2011 was a great year. There were two significant events that took place.
Fuller Theological Seminary.
When I first moved to Los Angeles in January of 2010 I came with hopes of being a student at Fuller but the Presbytery of Tampa Bay said I had to go to a “Presbyterian” seminary for a year before I could transfer to Fuller. I have to do what they say to be ordained when I finish. I decided to go to the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa because it is the only Presbyterian Seminary that offers classes online and by going to two week intensives. You can actually do an entire Master of Divinity that way. I did a full year from Fall, 2010 - Spring, 2011 which included two, two week intensives and two online semesters. I learned a lot and met some outstanding people.
All that is to say that 2011 began with a bit of uncertainty. There were questions. Would my Presbytery allow me to transfer to Fuller? Would I get in? At my annual meeting the committee decided that I could begin at Fuller in the Fall of 2011 since I would have completed my year at Dubuque. I applied in the Spring and was accepted. My first quarter at Fuller was surreal. I couldn’t believe I finally made it. I was stretched farther than ever in my classes and experienced learning from professors of the highest caliber. I remember times when classes would end and I would just sit there. I never wanted to leave.
Associate Director of Student Ministries
Second, I took a full time position at my church in September. Until then I had been working 28 hours each week at the church splitting my time between middle school, high school, and the alternative worship service. I was also a full time student and was working at the Los Angeles Youth Network about 20 hours each week. In September I was offered a full time position as the Associate Director of Student Ministries at my church. I took the position at the church and moved from staff to volunteer at LAYN. It was an exciting time. It will always be a great memory. There is no other place I would want to experience my first official full-time ministry position.
This year
This year the journey continues. I hope to become an official candidate for ordination and begin taking the 5 ordination exams. I am scheduled to take the Bible Content exam in February. I have a feeling this year won’t be as eventful as 2011 in terms of job/school changes. I’ll continue serving full time at Westminster, I will volunteer at LAYN, and I will enroll in the Winter, Spring, and Fall quarters at Fuller.
There are a few trips I will go on. I’ll go skiing in Park City Utah in March, go on a mission trip to West Virginia in August, and will be back to visit family in North Carolina in December.
I am proud of my two older brothers- Ben and Andrew. They are both starting businesses this year. Check them out at:
www.phillipscopywriting.com and www.keylessautoremotes.com My mother is finishing her nursing degree and my father was just accepted into a Ph.D program after just finishing his second masters.
In 2011 I gave 2 sermons. Click here to watch them.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Economic Stimulus
Right now there is a petition going around for the president to relieve student loan debt as a means of economic stimulus. There are different versions of the same proposal that I've read. Some would have the president wipe away all student loans, some would have various restrictions. Each proposal suggests that wiping out student loan debt would boost the economy because that demographic of professionals would put their money back into the economy rather than spending it on student loans.
I have heard a few arguments against this proposal. I understand where they are coming from. Most of the time one's position is based on their own worldview. This is true in all aspects of life. If you are not currently paying back loans you're more likely to disagree with this stimulus plan.
I put myself through college and now I am in my second year of graduate school. I have always paid my living expenses out of pocket completely. That includes laptop, books, travel, etc. My student loans have been applied to nothing but tuition. Those loans were only paid to the balance after various scholarships. I was never eligible for a grant from the government. My point is - I am also speaking from my own worldview. I admit it.
On the other hand - I have friends who have responded to this stimulus as ones to whom it doesn't apply. They didn't go to school, never had to take out loans, etc. Many of them have replied saying it isn't fair to those who had to pay off their own loans. This is a very good point - and the fact that one would speak to that outside of their own interest is notable.
With that said, there will never be a stimulus plan that is fair to everybody. When "cash for clunkers" was instituted I had just bought a car and worked hard to sell my previous car for $2,000.00 when I could have been given $4,000.00 had I known there would be a stimulus plan called "cash for clunkers" that would be passed a few months later. I was definitely happy for those who were able to take advantage of it. I felt the same with the $8,000.00 tax credit given to first-time homeowners. I would love if that is when I go to buy my first house but it simply doesn't apply to me. I was happy for my friend who bought a house during that time period.
Some would suggest: That a lot of people would lose their jobs. That large banks would have to let go of thousands of employees because they aren't making money on student loans anymore. I'm no economist but I have no doubt that most bank revenue doesn't come from student loans. There are mortgages, auto loans, retirement plans, fees, ridiculous interest rates, the list goes on and on.
