Facilitating an online course on biblical interpretation
A few weeks ago, I was approached by the Brethren in Christ Equipping for Ministry Team about an opportunity with a course in their Directed Study Program (DSP). They asked me whether I would consider facilitating their course, “Biblical Interpretation,” which is a required course in their program working towards a certificate with the denomination. The DSP is a program of online courses designed for those in the Brethren in Christ church (some in professional ministry, others not) who don’t necessarily have easy access to theological education.
Since facilitating the course is not a heavy load–there are no more than 15 students at a time–it would not get in the way of my primary academic duties of preparing for comprehensive exams and digging into my research topic. But it would give me the opportunity to get to use my training to help guide students through sticky hermeneutical problems. And I could stay connected to the Brethren in Christ church–one of my two denominational memberships (along with Mennonite) and the founding denomination of my undergraduate alma mater. With all of this and more in mind, I accepted the role.
I will be facilitating the online course as it is currently designed while also working to redesign the course. That latter role means that I will come up with a new syllabus, including more guidance than typical for an in-person classroom class, and new readings.
Designing this sort of course will be a bit of a challenge. The students will have taken “Bible Survey” before the class, but not a host of biblical studies courses before reaching “Biblical Interpretation.” It needs to be aimed at about a first-year undergraduate level, while also challenging students to reflect upon and interact with some very complicated topics (trying not to water them down). Also, the course is a mixture of basic elements from what one might find in an introduction to biblical studies course (literary features, historical context), a biblical exegesis course (the “nuts and bolts” of exegesis), and a biblical hermeneutics course (a little bit of theory on the perspectives behind interpretative methods) — all the while addressing concerns specific to a Brethren in Christ perspective (Anabaptist, Pietist, and Wesleyan). That’s a lot for one online course to juggle.
So, considering those challenges, what books would you use to design such a course? What are your favorites on hermeneutics and/or exegesis, or even simply the basic tools of biblical studies?
Have you ever taken a similar course? Wish you could take a course like this? What did you, or would you, appreciate most about a course like this?
By the way, in case you’re wondering, the Brethren in Christ church is not tied down by either of the terms “inerrancy” or even “infallibility.” Also, theirs is a hermeneutic focused more on praxis (“obedience”) than proper doctrine.
My Article on Niche Bibles
I am pleased to announce that my article for my denomination‘s magazine, In Part, has been published. My little article is entitled, “The good (and bad) news about niche Bibles.” The entire issue, with a focus on the Bible (“In Pursuit of the Bible“), is fantastic. The main featured article is “What’s hermeneutics got to do with it?” by Bruxy Cavey (one of the stars of the Brethren in Christ church) followed up by a transcribed panel discussion by BIC pastors and others on the “role of Scripture in their everyday lives.” You can grab the whole issue as a PDF. I have made my two pages available as a separate PDF.
I enjoyed working with In Part’s wonderful editor, Kristine Frey, who recruited me for the piece. It’s fun to write for a wider audience that deeply cares about these issues.
What is the Brethren in Christ denomination?
My fellow Brethren in Christ (BIC) blogger, the prolific Shawn Anthony of Lo-Fi Tribe, has given a synopsis of the three streams of our BIC heritage: Anabaptism, Pietism, and Wesleyanism. He has done this since “most” of his readers are not familiar with the denomination. I, too, have the feeling that most of my readers are not that familiar with the Brethren in Christ denomination. I commend Shawn’s helpful and accessible post to you if you are curious about some of the theological underpinnings of this small and quirky (but wicked cool [yeah, I'm from Massachusetts]) denomination.
Historically, I sum it up this way: the Brethren in Christ are basically Mennonites who like to get caught up in revivals. The denomination was initiated by Mennonites in Pennsylvania who felt like their own Mennonite community did not have the kind of “heart-felt” relationship with Jesus that they should have. The historic movement of the BIC church, I think, was motivated less by theology in their adoption of Pietism and Wesleyanism, and more by the passionate spirituality of those movements. The fact that these traditions did not conflict too much with their Anabaptist heritage helps. One of the connecting factors for all of these movements, I believe, is a commitment to radical and visible obedience to God.
