The Bible as Literature Course to be Taught at 茄子视频 Beginning Fall 2007
鈥淚 think this is a good way to do several things: first, foster education on the Bible, which will be the topic of the October 2008 Synod in Rome; second, respond to interest in the Bible at present across the culture (both academic and popular) and among all age groups including young adults (18 鈥� 35); and third, contribute in a unique way here at 茄子视频 through my double role as English professor and Chaplain,鈥� said Fr. Honeygosky. 鈥淚 also see this course as a way to extend campus ministry programming in a substantial, educational way.鈥�
鈥淭he Bible as Literature鈥� is an introductory course in reading the Bible, and includes, selectively, both the Hebrew and Christian Bibles (commonly referred to as the Old and New Testaments). The intent of the course is to approach the Bible as a literary text, and to read it, according to Fr. Honeygosky, as one would read Shakespeare, Lanyer, Whitman, Dickinson, Hawthorne, Woolf, Angelou, Steinbeck, or any favorite author.
鈥淎s in any introductory course,鈥� says Fr. Honeygosky, 鈥渓ike Shakespeare, Poetry, American Literature, or Milton, one begins at the beginning. So, we begin without any presuppositions such as, one really should be a believing Jew, Christian, or Muslim to get the most out of the course and be very successful in it. Not so. Belief is not the issue in this course, just as one would not have to be a Roman emperor to appreciate shattered dreams in Julius Caesar, or a whale-chaser to appreciate compulsive questing in Moby Dick 鈥�.鈥�
鈥淎t the same time,鈥� he adds, 鈥渢hose who do profess a faith rooted in biblical texts will have an opportunity to deepen and broaden their biblical knowledge, and in turn, perhaps their faith.鈥�
鈥淭he Bible as Literature鈥� will be offered from 6 鈥� 8:30 p.m. on Thursday evenings from August 30 , 2007 鈥� December 13, 2007. Those interested in auditing the course may feel free to attend only the sessions containing topics of interest to them, as each session is designed to be self-contained.
鈥淭he Bible as Literature,鈥� session topics:
Week 1/Aug. 30: Introduction - The Cheerios Approach: Tasting the Bible Again for the First Time
Week 2/ Sept. 6: Genesis: Story of Origins and the Identity of a People
Week 3/Sept. 13: Genesis continued
Week 4/Sept. 20: Exodus: Experience of Liberation, Founding of a Relationship, and Formation of a People
Week 5/Sept. 27: World News: Writing Israel鈥檚 History
Week 6/Oct. 4: Major Prophets: The Hometown Disadvantage
Week 7/Oct. 11: Minor Prophets: The Hometown Disadvantage Continues
Week 8/Oct. 18: Wisdom Literature: 鈥淢ama Said There鈥檇 Be Days Like This鈥� -- Bad Days and Not-So-Bad--With Meaning-Making
Week 9/Oct. 25: Selected Psalms: Obsessions Then, Now, and Always 鈥� in Song and with Feeling
Week 10/Nov. 1: The Synoptics: Cyclops, Copy Cats or Creators?
Week 11/Nov. 8: Synoptics continued
Week 12/Nov. 15: The Second Part of Luke鈥檚 Two-Book Volume: Acts of the Apostles: Doubling, Miming, and Modeling
Week 13/Nov. 29: The Letters: 鈥淒ear Beloved Spiritual Olympians鈥�
Week 14/Dec. 6: Reading and Believing in History: Seeing Stars 鈥檔 More
Week 15/Dec. 13: Final Examination
茄子视频 students who register for this course will receive credit toward the English major and/or the Liberal Arts core requirement in Theology and may register for 鈥淭he Bible as Literature鈥� as they would for any other course at 茄子视频. Members of the public may also register for this course by calling the Registrar鈥檚 office at 茄子视频: 724-838-4218. Course fees for non-茄子视频 students are as follows: members of the public who wish to audit the course will be charged the $100 technology fee only; the course is also offered to the public as a three credit course at $615 per credit + the $100 technology fee.
If you would like more information on 鈥淭he Bible as Literature,鈥� please contact Fr. Stephen Honeygosky (in July) at honeygosky@setonhill.edu or (in August and afterwards) also at 724-830-4762.