Then there are the companies like Sallie Mae - the lender from whom I took out my student loans. To my knowledge student loans are their primary source of profit. It would be great if these types of companies weren't needed in the first place. If the U.S. cost of tuition weren't far beyond one's ability to pay. Sallie Mae is the company that constantly takes my loans out of deferment, doesn't notify me, then I get a phone call about every 6 months saying I'm 3 months past due on my loans and I own them $xxxx.xx. I tell them I've been in school non-stop for the past 7 years and they should be deferred. The conversation ends with me sending in another in-school deferment request and paying another $xxxx.xx in interest charges for the time period when my loans went out of deferment. The first time this happened I took a serious hit to my credit because they sent it into collections an notified the credit bureaus. I have experienced this organization engaging in unethical business practices non-stop for the past 7 years. The only reason they have deferment requests is because they want an excuse to charge more interest. They could easily go on the National Student Debt website and see that I've been enrolled in full time study and that I was just rewarded another loan from a different lender when I started graduate school for this quarter 2 months ago. Do I really care if those kinds of business are effected because of an economic stimulus plan? No.
So far I've heard a lot of opposition toward this particular stimulus plan. Each time it is a valid point. But it is also a line of thinking that could be applied to any stimulus plan we've ever seen. Speaking from my own perspective I know this would change my life completely. I would be able to put money back into the economy immediately. People would be taking out mortgages and auto loans like crazy now that they are free of the student loan burden. If this isn't the best plan I hope the government will consider moving money to a place that encourages higher education in times of economic hardship.
Here is a link to sign the petition if you are so inclined.
I have heard a few arguments against this proposal. I understand where they are coming from. Most of the time one's position is based on their own worldview. This is true in all aspects of life. If you are not currently paying back loans you're more likely to disagree with this stimulus plan.
I put myself through college and now I am in my second year of graduate school. I have always paid my living expenses out of pocket completely. That includes laptop, books, travel, etc. My student loans have been applied to nothing but tuition. Those loans were only paid to the balance after various scholarships. I was never eligible for a grant from the government. My point is - I am also speaking from my own worldview. I admit it.
On the other hand - I have friends who have responded to this stimulus as ones to whom it doesn't apply. They didn't go to school, never had to take out loans, etc. Many of them have replied saying it isn't fair to those who had to pay off their own loans. This is a very good point - and the fact that one would speak to that outside of their own interest is notable.
With that said, there will never be a stimulus plan that is fair to everybody. When "cash for clunkers" was instituted I had just bought a car and worked hard to sell my previous car for $2,000.00 when I could have been given $4,000.00 had I known there would be a stimulus plan called "cash for clunkers" that would be passed a few months later. I was definitely happy for those who were able to take advantage of it. I felt the same with the $8,000.00 tax credit given to first-time homeowners. I would love if that is when I go to buy my first house but it simply doesn't apply to me. I was happy for my friend who bought a house during that time period.
Some would suggest: That a lot of people would lose their jobs. That large banks would have to let go of thousands of employees because they aren't making money on student loans anymore. I'm no economist but I have no doubt that most bank revenue doesn't come from student loans. There are mortgages, auto loans, retirement plans, fees, ridiculous interest rates, the list goes on and on.
Then there are the companies like Sallie Mae - the lender from whom I took out my student loans. To my knowledge student loans are their primary source of profit. It would be great if these types of companies weren't needed in the first place. If the U.S. cost of tuition weren't far beyond one's ability to pay. Sallie Mae is the company that constantly takes my loans out of deferment, doesn't notify me, then I get a phone call about every 6 months saying I'm 3 months past due on my loans and I own them $xxxx.xx. I tell them I've been in school non-stop for the past 7 years and they should be deferred. The conversation ends with me sending in another in-school deferment request and paying another $xxxx.xx in interest charges for the time period when my loans went out of deferment. The first time this happened I took a serious hit to my credit because they sent it into collections an notified the credit bureaus. I have experienced this organization engaging in unethical business practices non-stop for the past 7 years. The only reason they have deferment requests is because they want an excuse to charge more interest. They could easily go on the National Student Debt website and see that I've been enrolled in full time study and that I was just rewarded another loan from a different lender when I started graduate school for this quarter 2 months ago. Do I really care if those kinds of business are effected because of an economic stimulus plan? No.
