Category Archives: The First Testament

The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve (3)

On Fridays, we’re doing a series on Stephen Greenblatt’s The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve. In this book, he examines how “the story of Adam and Eve has over centuries decisively shaped conceptions of human origins and human destiny.” In chapter 4, Greenblatt writes about a first century Jewish midrash on the earlyContinue reading “The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve (3)”

The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve (2)

On Fridays, we’re doing a series on Stephen Greenblatt’s The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve. In his stunningly well-written chapter, “By the Rivers of Babylon,” Greenblatt begins to trace the origins of the Adam and Eve story and how it came to be placed in the Hebrew Bible. If you want to understandContinue reading “The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve (2)”

The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve (1)

On Fridays, I’ll be doing a series for several weeks on one of the books I received for Christmas, Stephen Greenblatt’s The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve. This book takes a different tack on the Adam and Eve story than other things we’ve looked at in the past. I’ve usually been most focusedContinue reading “The Rise and Fall of Adam and Eve (1)”

Pete Enns: What is Genesis About? (2)

UPDATE: I have added some articles to the IM bulletin Board (right column) that complement our studies this week. Note from CM: Here is part two of Pete Enns’s enlightening overview of the purpose of Genesis in the final edition of the Hebrew Bible. Pete blogs at The Bible for Normal People. He also has a new The BibleContinue reading “Pete Enns: What is Genesis About? (2)”

Pete Enns: What Is Genesis About? (1)

Note from CM: Thanks to Pete Enns for allowing us to re-post this thought-provoking essay about the purpose of Genesis. As usual, from my perspective it is spot on. And, as usual, it goes against the grain of most of the evangelical/fundamentalist teaching which originally shaped my view of Scripture. But it makes so muchContinue reading “Pete Enns: What Is Genesis About? (1)”

Psalms Week: Lives Built Around Praying the Psalms

My primary (and very limited) experience with praying the Psalms communally is with the Trappist monks at Gethsemani Abbey in Kentucky. They pray the Psalms seven times a day, and cover the entire Psalter every two weeks. So you can imagine that the words and sentiments of the Psalms have become part of the veryContinue reading “Psalms Week: Lives Built Around Praying the Psalms”

Psalms Week: May Your Kingdom Come

The Book of Psalms is a wilderness book. It is also perfect for the messy, muddy, unpredictable season of Lent. It is filled with laments, the most common type in the book, but the Hebrew name for the book is Tehillim, which means “praises.” There is constant movement throughout the book from lament to praise, from despair toContinue reading “Psalms Week: May Your Kingdom Come”

One of God’s Better Stories

I have to admit, I loved being a part of the story I posted yesterday. It was a great privilege to know Lenny and Frances, and their lives inspire me. I got a sense from the comments that we all feel admiration for people like them — folks who seem to model Jesus’ teachings aboutContinue reading “One of God’s Better Stories”

John Sailhamer Week: 3 — Focus on the Text

John Sailhamer Week on Internet Monk (3) Focus on the Text Last week, the most influential professor in my life died. John Sailhamer, my Hebrew and OT prof at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School throughout the 1980’s, succumbed to Parkinson’s and Lewy Body dementia, and went into the care of the God who loved him andContinue reading “John Sailhamer Week: 3 — Focus on the Text”