Now the BIC church struggles with the influences of generic Evangelicalism, and even a little bit of fundamentalism in some areas of the country, which I think is unfortunate. But that’s true of a lot of denominations. One of my Anabaptist professors said that a lot of Mennonite churches in the South are basically fundamentalist congregations with a peace stance. Kind of odd. Anyway, I’m getting away from myself a little bit here. Mainly, I’d just like to send you over to Shawn’s post.
BIC Job Opening: Communications Editor/Writer for Seek Magazine
For all my Brethren in Christ readers:
POSITION DESCRIPTION
Communications Editor/Writer
Position Summary: The Communications Editor/Writer is responsible to the Director of Congregational Relations to produce and publish Seek magazine and the companion online publication, Seeking more, provide editorial support for the denomination website and print publications as requested, and assist in producing presentation multimedia resources for General Church leaders.
Qualifications:
Faith: A vital Christian experience; commitment to the BIC
Education: Bachelor’s degree required. A degree in a related field such as journalism, communications, public relations, or marketing is an asset.
Experience: Print and web writing, editing and proofreading experience is required. Experience working with graphic designers and supervising volunteer and freelance writers and student interns is an asset. Knowledge of and experience with the Brethren in Christ Church is desirable.
Traits: Interacts confidently with good interpersonal skills; works well in a team; proficient in collaboration and networking; proactive and resourceful; able to focus on multiple tasks; works well under pressure of concurrent deadlines with creativity, accuracy, completeness, consistency; works with minimum supervision; focuses on objectives and attains desired outcomes; paces self and coworkers to meet deadlines.
Special Skills: Excellent publications management, editing, writing, proofreading, and communications skills; ability to recruit a network of qualified volunteer and freelance reporters, student interns, writers, editors, photographers, and illustrators; demonstrated planning and organizational skills to effectively utilize a team to meet deadlines; working knowledge of Windows operating system and industry-standard software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and GroupWise; experience with or knowledge of Macintosh platforms is desirable; must be internet savvy and able to use (or learn) the Shelby database.
Ability to speak and write in Spanish is desired but not required.
View the full job listing at http://www.bic-church.org/news/employment/positions.asp
Doing a Book Review: Hauerwas' Commentary on Matthew
I offered to do a book review for Brethren in Christ History & Life on Stanley Hauerwas’ new commentary on Matthew and I’ve been green-lighted! I saw it as a book available for review for RBL, but I knew that RBL would never let me (biblical studies pion, that I am) do this review. Too important a work for a lowly seminarian. But maybe . . . Hey, this would be perfect for BIC History & Life. Not only do Anabaptists love good ol’ Hauerwas, but they love the book of Matthew! So E. Morris Sider, BIC editor and historian extraordinaire, is letting me have a go at it.
I did one other review for BIC History & Life. It was a sort of triple-review. I reviewed Brian McLaren’s A New Kind of Christian trilogy. That was published in the April 2006 issue. But now I’m actually moving into New Testament studies. Well, at least it’s a theologian’s take on a New Testament book. Close enough. For this one, I’ll be sharing my thoughts as I go along in my blog. The hard part will be eventually condensing it into two pages or however much BIC History & Life would like.
Now I just have to figure out how to get a free review copy. I looked at Brazos Press’ website and couldn’t find anything that would apply to me, the reviewer, requesting a review copy. Any ideas? Should I just call their 800 number and ask?
Update (03/19/2007): I heard back from the publicity contact person for Baker’s academic lines (which includes Brazos Press) and they will be shipping me a review copy in the next few days. Thanks Brazos!!
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Elsewhere . . .- Blog titles beginning with "A" to "Z" on your reader Mark Goodacre
- Of making many books there is no end Chris Brady
- Free Online: The Liddell-Scott Jones Lexicon S and C
- Does Higher Criticism Attempt to “Destroy the Bible”? II agathos
- Steven J. Friesen and the Identity of Satan’s Throne in Pergamum alan
- Does Higher Criticism Attempt to “Destroy the Bible”? agathos
- Bloomsbury buys Continuum Mark Goodacre
- Imperial America Peter J. Leithart
- C.F.D. Moule on the Birth of the New Testament d. miller
- Responding to Kostenberger (with comparisons to Marshall) Jeremiah
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