So far I've heard a lot of opposition toward this particular stimulus plan. Each time it is a valid point. But it is also a line of thinking that could be applied to any stimulus plan we've ever seen. Speaking from my own perspective I know this would change my life completely. I would be able to put money back into the economy immediately. People would be taking out mortgages and auto loans like crazy now that they are free of the student loan burden. If this isn't the best plan I hope the government will consider moving money to a place that encourages higher education in times of economic hardship.
Here is a link to sign the petition if you are so inclined.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Seminary
Right now I'm on a break from studying. It gets really tiring. My mind can only work for so long.
Today I woke up early knowing I only have so many hours to get my schoolwork finished. Tomorrow is Sunday - the busiest day of the week. I am teaching confirmation for 2 hours in the morning starting at 8am then I will grab my electric guitar and pedal board and run downstairs for the 3rd service band rehearsal. I would have liked to practice the songs again today but I just didn't have time.
Once I was awake I went across the street to Starbucks and started my schoolwork. At noon I got hungry and went to Subway and back to Starbucks. I came home around 4pm and kept going. I still have 3 assignments due tonight.
I'm realizing that preparing for and doing ministry takes up all my time. It has taken me away from community with others - which is what the Christian life is all about right? I have to ask myself whether I'm living my life the way it was meant to be lived or not. And I'm asking those questions as a full time minister and seminarian. I suppose one of the effects of living 40 miles away from campus is that I don't study with community. I live among those to whom I minister. I immediately think about the apostle, Paul. He constantly went from one place to the next. I wonder what his community was like. I want to find a group to chill with in Pasadena on Monday/Wednesday nights after my class. Just straight kick it. I almost want to say if it's a Bible study I'm not interested - I do enough of that. I'm talking about a group of people who know each other's names, share stories, go places, etc.
When I decided to go to Fuller I knew they didn't do community well. It's like when I visited Austin Seminary and they said you had to live on campus to go there because community was that important. Have we missed something? Fuller (in my opinion) is the absolute best place to study the Bible. But if we learn how to seclude ourselves in doing so are we missing the point?
Today I woke up early knowing I only have so many hours to get my schoolwork finished. Tomorrow is Sunday - the busiest day of the week. I am teaching confirmation for 2 hours in the morning starting at 8am then I will grab my electric guitar and pedal board and run downstairs for the 3rd service band rehearsal. I would have liked to practice the songs again today but I just didn't have time.
Once I was awake I went across the street to Starbucks and started my schoolwork. At noon I got hungry and went to Subway and back to Starbucks. I came home around 4pm and kept going. I still have 3 assignments due tonight.
I'm realizing that preparing for and doing ministry takes up all my time. It has taken me away from community with others - which is what the Christian life is all about right? I have to ask myself whether I'm living my life the way it was meant to be lived or not. And I'm asking those questions as a full time minister and seminarian. I suppose one of the effects of living 40 miles away from campus is that I don't study with community. I live among those to whom I minister. I immediately think about the apostle, Paul. He constantly went from one place to the next. I wonder what his community was like. I want to find a group to chill with in Pasadena on Monday/Wednesday nights after my class. Just straight kick it. I almost want to say if it's a Bible study I'm not interested - I do enough of that. I'm talking about a group of people who know each other's names, share stories, go places, etc.
When I decided to go to Fuller I knew they didn't do community well. It's like when I visited Austin Seminary and they said you had to live on campus to go there because community was that important. Have we missed something? Fuller (in my opinion) is the absolute best place to study the Bible. But if we learn how to seclude ourselves in doing so are we missing the point?
Monday, October 10, 2011
Learning
Over the past few weeks I have been learning a lot.
First - I moved into a new position at my job. I went from part time to full time - from a few responsibilities to many. There is plenty of learning there.
Second - I began graduate classes again for the Fall quarter (I can't believe I'm starting my third week)
I'm taking Ethics and Exegetical Method among others. I am using Greek every day and dissecting the New Testament word by word. The exegesis class is incredible. There are countless methods for putting the pieces together. Some say "When I study scripture with a question I only leave with more questions" - Well.. that's not my experience. The more I study the more concrete my belief is. These words are from eye witnesses. When reading the Greek New Testament there is Greek at the top half and these little characters, dots, lines, shapes, etc. at the bottom. They are there to represent all the ancient manuscripts there are to back up the Greek translation. It wasn't made up or just a good story. Jesus was really there in Jerusalem as witnessed by thousands of people. He really did die, come back to life, and speak to countless people afterward.
