Tuesday, February 24 - Faith like Abraham
C. Stephen Evans, “Introduction,” in Fear and Trembling, ed. C. Stephen Evans and Sylvia Walsh, trans. Sylvia Walsh (New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006), pp. vi-xxx.
Søren Kierkegaard, “Tuning Up” and “A Tribute to Abraham,” in Ibid., pp. 7-20.
This week Michael will lead our discussion of Kierkegaard's idea of "faith like Abraham." I was drawn to these readings for two reasons: the first is that the scholarly introduction sets Fear and Trembling in its historical context, and I'm a historian, so I think it's neat to think about the ubiquitously Christian society and culture in which Kierkegaard/Johannes De Silentio wrote this challenging little book. The second is that sometimes we Moderns have a hard time relating to the figures and stories in the Bible. That all happened so long ago. But I believe the Bible contains truths for every generation, through the Holy Spirit. So this extended essay is an example of one person in history trying to find truth in a story that is compelling despite its lack of details. Or is it compelling because of its lack of details? Even though Kierkegaard's method of imputing internal motives to the characters may remind us of psychoanalytic history, we've brought up a number of times this semester already how the original writer(s) may have thought their point was obvious, but that since times, they are a'changing, and we don't get the original message anymore. So what message do you get out of this story, today? In other words, we're practicing a bit of hermeneutics this week, in trying to interpret both Kierkegaard/Johannes and Genesis 22.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Faith of Our Church Fathers
Tuesday, February 17 – Abraham and Isaac
Genesis 15, 17, 18:1-15, 22
Rachel Barenblat, “Silence,” Velveteen Rabbi (11 Nov 2008). Accessed 31 Dec 2008: http://velveteenrabbi.blogs.com/blog/2008/11/this-weeks-portion-silence.html.
Hebrews 11
“Story of Abraham,” Islamia. Accessed 31 Dec 2008: http://www.islamia.com/abraham.htm.
This week we get to one of the really fascinating stories about sacrifice in the Bible: God has promised great things to Abraham through his younger son, Isaac, and then God asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. It nearly came to pass, but God (or an Angel) intervenes, and a ram is offered up instead.
Because Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all claim to be Abrahamic faiths, I thought this was a great opportunity to examine this familiar story from these different perspectives. Here are some questions our readings suggest:
Abraham is often held up as a paragon of faith (e.g. Hebrews 11): does Rachel Barenblatt's poem make you think more, or less, highly of him?
How is the story different if we remember that Isaac wasn't Abraham's "one and only son" (Hebrews 11:17) (even though we know God make specific promises about Isaac)? Does it matter whether it's Isaac or Ishmael that Abraham nearly sacrificed? Or whether the almost-sacrificed son was in on the plan? (The fact that Isaac is kept in the dark in Genesis 22 always left an impression on me as a child.)
Going a little farther afield: Do you admire the role models the author of Hebrew has enumerated? Why or why not? What do you make of the assertion that "Each one of these people of faith died not yet having in hand what was promised, but still believing" (Hebrews 11:13, Peterson)?
Check back before Tuesday, after I get a chance to read up on God's claim on first born (sons, of course). I will also bring the book with illustrations this week.
Genesis 15, 17, 18:1-15, 22
Rachel Barenblat, “Silence,” Velveteen Rabbi (11 Nov 2008). Accessed 31 Dec 2008: http://velveteenrabbi.blogs.com/blog/2008/11/this-weeks-portion-silence.html.
Hebrews 11
“Story of Abraham,” Islamia. Accessed 31 Dec 2008: http://www.islamia.com/abraham.htm.
This week we get to one of the really fascinating stories about sacrifice in the Bible: God has promised great things to Abraham through his younger son, Isaac, and then God asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. It nearly came to pass, but God (or an Angel) intervenes, and a ram is offered up instead.
Because Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all claim to be Abrahamic faiths, I thought this was a great opportunity to examine this familiar story from these different perspectives. Here are some questions our readings suggest:
Abraham is often held up as a paragon of faith (e.g. Hebrews 11): does Rachel Barenblatt's poem make you think more, or less, highly of him?
