This webpage and its linked resources provide open
educational materials for studying the Bible.
The "Introduction to Biblical Literature" course covers the
entire Bible in a single semester, aiming to combat biblical illiteracy.
Class members use assigned Bible study sheets,
crossword puzzles, map assignments, and other tasks to deepen their understanding of the
Bible.
This webpage offers supplementary materials such as PowerPoint presentations, audio/video
resources, memory quizzes, and study guides to enhance the learning experience.
Photo of fragments of one Dead Sea Scroll
Open Educational Resources
This page and the resources linked from it are Open Educational Resources (OER)
"Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures." —
Luke 24:45
"Bib-Lit", as Introduction to Biblical Literature came to be called on the Southern Nazarene
University campus, is a one-semester all-the-way-through-the-Bible course that aims to stamp
out biblical illiteracy!
In this entry-level course, I tried to give students a grasp of basic Bible facts in chronological
order.. We met 80 Bible characters and looked at 15 key chapters. We learned at least one phrase
about the content of every Bible book. By the end of the course, students were writing the entire
story of the Bible in one page.
" I stumbled across your internet pages on the Bible. I needed to get back to basics
and this helps. Thank you." -- Dan C., Florida
Two Dozen Memorable Sayings About the Bible
"The Bible is the only book where the Author is in love with
every reader."-- Unknown
"Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the
problems men face."-- Ronald Reagan/li>
"The Bible is not an antiquated book; it is a guidebook for
today."-- Billy Graham
"The Bible is a window in this prison-world, through which
we may look into eternity."-- Timothy Dwight
"The Bible shows the way to go to heaven, not the way the
heavens go."-- Galileo Galilei/li>
"The Bible is the most valuable thing that this world
affords."-- Queen Elizabeth II
"The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from
the Bible."-- Dwight L. Moody
"The Bible is God's chart for you to steer by, to keep you
from the bottom of the sea, and to show you where the harbor is, and how to reach it without
running on rocks or bars."-- Henry Ward Beecher
"The Bible was not given for our information but for our
transformation."-- D.L. Moody
"In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never
failed to give me light and strength."-- Robert E. Lee
"We must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion
of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian."-- A.W. Tozer
"The Bible is the greatest example of the whole being greater
than its parts."-- Michael Phillips
"The Bible is a compass, pointing you in the right direction."-
- Joseph B. Wirthlin
"The Bible is a book that has survived centuries of
manhandling and has been a lamp to our feet and a light to our path."-- Adrian Rogers
"The Bible is God's love letter to us."-- Billy Graham
"The Bible is a rock of diamonds, a chain of pearls, the
sword of the Spirit; a chart by which the Christian sails to eternity, the map by which he daily
walks, the sundial by which he sets his life, the balance in which he weighs his actions."--
Thomas Watson
"The Bible is the ultimate truth filter."-- Todd Stocker
"The Bible is a mirror that reveals our need for a Savior."--
Kirk Cameron
"The Bible is the only book whose author is always present
when one reads it."-- Unknown
"The Bible is God's Word given in man's language."-- Max
Lucado
"The Bible is the only book that reveals the mind of God, the
state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers."-- John
Newton
"The Bible is a book that has changed the world more than
any other book in history."-- Tony Evans
"The Bible is the voice of God in print."-- Tony Evans
"The Bible is a map for the traveler, staff for the pilgrim,
compass for the sailor, and sword for the soldier."-- Unknown
What You Can Expect to Learn in an Introductory Bible Class
In an introductory Bible course, students can expect to learn the foundational aspects of the
Bible, including its historical context, major themes, key figures, and significant events. Here are
some common topics that will likely be covered:
Structure of the Bible: Students will learn about the
organization of the Bible into the Old Testament and the New Testament, as well as the various
genres of literature within it (e.g., historical narratives, poetry, wisdom literature, prophetic
literature, epistles).
Historical Context: It is crucial to understand the
historical and cultural background of the ancient Near East during the time periods covered in the
Bible, This means students will learn about the political, social, and religious context of ancient
Israel and surrounding civilizations.
Major Themes and Messages: Students will explore
the central themes and messages present throughout the Bible, such as God's covenant with
humanity, salvation, redemption, justice, mercy, love, and the concept of the Kingdom of
God.
Key Figures: An introductory course typically
covers key figures in the Bible, including patriarchs (such as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob),
prophets (like Moses, Elijah, and Isaiah), kings (e.g., David and Solomon), and prominent New
Testament figures (such as Jesus, the apostles, and other early Christian leaders).