Third - Last weekend I went to San Diego for a conference. I chose a seminar called "sticky faith" done by Kara Powell and Brad Griffin who are both graduates from Fuller (where I go to grad school). They work for one of the many organizations operated by Fuller called "Fuller Youth Institute." Basically, they do research and turn it into resources for people like me. I appreciate how their research can practically inform ministry. From that seminar I took many things. One of them is the importance of being in community with those who have similar beliefs.
Finally - I just got back from a weekend at a retreat center hearing a speaker lecture on "work." Two things really stuck. He held up a lemon and said "If I squeeze this lemon what will come out?" Of course we replied, "lemon juice." The point is that when we are "squeezed" what comes out is what has been put in. There is no doubt that hardship comes along for all of us - but if you fill your time with meaningless things that's what will come out when you're "squeezed." Another thing he said was that "time is poised to be wasted." Meaning it will be wasted unless you do something. My goal is to discipline myself to make use of my time learning, being active, helping others, etc. so that when I'm tested those are the things that will come out.
First - I moved into a new position at my job. I went from part time to full time - from a few responsibilities to many. There is plenty of learning there.
Second - I began graduate classes again for the Fall quarter (I can't believe I'm starting my third week)
I'm taking Ethics and Exegetical Method among others. I am using Greek every day and dissecting the New Testament word by word. The exegesis class is incredible. There are countless methods for putting the pieces together. Some say "When I study scripture with a question I only leave with more questions" - Well.. that's not my experience. The more I study the more concrete my belief is. These words are from eye witnesses. When reading the Greek New Testament there is Greek at the top half and these little characters, dots, lines, shapes, etc. at the bottom. They are there to represent all the ancient manuscripts there are to back up the Greek translation. It wasn't made up or just a good story. Jesus was really there in Jerusalem as witnessed by thousands of people. He really did die, come back to life, and speak to countless people afterward.
Third - Last weekend I went to San Diego for a conference. I chose a seminar called "sticky faith" done by Kara Powell and Brad Griffin who are both graduates from Fuller (where I go to grad school). They work for one of the many organizations operated by Fuller called "Fuller Youth Institute." Basically, they do research and turn it into resources for people like me. I appreciate how their research can practically inform ministry. From that seminar I took many things. One of them is the importance of being in community with those who have similar beliefs.
Finally - I just got back from a weekend at a retreat center hearing a speaker lecture on "work." Two things really stuck. He held up a lemon and said "If I squeeze this lemon what will come out?" Of course we replied, "lemon juice." The point is that when we are "squeezed" what comes out is what has been put in. There is no doubt that hardship comes along for all of us - but if you fill your time with meaningless things that's what will come out when you're "squeezed." Another thing he said was that "time is poised to be wasted." Meaning it will be wasted unless you do something. My goal is to discipline myself to make use of my time learning, being active, helping others, etc. so that when I'm tested those are the things that will come out.
A few weeks ago I got to work and my phone rang. It was the assistant to the head pastor at the church where I work as the Junior High director. The pastor had left for a sabbatical about 2 months before this time and the associate pastor was too busy to preach. She asked if I would be willing to do it.
I thought about it and realized I would only have 2 days that week to prepare if I wanted to give up my weekend. My logic was that one day I'll probably be a person who is asked to speak at different things. Often I will have much less than 2 days to prepare. I wanted to stretch myself and see what God might do and how God might speak through me. I believe God spoke through me that day and even I got something out of it.
Click here to watch.
I thought about it and realized I would only have 2 days that week to prepare if I wanted to give up my weekend. My logic was that one day I'll probably be a person who is asked to speak at different things. Often I will have much less than 2 days to prepare. I wanted to stretch myself and see what God might do and how God might speak through me. I believe God spoke through me that day and even I got something out of it.
Click here to watch.
Monday, July 4, 2011
"The Shepherd King"
This is a link to a sermon I did yesterday, July 3rd 2011 at Westminster Presbyterian Church - Westlake Village, CA.
This sermon is picking up where I left of with a sermon I did a year ago. This one is about David and Jonathan but last year was about the young prophet, Samuel.
