B/T-830 The Bible and the Earth
Spring 2007; Tuesday, 2:15-5:00
Carol Johnston, Office 229, 931-2334
Marti Steussy, Office 206, 931-2337
Common Texts
The Bible: bring your Bible to class!
Diane Bergant, The Earth is the Lord’s
Denis Edwards, Jesus the Wisdom of God
Terence Fretheim, God and World in the Old Testament: a Relational Theology of Creation
Norman Habel, Seven Songs of Creation (spread across first seven class sessions)
Norman Habel, ed. The Earth Bible, Vol 1.
The other four volumes of The Earth Bible will be split among students.
Carol Johnston, The Leaves of the Tree are for the Healing of the Nations
Calendar
Jan 16: Introduction to class, discuss Lynn White’s “Historical Roots of the Ecological Crisis” (available online and at reserve desk).
Jan 30: Discuss Johnston and Edwards.
Feb 13: Discuss The Earth Bible, vol. 1.
Feb 20: No class, but proposals due for Bible and Earth projects: 1-2 pages describing what you plan to do, the target audience, and a starter bibliography.
March 6: Discuss Fretheim.
March 20: Presentations on The Earth Bible, vols. 2 & 3.
Easter Week
April 10: Presentations on The Earth Bible, vols. 4 & 5.
April 24: Discuss Bergant.
May 1 :Final versions of projects due, reflections on class.
Class Requirements
35% of your grade will be based on attendance and participation. This means not merely being present, but having read and thought about the material!
25% of the grade will be based on an Earth Bible presentation (30 minutes) in which you present for your classmates material from your assigned volume of The Earth Bible.
40% of the grade will be based on a Bible and Earth project. You will propose your own topic and genre for this project (which need not take the form of a conventional academic research paper, although that would be an acceptable format). The research for the project should involve solid exegetical work on selected biblical texts and good critical thinking (if you choose a non-discursive format such as visual art for the project, do an accompanying written piece). Plan on a class presentation (20-30 minutes unless otherwise negotiated) as one component of the project.
A proposal for the project is due on Feb 20 (although that is not a regular class meeting day). We will schedule dates for class presentations of your work (20-30 minutes unless otherwise arranged).
We will also ask you to be involved with planning worship services for classes (feel free to draw on Habel’s Seven Songs of Creation).
Auditors are expected to attend, do the reading, and help with worship. They may choose but are not required to do projects and presentations.
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