Biblical Perspectives course
Resources for an introductory Bible class
Open Educational Resources
This page and the resources linked from it are Open Educational Resources (OER)
This adult degree completion module gives students an overview of the Bible. We'll see the
story that starts at the beginning of the Old Testament and runs to the end of the New Testament.
We'll consider some of the major issues in Biblical understanding and interpretation. In other words, this course is "How to Understand the Bible for Beginners." By the end of the
module, we're writing the entire story of the Bible in one page.
 |
| Bound Lamb (Agnus Dei) by Francisco de Zurbaran,
Museo del Prado, Madrid |
Class resources, including assignments and due dates
External Links
Concordances help you find Bible passages when you know at least one word used in that passage. The three listed below index the King James, New American Standard Version, Darby, World English, and Young's Literal translations in addition to those listed:
- Bible Gateway
(Gospel Films —
GospelCom)
— Versions listed above, plus NIV and RSV
— Other language versions including German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese
- Crosswalk
- Versions listed above, plus: New Living Translation, ASV, New King James, NRSV, RSV,
Today's English Version, New American Bible, Douay-Rheims, Bible in Basic English
- Other Bible study tools
- Unbound Bible
(Biola)
- Versions listed above, plus: ASV, Basic English, Douay-Rheims, Webster's Bible
- Greek,
Hebrew, and 28 other languages
- Easton's Bible dictionary
- Brief histories of several
Bible translations
Other concordances: Bibles.Net
I'm ready to get started!
 | Ready to get started looking at the
Bible? Before you jump in, let's start with some very basic principles. [ more ] |
Tempted to cheat on schoolwork? Before you do, read SNU's academic integrity policy
End-of-module integrative paper for this introduction to the Bible course
From the syllabus: "A 6-8 page reflective paper describing insights from this
course that were new to you, how you respond to those new insights, and possible ways those
new insights might impact your life in the future. Due two weeks after the final class
session"
Need a question to get you started?
- Have you successfully combined new material from the assignments and classroom lectures and discussions with
what you already knew?
- Have some of your previously-held ideas and positions been challenged?
- Can you identify some changes in you because of your participation in this learning
experience?
- What new avenues of investigation have you become curious about following up on?
- In what ways is your understanding of the Bible different now than before the module started?
- At what points were you challenged to think and reflect?
- Did you find yourself discussing material from this module with friends and family during the five weeks?
- Did you find yourself going beyond the work assigned to read more and to pursue one or more questions?
- Your paper need not answer all or even any of these questions. They are offered merely as idea starters.
- Appearance, grammar usage, and clearness of writing will help determine the final grade on this paper.
Ready for some humor? See my writing checklist.
-- Howard Culbertson, hculbert@snu.edu
Afterword: What Will This Course Cover?
A course called "Biblical Perspectives" typically covers various things about the Bible, including its historical, cultural, literary, and theological dimensions. Here's what you can expect to find in such a course:
- An overview of the structure, content, and historical context of the Bible, including its division into Old Testament and New Testament.
- Examination of the historical background of the Bible, including the political, social, and cultural milieu in which it was written.
- Examination of the various literary genres found in the Bible, such as narrative, poetry, prophecy, and apocalyptic literature. This may involve learning about literary techniques used by biblical authors.
- Study of key theological themes present in the Bible, such as creation, covenant, redemption, and eschatology (the study of the end times).
- Introduction to different approaches to interpreting the Bible, including historical-critical methods, literary analysis, and theological interpretation.
- Analysis of important figures and events in biblical narratives, such as Abraham, Moses, Jesus Christ, and the apostles.
- Examination of the ethical and moral teachings found in the Bible and their relevance to contemporary issues.
- Discussion of the relevance of a biblical viewpoint to contemporary issues, such as social justice, environmental stewardship, and personal spirituality.
- Encouragement of critical thinking skills through analysis, discussion, and reflection on biblical texts and their ramifications for faith and life.
Bible Acrostics
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