The Evolution of Women in the Bible (Blog Post 4)

"Judith with the head of Holofernes" (Cristofano Allori, 1613)

Think back to the first female characters you encountered in the Bible: Eve, Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Leah, Dinah, Potiphar's wife, and more.

Then think about the recent female characters we've discussed: Deborah, Ruth, Esther, Judith, and others.

Do you see a shift in the view of women? The representations of women? The interactions of women with men? With other women?

Compare one of the earlier female characters with one of the more recent characters. Using textual evidence (book, chapter, verse), create a strong statement for how you see the characterizations either remaining static or changing as the texts progress over time.

You can compare whatever narrative details are most pertinent to your observations and argument.

Posts are due by Friday, Oct 6 at midnight.

The Jury is Out (Blog Post 3)

Think back on the three oral papers we heard this week. Choose one: do you agree with the thesis? Disagree? Choose a position and offer additional textual evidence for your position, i.e. evidence that either supports the thesis or evidence that undercuts the thesis. Consider yourself a jury member who must support either the defense or the prosecution and must have good reason for doing so.

Posts are due Wednesday, September 27th at 9:00 a.m.

The Character of God (Blog Post 2)

Detail of the Creation of Adam, by Michelangelo, Sistine Chapel
(c. 1508-1512)

How can a human being characterize God?

Michelangelo's paintings of a powerful old man with wavy grey hair and beard are one well-known attempt.

God is powerful. God is old. God is grey. God is surrounded by cherubs.

Some people view God as stern, cranky, impatient, petty, vindictive, vengeful, and other pejorative things.

Some view him as distant and disinterested.

Others view him as a hands-off onlooker of human destiny.

Still others view him as personal, patient, and present in human history.

But how does our text, Genesis, actually describe God?

Using the scenes and words of Genesis, develop a portrait of God's character that considers more than simply the surface level evidence. You don't have room to write a book here; you have only several paragraphs to flesh out a rounded description of this major character in our readings. If you focus on only a single characteristic, you will present us with a flat character. Flat characters are not worth our time and effort, beyond saying, "He or she is a flat character. The End."

God is anything but that.

On the other hand, you don't have space to flesh out God's character in all its fullness. Instead, focus your discussion on perhaps two or three characteristics of God, using textual evidence to bolster your discussion. Use simple parenthetical citations noting both chapter and verse, e.g. (45:9). Paint for us a portrait of God that goes beyond both Michelangelo's grey-haired old man and the various popular notions of God that are too often based on cultural imaginings rather than the written text.

Posts must be thoughtful, substantive, referenced, and articulate. Due: midnight 13 September.