Something I'm looking forward to

This coming spring I’ll be teaching a class out at Palomar that is my favorite—English 245 (Survey of Biblical Literature). There are so many reasons I look forward to starting the class.


For one thing, I want to combat biblical illiteracy. People used to know the Bible even they didn’t believe in its theological message. Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King were able to make biblical references and expected their audiences to pick up on them. Not any more—many know nothing about its stories.


Secondly, I hope to change attitudes and stereotypes about the Bible. Some believe it is totally grim, full of dire warnings and stern moralizing. They don’t know the Bible has all emotions, including humor. There are genuinely funny parts, and I always stress those so students can appreciate the variety of emotions in the Bible.


In addition, I want to challenge people to think about the big issues of life. We look at Genesis 1, for example, and I read aloud the first four words: “In the beginning God.” I ask them to consider the importance of those words in building a worldview. If people accept or reject those four words, it will make a huge difference in how they see the world and their place in it. Either we are the product of an intelligence, or we are the result of blind chance. Either way will impact the way we choose to live.


Finally, I hope for change in people’s lives. A few years a go I had a students who was a tough guy (I thought). He later told me his life had crashed and burned. He said the Bible spoke to him in a powerful way, and since then he has become a serious Christian with a new outlook on life. A story like that is so encouraging to hear. It’s certainly not the instructor that created that change. The Bible has the power to change lives even after two thousand years.


I’m working on a website that will include much on my course—audio lectures people can listen to or download and articles relating to the Bible. Once it’s up and functioning, I’ll let you know.