BlueNotes

 

My intention is that writing up your bluebook notes for any given class should take you no longer than a half hour.  If you find this not to be the case, please let me know. 

DUE DATE
        ASSIGNMENT
T 3/28
    A. Identify problematic aspects of the text and formulate 3 questions for possible class discussion.

    B. Pick one of the characters in the story and write a description of him or her. (1 paragraph)

    Click here for a sample response to this assignment.
Th 3/30
 Choose one piece of midrash (one of the numbered selections from Bialik and Ravnitsky) and one piece of commentary from Rashi.  For each of them:
    What was problematic in the original text?
    Summarize the solution put forward in the midrash/commentary.
    Explain why you picked this particular piece:  "It was interesting because. . . "
Please identify the passages you have chosen for commentary, clearly enough that I can easily find them.
Th 4/6
 Choose one of the following:

1) (on feminist interpretation):  Based on your reading of Frymer-Kensky or Frankel, identify at least three assumptions (either explicit or implicit) that underlie this feminist interpretation.  Give evidence of each assumption from the selection that you read.

2) (on translations):  Select one verse of Gen 32.1-33.4 for which there are interesting variations in the three translations (Fox, JSB, and one from www.biblegateway.com).  Analyze the differences that you see, and do your best to explain them, given the principles/interests that underlie the 3 translation projects.  (Write out the three versions of the selected verse so that I can see them easily.)
Tu 4/11
 On Exodus 1.1-15.21
As you do the reading in Exodus, put an asterisk in the text whenever God speaks or does something.  Then: 
Describe the nature of God, as evidenced in this selection from Exodus.  (One paragraph, with examples to back up your assertions.)
Th 4/27
 Option A: Based on your reading in Leviticus and the JSB essays, answer ONE of the following questions (one paragraph).  For your audience, imagine a friend who has never read the Tanakh.

1) What was the role of the priest in the religion of the Bible? 

OR

2) What was the role of sacrifice in the religion of the Bible?

Option B:  Write a paragraph analyzing some aspect of the library exhibit on the history of the Bible.
Tu 5/2
 Open topic:  Select something that interests you in the readings for today, and write a paragraph about it.  Your audience has done the readings too, so there's no need to summarize.  Rather, identify something interesting, confusing, troubling, etc. and then talk about it.  Think about this paragraph as something that would set us up for class discussion of the aspect of the readings that you have chosen.
Th 5/4
 In The Bible Unearthed, Finkelstein and Silberstein argue that the account of the Israelite conquest of Canaan as narrated in the book of Joshua is an account written in the 7th century, and that it reflects 7th century concerns rather than an accurate account of historical events.  Make a list of four significant elements of the argument presented; these can be either elements of the case that the account in Joshua is not historically accurate, or elements of the case that the account reflects 7th-century concerns.  For example:

1) There is no supporting archeological evidence for key biblical details about the conquest of Jericho (walled fortification, destruction of the city).
Tu 5/16
 The topic for the day as listed on the syllabus is "The New Testament and Its Relationship to the Tanakh."  Write out three statements that explain one or another significant feature of the relationship of the New Testament to the Tanakh, backing each statement up with evidence from either Pelikan's Whose Bible Is It? and/or the Gospel of Matthew. (Do use both sources somewhere in the assignment).  Give citations for your evidence, citing pages  for Pelikan and chap/verse  for Matthew.
Th 5/18
 Recommend a selection (short or long) from your chosen book of the Bible, a selection you think I should consider assigning to the class the next time I teach this course.  Explain why you think this selection would be a good assignment.  (It could be a good assignment because it would fit in very well with issues raised in the course, or it could be good because it would raise issues or give a type of evidence that we haven't seen before.  Or both.  How so?)
Tu 5/23
 Write a paragraph that describes your final project for the course.  What did you set out to do?  Why did this interest you?  What have you found out that might be of interest to others in the course?  We'll take some class time on 5/23 and on 5/25 for you to read these out in class, so everyone can hear what others are working on.