Tag Archives: Scripture

Introduction to Biblical and Qur’anic Conceptions of God

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COURSES > UNDERGRADUATE [→ ONLINE ARCHIVE MATERIAL]

Though many people think of God as something fixed and unchanging, a careful study of scripture reveals that this is not so.  Rather, it seems that the Western conception of God — and indeed the very notion that there is only a single God – has evolved over the millennia.  This course will introduce students to some of the varying conceptions of God found in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and the Qur’an through careful reading and discussion of primary materials in English translation.  Readings will be drawn primarily from the Torah (especially Genesis and Exodus), the Book of Job, the Gospels, and key suras (chapters) of the Qur’an — though we will begin by looking at Mesopotamian and Greek conceptions of the gods as manifested in the Epic of Gilgamesh and Hesiod’s Theogony.  Students will be responsible for doing close, thoughtful reading of each assignment and actively participating in each class discussion.  In addition, students will be asked to write three papers (about 6 pages in length) and to make a presentation related to the themes of the course. The second essay is to be revised based on class and instructor feedback. Continue reading →

In the Face of Adversity: Homer’s Odyssey and the Bible’s Job

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COURSES > LIFELONG | COURSES > ONLINE

The twin foundations of “Western” civilization are often thought to be the Classical tradition of ancient Greece and Rome on the one hand, and the Biblical tradition of ancient Israel on the other. In this course, we’ll explore how “Athens” and “Jerusalem” addressed the common human predicament of adversity through the close reading of a key text from each: Homer’s Odyssey and the Bible’s Book of Job. Along the way, we’ll consider the literary, philosophical, and religious aspects in an attempt to understand each work in its own right as well the similarities and differences between them. Continue reading →

Mediating Mormonism: The Book of Mormon in Mormon Culture and Cognition

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WRITINGS > FINISHED

The dissertation proposed is an effort to further the development of an overarching model of the “textual mediation of culture and cognition” through an initial interdisciplinary case study of the dialectical relationship which has existed between the Book of Mormon and Mormonism since the publication of the former and the founding of the latter in 1830.
As currently conceived, the analysis will proceed in three parts. Part One will set the scene by laying out the theoretical background of the study and the historical background on Mormonism and the Book of Mormon. With these basic perspectives and facts in hand, Part Two will move in two opposite directions, conducting first an “imagined community” analysis which examines the ways in which the Book of Mormon has participated in the “social construction of Mormon realities” (text → context), and then an “interpretive community” analysis which examines the ways in which Mormonism has participated in the “social construction of Book of Mormon textualities” (context → text). Finally, Part Three will resolve this “Hegelian contradiction” by reconceptualizing both the issues and insights of Part Two in terms of: (1) textual mediation of Mormon culture (group habits of thought ↔ individual habits of thought); (2) textual mediation of Mormon cognition (individual habits of thought ↔ individual episodes of thought); and (3) textual mediation of Mormonism (group habits of thought ↔ individual episodes of thought). The conclusion will suggest how these three can be regimented as facets of one total phenomenon, the “textual mediation of Mormon culture-and-cognition”.
To the extent it is successful, the proposed study will: (1) promote a paradigm shift already underway by documenting the insufficiency of “social construction of reality” and “social construction of textuality” approaches to “myth” and the necessity of a “textual mediation” approach; (2) provide a basis for future studies of textual mediation both by contributing to our understanding of exactly what is happening when a text functions mythically and by serving as a prototypical analysis; and (3) shed light on the historical phenomenon that is Mormonism. Continue reading →

The Koran: The Word of God Returns

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Lecturing > Previous

For most Western readers, the Koran is a deceptive text and thus difficult to appreciate. Its characterization as yet another “scripture” from the Semitic tradition that spawned the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament — with the “same” God and many of the “same” figures — naturally leads one to approach it with the same implicit assumptions and expectations that one typically brings to the Bible. Yet the Western reader who does so is likely to disappointed — even outraged — as these assumptions and expectations are violated and this characterization made questionable. Racial, ethnic and/or religious prejudices often deepen the displeasure. Alternately, Western readers who approach the Koran with a keen awareness of its (and their own) historical/cultural foundations are more likely to enjoy (and profit from) their encounter with it.

This lecture will demonstrate one way in which a modern Westerner can successfully read the Koran. On the one hand, we will make a survey of the text: its structure and major themes and the conditions which produced it. On the other hand, we will look at some of the strategies through which a reader can transcend limitations imposed by his own cultural heritage. By working both tracks simultaneously, one can fairly easily come to appreciate this classic text on its own terms. Continue reading →

The Apology: Socrates’ Defense, Or the Gospel According to Plato

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LECTURES > PREVIOUS [→ ONLINE ARCHIVE MATERIAL]

Because the West has long thought of itself as the fusion of Greek “reason” and Hebrew (Judeo-Christian) “faith”, the secularization which followed the Enlightenment has typically been seen as the West’s disavowal of its Hebrew heritage in favor of its Greek one. Indeed, it is not uncommon today for modem secular humanists and classical Greeks to be considered much of a muchness. Unfortunately, such a view tends to blind us to important features of Greek life, even in figures as seemingly familiar to us as Socrates and Plato. A careful consideration of Plato’s Apology, however, can help resurrect these religious features of these two men who can be seen in many ways as not dissimilar to a range of Hebrew religious figures including, perhaps most strikingly, Jesus and Paul respectively. Continue reading →

Introduction to the Qur’an as Literature

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COURSES > LIFELONG

Considered the record of the revealed word of God to Muhammad through the angel Gabriel, the Quran is the third great scripture of the Semitic tradition and the foundation of all forms of Islam.  In this course we will read the Quran (as well as supplementary readings) to gain an initial understanding of the book, its perspectives on important concepts such as the nature of god and man, divine judgment, prophecy and history, the ideal society, the proper relationship between Muslims and non-Muslims, jihad (“holy war” or “exertion”) and more.  No prior knowledge or experience of any kind is required. Continue reading →