Significant Events: Students will study major events
recounted in the Bible, such as Creation, the Exodus, the Babylonian Exile, the life and teachings
of Jesus, his crucifixion and resurrection, and the early spread of Christianity.
Critical Thinking and Engagement: Students will be
encouraged to critically engage with the text, asking questions, exploring seeming contradictions
or tensions, and considering different perspectives.
Overall, an introductory Bible course aims to provide students with a foundational
understanding of the Bible as a sacred text, its historical context, major themes, and its
significance in shaping culture, religion, and ethics.
Class resources including assignments, due dates, and exam study guides
What Nazarenes believe about the Bible:
"We believe in the plenary inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, by which we
understand the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments, given by divine inspiration, inerrantly
revealing the will of God concerning us in all things necessary to our salvation, so that whatever
is not contained therein is not to be enjoined as an article of faith.
(Luke 24:44 47; John 10:35; 1 Corinthians 15:3 4; 2 Timothy 3:15 17; 1 Peter 1:10 12;
2 Peter 1:20 21)
-- Articles of Faith, Church of the Nazarene
There are a dozen of Bible Study
assignment sheets to be
completed. They start with Genesis and go through Revelation. Along the way, you will read
about a fourth of the Bible. You will be asked to reflect on the lives of lots of 80 Bible
characters. Don't be overwhelmed. Here's what to do:
Turn each one in on time
Take the due dates calendar
and write those dates on the
individual sheets as well as the master calendar of assignments that you keep (I hope) for all
your classes.
Bible Study sheets are due at the beginning of class period
Don't be overwhelmed that there are a dozen of them. Remember the Chinese riddle:
Crossword puzzles based on material in Discovering the
Bible,
the textbook for Introduction to Biblical Literature. Click on numbers to retrieve sheets
"All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and
training in righteousness" -- 2 Timothy 3:16
Helps for Bible study
As you get deeper and deeper into the Word, you'll find the following of help:
Bible concordance
Alphabetical listing of words in the Bible with the verses in which they appear.
Several concordances or Bible search engines can be found online.
Bible dictionary
Alphabetical arrangement of explanations of Bible history, culture and general contents
Bible encyclopedia
Similar to a Bible dictionary with an alphabetical listing of topics and explanations. Covers
more territory in greater detail than does a dictionary
Bible atlas
Geographical and topographical information on Bible lands, including geopolitical
boundaries
Bible commentary
Scholar's comments on the meaning of the text of the books of the Bible, often verse by
verse. Commentaries often are multi-volume sets
What will you get out of this BibLit course?
Student comments from previous semesters:
"It helped me learn more about things I thought I knew."
"I read more of the Bible than I ever had before."
"I was exposed to stories in the Bible that I hadn't read before."
"We took 'field trips' that were very helpful."
"It brought the Bible to life."
Do you read novels? Then, let James Michener bring alive
for you the drama of Israel's turbulent past in his novel The Source. Michener is a
marvelous storyteller. In this 1965 book, Michener uses historical fiction to bring Israel's past
eras to life. The focal point of the novel is an archaeological dig at Tell Makor, an imaginary
mound that is the accumulated residue of abandoned settlements, each resting on the ruins of its
predecessor.
I don't agree with all of Michener's assumptions and theological conclusions. However, the
book can greatly help a peson sense the drama of biblical events.
Writing standards
Most courses at SNU contain a writing component.
I expect students to produce written work that is focused, well-developed,
organized, and relatively free of grammatical, punctuation, and spelling errors.
Papers falling short of this standard may not be graded. That work may be returned to the student
for further revision and resubmission. S
ee my writing checklist.
Ready for a light-hearted moment?
As we jump into the course, would you like a
chuckle? [ more ]
Note: The complete Bible is now available in
670 languages. The New Testament by itself has been translated into 1,521 more languages
while Bible portions have been translated into an additional 1,121 languages. Bibles in at least 65
languages can be found at Biblegateway.com
Do you read novels? Then, let James Michener bring alive
for you the drama of Israel's turbulent past in his novel The Source. Michener is a
marvelous storyteller. In this 1965 book, Michener uses historical fiction to bring Israel's past
eras to life. The focal point of the novel is an archaeological dig at Tell Makor, an imaginary
mound that is the accumulated residue of abandoned settlements, each resting on the ruins of its
predecessor.