Genesis (re)considered

"In the beginning" is a phrase most people recognize. The words that follow may or may not be equally familiar.

If the full book of Genesis was a new text to you before this class, 1) what expectations did you have for it (and what were those expectations based on), and 2) how were those expectations surprised? In others words, how was Genesis not what you thought it would be? Provide at least one specific example (include verse and chapter as needed) and briefly comment on your changed perspective.

If the book of Genesis was a familiar text to you before this class, 1) what was your perception of it before this most recent read-through (and what were those perceptions based on), and 2) how was that perception surprised after reading and discussing it? In other words, how is Genesis something new or different or more than it was previously? Provide at least one specific example (include verse and chapter as needed) and briefly comment on your changed perspective.

NOTE: don't waste any words on an intro statement, needless blather, or fancy tangled sentences. Say what you want to say with confidence, clarity, concision, and cohesion. Be thoughtful. Write something of substance. Use however many words you need to make your brilliant observation, and not a single word more. At the same time, don't use one word less than you need to fully and completely make your brilliant observation.

You can do this. Don't fret. Think about it. Mull it over. Dance through it a few times in your head. Then write it down, type it up, check for spelling errors (do. not. skip. this. step.), get rid of stray commas, post it, and enjoy a snack.

Posts are due by 11:59 p.m. Wednesday Sept. 12.

Carry on.

Noah re:mix

Enjoy this retelling of the Noah story, envisioned as postcards from sea-life - who understandably have a contextualized perception of reality. (Brown whale - brilliant.)

Note the color-coded palistrophic structure, the creatively envisioned heavenly organizations (e.g. "Travel Division of the Aquatic Subdepartment"), the PA (post angel) box numbers, and postal codes (which reference the Genesis passage, so "71740" alludes to Genesis 7:17 and 40 days/nights).

Bonus: postcard first and last are from creatures that can exist on both land and in water. Nice touch.

All creative pairings and written content belongs to Rachel Babiak.

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Who Is This Man? (Blog post 9)

Jesus (by Kaichou Angel 

Luke 8:22-25 tells the story of Jesus calming the storm. You know the narrative - Jesus and his friends plus a boat; very bad storm; danger danger; boat filling with water; friends freak out; friends wake up Jesus (probably because they need more help bailing the boat); Jesus doesn't bail the boat; Jesus tells the wind and the waves to STOP; they stop; his friends (who've known him for awhile now) are terrified and amazed.

"Who is this man?" they ask each other.

That is the million dollar question.

Who is this man?

Luke's gospel gives us more details about Jesus' life than similar texts. And yet even this carefully organized and thoughtful account of his life is replete with unspoken backstory - or "fraught with background" as we discussed early in the semester.

Still, all we have to go on is what Luke (and the other gospel authors) actually wrote. It is much and little, all at the same time.

Choose two accounts/narratives in Luke's gospel and discuss how they illuminate the character of Jesus. You can focus on something Jesus said (or didn't say), something he did (or didn't do), or something someone else said or did in response to him.

Analyze the two accounts and offer an answer to the question "who is this man?" Your answer can be practical, literary, descriptive, relational, theological, philosophical - anything goes, as long as you craft a substantive and thoughtful response based on what Luke wrote.

Be sure to include references.

DUE: Friday, Dec. 1 before MIDNIGHT

The Jury is Out (Blog post 8)

John Cleese as a British judge - you're welcome.

(If you don't know who John Cleese is, shame on you. Look it up. Then watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Many times. And also the Dead Parrot skit. And the Ministry of Silly Walks sketch. Over and over and over again.

Respond to one of the recent oral papers on Samuel, Psalms, and/or Job with either a thumbs up (agree with the thesis) or thumbs down (disagree with the thesis - but not rendering judgment on the presenter or the paper itself; they were both likely quite awesome).

You must provide THREE supporting pieces of evidence for your viewpoint. In other words, offer three additional textual observations in support of the thesis OR three textual observations in opposition to the thesis (they can be entirely new pieces of evidence or new observations of evidence already submitted for consideration).

As always (ho hum - you've heard it before) be concise, articulate, and substantive. There is no room in a blog post for meandering, yammering, wandering, or ummming/ermmmming.

No need to wear a British judge wig while writing - but bravo if you attempt it.

POSTS ARE DUE WEDNESDAY 8 NOVEMBER BY MIDNIGHT. (Put in on your calendar. Set an alarm. Write yourself a note.)

Psalm 23 re:mix (Blog post 7 & Quiz 7)

Psalm 23 is perhaps the most quoted, memorized, and well-known passage of the Hebrew psalter. It presents a strongly developed metaphor that makes clear this fact: much of the Bible is literary, imaginative, poetic, and not literal.

God is not actually a shepherd. He is spirit. But he is like a shepherd in certain ways. Not all ways, of course. God, as shepherd, does not as a general rule slaughter his beloved sheep. In other words, though a metaphor may have unlimited resonance, it can still have limits of scope.

David understood shepherds and sheep. Most of us do not. So, as powerful as this metaphor is, it may fail to fully engage and enrapture us with its deeper meanings and nuances.

Your task is to rewrite Psalm 23 from your own perspective, using imagery that expresses specific characteristics of God described in the Bible (his comfort, care, power, correction, guidance, presence, forgiveness, kindness, justice, mercy, etc.). Whether or not this is your personal view of God does not matter for this task. You will write as though you are David (or another psalmist) living in the 21st-century.

You must write three remixes: one about a person, one about a place, and one about a thing. Place and thing are somewhat related, so don't fret about technicalities. For example, "front porch" could be both a place and a thing. Fine. Just be sure to do 3 different remixes.

Your format must be as follows:
"The Lord is my ___________________, I have everything I need.

• He...
• He...
• He...
• He...
• He...

You must have at least 5 bullet points for each remix. The bullets do not need to start with "He" - but that's the easiest rubric to follow. 

Here are a few examples to stir your creative juices (some of these are shorter than your requirements):

_______

The LORD is my high-ropes course harness, I have everything I need.

• He holds me tight and doesn't let go.
• He is the foundation of my safety.
• He gives me the confidence to do things I never thought I could.

The LORD is my recipe, I have everything I need.

• He tells me exactly what I need.
• He describes the steps I must take.
• He leads me to fulfillment and satisfaction so I will be full.

The LORD is my orange spray, I have everything I need.

• He has a sweet aroma.
• He gently cleans away all the grease and grime.
• He gives every surface a fresh start.
• He makes things new, clean and inviting.
• He is both strong and safe.

The LORD is my Disney World, I have everything I need.

• He creates a world of wonder and awe.
• He invites celebration, laughter, and adventure.
• He is a place where I can play and laugh and rest with friends and family.
• He invites me to be childlike and trusting.

The LORD is my Texas, I have everything I need.

• He is bigger and better than anything else.
• He is always there and will never leave.
• He loves me even if I leave and always welcomes me back.
• He is so much bigger and more than I can imagine.
• He will forever be my home.

The LORD is my coffee, I have everything I need.

• He greets me with a sweet aroma each morning.
• He warms my soul.
• He brings things into clear focus.
• He gives me energy to meet the day.
• He is a perfect reason to gather with friends for conversation.

POSTS ARE DUE TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31 by midnight. (Do it before Halloweening.)