How is the story different if we remember that Isaac wasn't Abraham's "one and only son" (Hebrews 11:17) (even though we know God make specific promises about Isaac)? Does it matter whether it's Isaac or Ishmael that Abraham nearly sacrificed? Or whether the almost-sacrificed son was in on the plan? (The fact that Isaac is kept in the dark in Genesis 22 always left an impression on me as a child.)
Going a little farther afield: Do you admire the role models the author of Hebrew has enumerated? Why or why not? What do you make of the assertion that "Each one of these people of faith died not yet having in hand what was promised, but still believing" (Hebrews 11:13, Peterson)?
Check back before Tuesday, after I get a chance to read up on God's claim on first born (sons, of course). I will also bring the book with illustrations this week.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
The uniqueness of ancient Jewish sacrifice
Tuesday, February 10
Glenn M. Miller, “Sacrifice in the Old Testament,” The Great Irruption: Christ’s Work on the Cross
This week we are getting a broader perspective on the sacrificial rites we read about in Leviticus last week. For instance, I had a chance to talk with an egyptologist friend, who told me the ancient Egyptians didn't sacrifice sacrifice as much as the ancient Hebrews, and when they did it was mostly a royal prerogative. (Also, they preferred large animals--no doves or grain!) Remember too that God calls the Israelites to sacrifice in the temple and not in the fields:
This is so the Israelites will bring to the LORD the sacrifices they are now making in the open fields. They must bring them to the priest, that is, to the LORD, at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and sacrifice them as fellowship offerings. ~Leviticus 17:5 [emphasis mine]
That got me thinking about how important sacrifice must have been in ancient Judaism, that it was something for all Jews to do to have relationship with God and with other Jews--kind of how everyone is welcome at the Communion table in the United Methodist Church.
Have you ever considered how modern Christian "sacrifices" or rites build community?
Or coming from a different angle, which of the three Old Testament approaches to sacrifice most closely aligns with your own?
Glenn M. Miller, “Sacrifice in the Old Testament,” The Great Irruption: Christ’s Work on the Cross
This week we are getting a broader perspective on the sacrificial rites we read about in Leviticus last week. For instance, I had a chance to talk with an egyptologist friend, who told me the ancient Egyptians didn't sacrifice sacrifice as much as the ancient Hebrews, and when they did it was mostly a royal prerogative. (Also, they preferred large animals--no doves or grain!) Remember too that God calls the Israelites to sacrifice in the temple and not in the fields:
This is so the Israelites will bring to the LORD the sacrifices they are now making in the open fields. They must bring them to the priest, that is, to the LORD, at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and sacrifice them as fellowship offerings. ~Leviticus 17:5 [emphasis mine]
That got me thinking about how important sacrifice must have been in ancient Judaism, that it was something for all Jews to do to have relationship with God and with other Jews--kind of how everyone is welcome at the Communion table in the United Methodist Church.
Have you ever considered how modern Christian "sacrifices" or rites build community?
Or coming from a different angle, which of the three Old Testament approaches to sacrifice most closely aligns with your own?
- The legal/cultuc prescriptions in the Pentateuch
- The worshipper's contrite and thankful heart in Pslams
- The prophetic rebuke and challenge to abuses in the Prophets
Sunday, February 1, 2009
"The Blood of the Covenant"
UIUC Department of Religion 2009 Spring Lecture
"The Blood of the Covenant from the Bible to the Eighteenth Century"
David Biale
Emanuel Ringelblum Professor of Jewish History in the Department of History of University of California Davis
Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at 7:30pm
Levis Faculty Center, 3rd floor (919 W. Illinois St., Urbana)
If people are interesting in attending this talk, perhaps we could go together. Presumably it wouldn't take more than about an hour, and we could just start our discussion of Glenn Miller's chapter on redemption in the New Testament slightly late. Please post here whether or not you'd want to do this.
"The Blood of the Covenant from the Bible to the Eighteenth Century"
David Biale
Emanuel Ringelblum Professor of Jewish History in the Department of History of University of California Davis
Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at 7:30pm
Levis Faculty Center, 3rd floor (919 W. Illinois St., Urbana)
If people are interesting in attending this talk, perhaps we could go together. Presumably it wouldn't take more than about an hour, and we could just start our discussion of Glenn Miller's chapter on redemption in the New Testament slightly late. Please post here whether or not you'd want to do this.
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