This blog will be a reference site for an Old Testament Bible Study taught by Mr. Harrell Guard and Rev. Dan Thompson-Aue at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Idaho Falls, Idaho. Check in for discussion notes, study tips, and conversation related to questions and material from our study, "The Old Testament Made Easy". If you are not able to join us in person, please feel free to read this blog and offer comments. At the outset comments will not be screened but if anyone gets unruly or inappropriate I'll put a filter on ya!
Our first class met Sunday, September 9. We missed Harrell, who had an illness and had to miss the fun! We're looking for the Prof to return next week.
The focus of our study will be primary characters and stories of the Old Testament. We hope to become more familiar with these great stories, get better at reading and understanding the Bible on our own, grow in faith and make and deepen friendships.
First assignment: Read Genesis chapters 1 and 2. These are two distinct creation stories, each with a different point. Study these in two different translations or paraphrases, with an eye to comparing and contrasting. Keep in mind this thought: these stories were not intended to be scientific explanations of "how" the world came to be, rather mythic stories conveying the "why" of human existence. How does God speak to you about "you"?
2 comments:
When you said that the Trinity was not mentioned until the New Testament so this could not be the 3 of them talked about... We have to remember that Moses did not write the book, God did! That's why our redemer is inferred in all the Bible. The 66 books by 40 authors say the same things and the thread of salvation runs thru out the whole Bible...
Jodie
Hi Jodie, thanks for your comment! I appreciate you opening the dialogue in this format.
Today (9/16) I noted several different modern Christian views of how Scripture is "God Breathed", or inspired. I think you would hold to the view that every word is God's, if you have the opinion that all authors say the same things . . . I find it to make sense to me, given the diversity of theology and meaning in Scripture, to lean toward another of the interpretive views -- such as, that individual authors wrote with the help of the Holy Spirit; or that inspiration comes from the dynamics and theologies of the diverse communities of faith responsible for the creation of the many Bible books. This explains, to me, why we have several versions of some stories, and many descriptions of God throughout the Canon of Scripture.
A little history might be interesting to consider -- that our "doctrine" of the Trinity is an idea that was not specificallly articulated for many hundreds of years after the time of Christ. That said, the human experience of God as Father/Creator, Son/Redeemer, Spirit/Counselor must have been felt a long time before. So was there a "Trinity" when the first creation story was told? We'd say, sure! "God is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow." But I think that's hindsight, and would maintain the Yawistic account of the seven days of creation, with human beings placed in dominion by the Creator God's will, isn't making a point about the Trinity as a modern Christian would understand the idea. This Sunday we'll have more conversation about what that specific point is -- and I will appreciate knowing more about what the creation stories mean to you and others. Thanks again for your comment.
Post a Comment