In the pre-class chatter I had the privilege of listening to one of my classmates tell a story of Hulk Hogan and his family handing out non-kosher cookies to his Jewish neighbors. Um....interesting.
Before I start talking about class let me say this: If you have not listened to the Fresh Air episode with Dan Savage and his boyfriend (in America, husband in Canada), Terry Miller, you should stop reading this and go listen to it. Here is a link: Fresh Air March 23, 2011. Dan and Terry founded "It Get's Better" which focuses on helping gay teenagers who face incessant bullying and rejection. It's good stuff.
OK, with that, it's time to start class. We're starting off wit another oral presentation from one of my classmates. Here we go! (Apologies to Bud Light).
*update* 8:30 am - So far our conversation has gone from Daniel (the book) to the days leading up tot he Iraq war to the "opiate of the masses" (the sitcom - distracts the US from what's really going on in the world) to the bias of the US media and now back to Daniel. It still cracks me up that this professor is a Baptist.
*update* 9:10 am - Wow, we're reading Jeremiah 29. Looking at this text it looks like God is 'purifying the race' of Judeans. Jeremiah's letter to the exiles talks about God 'bringing the sword' against those who were left behind. Interesting fact, those taken into exile were the elite. The king & his court, the artisans and smiths, the leaders (priests?). Which means those left behind are the poor, the marginalized, the insignificant. Wow.
Somebody help me out, when was Jeremiah written?
I wonder if this is meant to be a derision of the Samaritans? (See Monday's post.)
*update* 9:30 am - I'm going with: yes. Yes, it was meant as a way to degrade the Samaritans and thus build up the Judeans as the exile was ending.
*update* 9:42 am - Wow, we ended up having a long discussion about Samaritans & Jews. It's been a Samaritan/Judean week.
*update* 10:00 am - **Response to Eric's comment** (see below for comment) - We focus on the texts of the inter-biblical period (Apocryphal, Deuterocanonical, etc.) but the conversation often comes back around to the modern world. It's part of the class I really like, relating the events of the scriptures (and history) to the present world. It truly shows you that "the more things change, the more they stay the same."
*update* 10:50 am - Dr. Niang just compared the writers of Daniel to Bill Maher and John Stewart. Interesting... Thoughts?
*update* 1:05 pm - Formation is over. It was good today. We talked about gifts. More on that later.
Now it's time for Pastoral Care. We have a guest teacher today. Our topic is "Theology of and Ministry to Families".
*update* 1:30 pm - I may not get to update a lot in this class today. I'm having to take many notes. Interesting stuff, though.
*update* 1:50 pm - Here are some note I just took:
Divorce Stats · First marriages – 41%-50%
· Second marriages – 60%-70%
· Third marriages – 73%-74%
· At least 66% of couples without children get divorced.
Wow! And people say gay marriage will ruin the institution of marriage? Really? What have we left to ruin?
*update* 2:10 pm - Wow, he just asked if anyone had any questions and no one asked a question. Nice.
*update* 3:25 pm - I have a new phrase to use (or more likely over-use): Helicopter parent. If you ask nicely I'll give you a definition.
*update* 5:45 pm - Oops...Last week Dr. Niang mentioned at the end of class that we should come today with the thesis statement for our exegetical paper. Now he wants us to read them for a quiz grade. I didn't go mine. Uh oh.
*update* 6:15 pm - Whew! He changed his mind about the quiz grade. Of course, now I have a thesis statement (came up with it a few minutes after he announced he wanted to hear them.) So I guess that's a plus.
*update* 6:40 pm - Jamie, That seems to be the generally accepted date of authorship. But many scholars believe there were changes & revisions. There are passages (including the verses from chapter 29 I referred to earlier) that are in the Masoretic Text (Hebrew) that are not included in the Septuagint (Greek).
*update* 7:15 pm - Wow, I really needed that break. I had to meet with my adviser this afternoon, so I didn't have time to eat dinner between classes. I was starting to wear down. This granola bar and coffee are doing their work.
*update* 7:30 pm - Excuse me, professor, but I just want to let you know how much I know. I know a lot. Thank you. Please continue your lecture.
*update* 8:10 pm - Oh my, it is hot in here! I'm not sure I will make it through the last 20 minutes at this temperature.
I wonder... is the class about "Faith & Hope in the **Interbiblical** Times," or would "extrabiblical" be appropriate? Sounds like ya'll talk a lot about current events.
ReplyDeleteJeremiah was written between 630 and 580 BC. The big date was 586 BC when the temple was destroyed and the kingdom of Judah basically ceased to exist after rebelling against Babylon.
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