Introductions

Who are we?

• On sheet of paper write your name
• Think of your experience reading the Old Testament in the past
• Write down one surprising thing about the Old Testament that you discovered

Syllabus

Study Bibles:

Scripture

After resigning her diplomatic position, Krista spent two years of self-assessment on the island of Mallorca off Spain, where her faith was resuscitated. There, she says, she rediscovered the Bible as neither "a catalogue of absolutes," nor "a document of fantasy," but, instead, a statement of truth in "multiple forms" and "multiple layers." (Krista Tippet of Speaking of Faith/On Being public radio)

Questions to discuss

Read the review sheet on the nature of scripture. Discuss with a partner the following:

• What stands out for you in the reading of this text?
• Before today what did you think the word scripture meant?
• How do you think the world's scriptures ought to be read in a public university?

Reading Journals

An important part of the process of this class

1. What ideas did you learn from the reading?
2. What connections with your own experience and learning can you make?
3. What surprised you about the reading?
4. Or, what can you add to your knowledge from the reading?
5. What new issue or question is raised by the reading?
6. What would you like to pursue next?