you really want to go deep. http://www.amazon.com/Genesis-Anchor-Yale-Bible-Commentaries/dp/0300140258/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245305967&sr=1-1 Bill Now that you mention it, I do remember that line of thinking, skepticism about whether it could be pulled off well in a public school. I don't remember any consensus about it being good, though. I mainly skimmed the thread because I was so thoroughly distracted by the samples of the text! Thank you for the links. I don't have a lot of time with my oldest, he'll be off to college in a year. But I will check these out and see what would be reasonable. N Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kareni Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 you might enjoy _the art of biblical narrative_ can't remember author right now. excellent 'bible-as-literature' text -sarah Is it this one by Robert Alter? It does look intriguing. Regards, Kareni Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted June 18, 2009 Author Share Posted June 18, 2009 Is it this one by Robert Alter? It does look intriguing. Regards, Kareni I have a couple of his other books. He is excellent, and one of the writers (or maybe one of the consultants) who worked on The Bible and Its Influence, which is why I was so interested in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abbeyej Posted June 18, 2009 Share Posted June 18, 2009 Nicole, I'd love to read your review after you've gotten a chance to peruse it further. I thought the samples looked great, and am curious about using this, perhaps in a few years... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gullicat Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 i used it in a university class when my eldest was little and thought it was outstanding. -sarah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicole M Posted June 19, 2009 Author Share Posted June 19, 2009 Well. This is embarrassing. I actually own Alter's The World of Biblical Literature. I had forgotten about it; after I left the church I sold most of my theology and biblical studies books. I will have a look through that during my son's voice lesson this evening. Thanks, everyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elizabeth Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 Really? I thought I remember reading that people thought it was very good. Selective memory? :D Where some (me included) were dubious wasn't about this textbook itself, but whether or not, in a public school situation, teachers (and students) could really pull off a "Bible as literature" course without a clear pro or anti religious sentiment coming out. Doing it yourself has some advantages. The New Oxford Annotated Bible might interest you as well for the scholarly notes. http://www.amazon.com/Annotated-Apocrypha-Augmented-Revised-Standard/dp/0195288815/ref=pd_sim_b_4 And I like Gunther Plaut's Commentaries on the Torah (from a liberal Jewish perspective). http://www.amazon.com/Torah-Modern-Commentary-Revised/dp/0807408832 And the Anchor Yale commentaries on the books of the Bible are fantastic if you really want to go deep. http://www.amazon.com/Genesis-Anchor-Yale-Bible-Commentaries/dp/0300140258/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1245305967&sr=1-1 Bill I own the Oxford Annotated and agree it is fantastic. However, the other two you mention particularly the Plaut look very interesting and I might have to acquire this volume. The one we used for class, oh 25 some years ago, was published by the Jewish Publication Society and is so heavily marked it is nearly unreadable. Thanks much for this resource as it is time to replace the one on our shelves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elizabeth Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 Nicole, Please share your thoughts on the book when you have time as I would love to hear what your impressions are. I am just delighted to see how much interest there is in discussing and sharing these resources. I think the book you edited sounds absolutely fascinating. My dd has learned to run quickly when I get that glittery eyed look brought on by an opportunity to expound on the richness of phenomenology or my second favorite topic, political philosophy especially Locke and Plato . Her eyes simply glaze over and she runs. Quickly. I sincerely hope that she continues in her present interest with Classics /Near Eastern Studies and perhaps in that area our interests will intersect . Please share your reactions to the book when you are finished . Thank you , elizabeth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peek a Boo Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 Well. This is embarrassing. I actually own Alter's The World of Biblical Literature. I had forgotten about it; HA! That's not embarrassing --in this crowd, it's almost expected, lol ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jibaker103 Posted June 19, 2009 Share Posted June 19, 2009 I took a class like this in college and loved it! Hmmm maybe this something to consider when my ds is a little bit older. Jennifer Mother to Noah Age 13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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