| |
|
February 16 - March 27, 2009
Sponsored by: The Church of the Brethren's Susquehanna
Valley Ministry Center
If you have questions about the course itself, email Susan Jeffers
at susan@read-the-bible.org.
For information on registration and fees, check the course brochure and/or contact
the SVMC office, Amy Milligan, milligana@etown.edu
717-361-1450.
This webpage was last updated 2/7/09.
Course Description: In this course we will study the biblical book of Ezekiel, one of the books of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible known as the Prophets. We will try to read Ezekiel "as if for the first time," paying close attention to what the biblical text actually says and what it might mean. We will consult commentaries and other resources for information about the ancient world and what the Church has thought about this book of the Bible, in an effort to become better equipped for biblically grounded ministry. Students will be expected to read and think about assigned biblical and other texts, to participate in online class discussion, and to learn a bit of the biblical Hebrew language relevant to our study. Students will complete a group study project to engage more deeply with some aspect of the book of Ezekiel, demonstrating effective use of resources such as Bible dictionaries and commentaries, and ability to use the Bible in ministry.
Course Format: This course will be conducted online, using "Moodle" online courseware. You will need access to a high-speed Internet connection for an hour or more, at least 4-5 times per week throughout the course. You should plan on a total of 12-15 hours every week for the 6 weeks of the course for reading, online discussion and offline study. If you have questions, contact the instructor, Susan Jeffers, at susan@read-the-bible.org.
3 Required Books - be sure you have them all
(1) NRSV Study Bible, any edition. You are welcome to also use any other
translation alongside the NRSV; we use this translation because of its consistent
and helpful textual
and translational notes, which complement our "little bit of Hebrew"
language study.
Optional additional Bible: The Jewish Study Bible, published by Oxford University Press. Available in paperback (ISBN 0195297547) or hardcover (ISBN 0195297512).
(2) Believers Church Bible Commentary Ezekiel, by Millard Lind, Herald Press, 1996.
(3) Any recent (10 years old maximum) academic style Bible Dictionary, such as Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible, David Noel Freedman, ed., 2000, ISBN 0-8028-2400-5. Email the instructor if you're not sure about a particular Bible dictionary.
Hebrew language materials: Each week during the course, I will post a Hebrew lesson with accompanying audio.
The expectation for Hebrew language study is simply that each student spend 1 hour per week working with the materials and taking a quiz. The Hebrew quizzes are online, with no time limit, open book, and the student can re-take them as many times as you wish, with only the highest score counting toward the grade. You are not expected to know any Hebrew at all, prior to the start of the course. I try to make the Hebrew study fun, and not worrisome. On the other hand, if you do happen to have some Hebrew language knowledge, welcome! Please join us! I will also post more advanced optional resources so you can make good use of your Hebrew in this study of the book of Ezekiel.
NOTE: In the past I have prepared a workbook with audio CD; the workbook for this course would have been titled A Little Bit of Hebrew Using the Text of Ezekiel. However, I've recently begun integrating the workbook materials and audio with each week's work in the course. I will post the audio files in mp3 format, and the written part of the lessons as pdf files, which anyone should be able to download and use on your computer and/or copy to an iPod or print.
Course Schedule:
NOTE: Ezekiel is a very long book. I urge students to read it in its entirety, as well as the Week 1 Lind assignment, before the official start of class, so you're prepared to begin discussion early in the first week. You're likely to find parts of the book tough going; that's OK, just keep on and we'll talk about it in class. You might find it helpful to listen to an audio recording as you read. You can do this even if the audio is from a different translation. I particularly enjoy listening to an audio recording of the King James Version while reading along in the NRSV or NIV. There are many audio recordings available free online, or you can borrow or purchase CDs or cassette tapes. Public libraries often have one or more sets available.
|
Week 1 |
February 16-22, 2009 |
Course and student introductions |
|
Week 2 |
February 23-March 1, 2009 |
Lind Part 1 and 2; Ezekiel 1-24 |
|
Week 3 |
March 2-8, 2009 |
Lind Part 3 and "The Great Divide"; Ezekiel 25-33 |
|
Week 4 |
March 9-15, 2009 |
Lind Part 4 and 5; Ezekiel 34-39 |
|
Week 5 |
March 16-22, 2009 |
Lind Part 6; Ezekiel 40-48 |
|
Week 6 |
March 23-27, 2009 |
Re-read the entire book of Ezekiel, and skim the entire Lind commentary |
|
If you have questions about the course itself, email Susan Jeffers at
susan@read-the-bible.org.
This online Biblical Studies course is open to anyone who would like to enroll. By far the majority of students in SVMC courses are members of the Church of the Brethren in training for ministry (broadly construed). The instructor, Susan Jeffers, is a Quaker (member of the Religious Society of Friends) and would be particularly pleased should some interested Quakers sign up, as well as persons from other Christian denominations, other religious groups, or unaffiliated persons with an interest in the Bible. No previous Bible knowledge is required, and no particular religious beliefs are assumed. To get a sense of the instructor's biblical interests and approach, check out her "Peace Church Bible Study Home Page" at www.read-the-bible.org. Some of my favorite parts of Ezekiel: Ezekiel chapters 1 and 10 - Ezekiel's vision Ezekiel 36:26 (NIV) "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." See also the lyrics to the hymn "Here I Am, Lord" 4th stanza. Ezekiel 37:3 (KJV) "And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest." | ||