Biblical Studies for Secular Students (Ages 10 - 13)
Study the Bible from a secular viewpoint, learning about the history of ancient Israel, Judah, Assyria and Babylon while exploring how Biblical interpretation has changed over time.
Christy Knockleby
Average rating:
4.9
Number of reviews:(191)
What's included
9 live meetings
8 hrs 15 mins in-class hoursClass Experience
This course is based on the premise that the Bible is written by humans for humans. The texts were compiled and edited over hundreds of years. When we look at Old Testament Bible stories in this class and we will discuss what the story is about and the context in which it was likely written. The class is for learning about an ancient religion and the ancient history of Israel. We will discuss some of the major stories within the Old Testament and looking at how they fit together. Students will be asked to read Bible stories outside of class and will need to have their Bible on hand during class. I will provide excerpts from other ancient civilizations to provide comparison and context. The tentative schedule is as follows. I do adjust schedules as I go along. 1) Moses. 2) Conquest, infiltration or revolt. Stories from Joshua and Judges. 3) The Kingship debate. Saul, David, and Solomon. 4) Stories from the divided monarchy. 5) The Assyrian Crisis. 6) Josiah's reform and the law. 7) Stories of Creation and the Patriarchs in the post-exilic context. 8) Job and the problem of evil. 9) The Maccabees. While we will be respectful of the fact that the text we will be studying holds great religious value to many people, we will be examining it within a secular context, looking at the history and literary techniques. I will be using information gleaned from a variety of books, including A History of Israelite Religion in the Old Testament Period by Rainer Albertz, The Hebrew Bible: A Socio-Literary Introduction by Norman K. Gottwald, The Gospels and Jesus by Graham Stanton, as well as the works of John Dominic Crossan and Marcus Borg.
Learning Goals
My goals for this class is to help students:
- learn to find Bible passages
- learn to recognize Old Testament references in art and literature
- understand that the Bible is a collection of texts based on particular historical realities. This doesn't meant that the Bible's stories about history are true, but rather that the events and struggles the people were facing influenced what they wrote. For example, some sections of the Bible come out of the Jerusalem elite's experience of being taken into exile by the Babylonians.
- recognize similarities between the Biblical texts and the other ancient texts.
Other Details
Parental Guidance
At times I may provide edited versions of the Bible passages we will be reading in order to remove sexual references. However, the course will still deal with stories of violence. Please feel free to discuss this with me ahead of time.
Supply List
I recommend everyone have a hard-copy of the Bible, preferably the New Revised Standard Version. However, students can use an online copy instead. Children's Bibles that summarize the stories without including every chapter and verse will not be appropriate for this class.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Joined March, 2017
4.9
191reviews
Teacher expertise and credentials
I was raised within the United Church of Canada to view the Bible as a historical and literary document. I attended a year of theological studies at McGill University, in Montreal, Quebec. I'm currently agnostic or even atheist, but fascinated by Biblical history.
Reviews
Live Group Class
$135
for 9 classes1x per week, 9 weeks
55 min
Completed by 21 learners
Live video meetings
Ages: 10-13
4-11 learners per class
