Why Should We Study The Bible?

Survey of LiteratureJones College Prep

Mr. Grossman

What is the BibleO Torah:

O The Jewish term for the First Five Books of the Bible (scholarly term – the Pentateuch)

O Tanakh – Hebrew term for Old Testament (Torah, Prophets, Writings)

O Old Testament – shared by Jews and Christians

O New Testament – Jesus and his disciples

Is it legal to read the Bible in school?

O No, if the purpose is to promote religious belief in Judaism or Christianity

O Yes, if the purpose is to explore a literary, historical, and cultural textO An objective approachO Accepted by the US Supreme Court

Why should we study the Bible?

O Historical ForceO Influence on US history, culture and

societyO Cultural Capital

O Extensive allusions in literature, music, film, art, television

O Anthropological understandingO Foundation of three world religions

(Judaism, Christianity, Islam)

Why should we study the Bible?

O Philosophical reflectionO Raises and encourages contemplation

of essential questions of human existence

O Bible as literature – O Literary craftO Influence on countless authors,

including Shakespeare, Dante, Milton, Melville, Lincoln, Obama, Faulkner, T.S. Elliot, and more

What makes the Bible literature?

O Name derives from Greek “ta biblia,” meaning “the books”

O Analogous to an anthology, not a single storyO A collection of writings, including

O Narratives, poems, letters, epics, biographies, visions, prophecies, legal codes, and more

O Ability to learn about writing and language from studying the Bible

O All-time best-seller

What literary devices appear in the Bible?

O Symbolic word choicesO Symbolic names, often explained

O Parallelism and RepetitionO Repeated phrases and grammatical

structuresO Easier to remember

O Figures of Speech O Similes, metaphors, imagery,

personification, irony, exaggeration

Why study the Bible in a mythology unit?

O Presence of supernatural, divinityO Unites societies, provides identities

through stories that represent shared ancestral heritage

O Universal, timeless lessonsO Code of moral conduct and pattern of

beliefsO Presence of archetypes

O Flood, Hero’s struggle, opposing children, underworld, good vs. evil