Book

Blog Three: “Bible Matters”

Length: 800-1000 words

Due: Tuesday, December 14, at 11:59pm (KATIE Upload)

Write a blog post that is designed for a general audience that explores the question:

How and why does the public biblical interpretation—informed by the academic
study of religion and the Bible—matter in today’s world?

You should use and refer to
• Specific examples from at least one biblical text we read for class. You should
refer to and interpret specific passages
• Specific example from at least one non-biblical text from class (podcast, short
story, article)
• Make clear connections to the academic study of the Bible by using specific ideas
from class discussions and ideas from articles/Dr. Hoke’s comments or
presentations of ideas

Important: This should be a well-crafted blog, written as a whole, that thinks through the
questions above as part of an overall conversation. Through the 800-1000, it should be
clear that you have thought about issues that this question raises based on references.

Your blog should be written designed to (a) make an argument and point that clearly
answers the question (b) get potential readers interested in the topic and (c) help people who
have heard about the topic understand new and different ways to interpret it. You are
creating a conversation with a reading community.
When referring to podcasts/readings: You want to (briefly!) describe the point/idea and
weave in details, but you should not give a long summary.
Your blog should not sound like you wrote it for a class with me as your audience!
Think seriously about who you most want to reach and write to that group.

Grading

• The blog CLEARLY addresses the main question posed and makes a clear point that it
argues using “thoughtful analysis” and support and considers different angles of the
questions (25%)
• The blog clearly works with at least one biblical text/interpretation from class, showing
the student’s own ideas about the text(s), and it discusses and analyzes at least two
specific examples/events from the text/interpretation(s) to make its points. (25%)
• The blog clearly works with at least one non-biblical text from class, and it discusses and
analyzes at least one specific examples from the piece(s) to make its points. (20%)
• The blog clearly engages the academic study of the Bible by making specific connections
to course learning/discussions (20%)
• The blog is cohesive and clearly written for an audience of potential readers in a way that
will engage them and make them think about the ideas and issues it raises. While it may
contain spelling/grammar errors, it is clear the writer took time to craft and construct
their ideas into a piece that is meant to be read by a wider public audience. (10%)


 FINAL SELF-REFLECTION

Length: 800-1000 words
Due: Tuesday, November 23, at 11:59pm (KATIE Upload)


Your final self-reflection should b show your personal (and critical!) reflection on how
YOU think about these questions:

• What does responsible interpretation mean?

• What does it mean to responsibly interpret biblical texts?

In answering the question you should:

(1) Look back at your first and second reflections from the class. What do you notice in
this? How has your thinking changed? How has it stayed the same? Have shifted views--or
grown firmer in your thoughts? Are your personal stakes and agendas in taking this
class the same on finishing as they were on starting?

(2) Select a passage (no more than one chapter long!) from one of the following texts
we've discussed since Fall Break: Acts of Thecla, Mark, Genesis 12–50, Revelation
Using this passage: show how you would responsibly interpret this passage AND
explain how this demonstrates your definition of responsible interpretation in
action.

(3) As you discuss your definition of responsible interpretation, show how course
learning has informed or helped you to better understand your definition. You
should use specific examples from readings and discussion and use details to analyze
and show your ideas

YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO THESE THREE THINGS IN ORDER! BUT IN THE REFLECTION,
IT SHOULD BE CLEAR YOU HAVE WORKED WITH ALL THREE PIECES OF THIS PROMPT.

Again, the main thing I want you to do is use course learning (show attention in class and
time spent reading) to develop your answers to these questions and reflect on your
relationship to course themes and learning outcomes.

Grading will look for: (1) clear answers to questions in prompt; (2) clear analysis using
examples from class; (3) time spent reflecting on your ideas and how they have developed
since your first reflection.