Here it is.
This sermon is picking up where I left of with a sermon I did a year ago. This one is about David and Jonathan but last year was about the young prophet, Samuel.
Here it is.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
A great model for helping the helpless.
Last year I spent a week in Nashville after they were hit by a huge flood. There was an an increase in the number of homeless people which which resulted in the construction of a huge social services building in downtown Nashville. There were churches and social services organizations helping people everywhere. A homeless individual could find services at multiple places throughout the city. I was fortunate to work with a food bank and some of the churches and shelters.
I started thinking about my own neighborhood - The Conejo Valley, CA. I wondered what sort of services were available here.
At the time I knew that my church offered full services every Wednesday. This includes meals and an overnight shelter. I now have come to understand that there is a network of churches in my local area that hosts shelter services once a week so services are provided every day of the week.
The organizing group is Lutheran Social Services of Southern California and the program is called the:
Conejo Valley Meal and Shelter Program
Here is a quote from the site:
"A meal is offered every night at a different local Conejo Valley house of faith from 5:45 – 7:30. All are welcome to attend. December 1st through March 31st an overnight shelter at the same location is provided. Guests must check in between 5:45 and 8:00 and leave by 7:00am the following morning. Guests are treated with dignity and respect by dedicated church and synagogue volunteer teams."
Now that I have experienced this sort of network in Nashville and in my own city I wonder how many other cities are using this same model. It's a simple way to guarantee homeless services in a local community every night of the week.
There are a few prerequisites to be able to host. You must have volunteers, a way to supply meals, a place to serve food, and an area for people to sleep. A lot of places (like my church) offer laundry, showers, toiletries, bedding, and air-mattresses as well.
Perhaps you know of a place that may be willing to offer these kinds of services or you would like to volunteer at one that does. I encourage you to look up a shelter in your area. Maybe you and some friends could volunteer once a month. Perhaps you would consider supporting these efforts financially.
Hopefully you are aware of the helpless population where you live. If not - that is a great place to start. Once you are familiar with the need there are ways to evoke change.
I started thinking about my own neighborhood - The Conejo Valley, CA. I wondered what sort of services were available here.
At the time I knew that my church offered full services every Wednesday. This includes meals and an overnight shelter. I now have come to understand that there is a network of churches in my local area that hosts shelter services once a week so services are provided every day of the week.
The organizing group is Lutheran Social Services of Southern California and the program is called the:
Conejo Valley Meal and Shelter Program
Here is a quote from the site:
"A meal is offered every night at a different local Conejo Valley house of faith from 5:45 – 7:30. All are welcome to attend. December 1st through March 31st an overnight shelter at the same location is provided. Guests must check in between 5:45 and 8:00 and leave by 7:00am the following morning. Guests are treated with dignity and respect by dedicated church and synagogue volunteer teams."
Now that I have experienced this sort of network in Nashville and in my own city I wonder how many other cities are using this same model. It's a simple way to guarantee homeless services in a local community every night of the week.
There are a few prerequisites to be able to host. You must have volunteers, a way to supply meals, a place to serve food, and an area for people to sleep. A lot of places (like my church) offer laundry, showers, toiletries, bedding, and air-mattresses as well.
Perhaps you know of a place that may be willing to offer these kinds of services or you would like to volunteer at one that does. I encourage you to look up a shelter in your area. Maybe you and some friends could volunteer once a month. Perhaps you would consider supporting these efforts financially.
Hopefully you are aware of the helpless population where you live. If not - that is a great place to start. Once you are familiar with the need there are ways to evoke change.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
LA Youth Network - Homeless shelters in Hollywood
I started working at LAYN in May of 2010. It is a network of homeless shelters for youth all located in Hollywood. I decided to work here because I did some research on the homeless population in LA and found that there are over 10,000 homeless children/youth at any given time. Around 7,000 of them sleep in the streets every night.
There are 3 shelters/programs and an independent living program at LAYN. The one I work at most is the first level shelter on Gower. This is the emergency shelter. They offer drop in, emergency overnight, and other services for up to 17 youth at a time. The youth are there for a day, week. or month but mostly they are in and out. Most of the time when I haven't been there in a few days there will be a completely new set of youth I haven't met yet.
The next shelter is on Taft. It is a short-term group home. It is set up in a huge house that was recently remodeled. This house can serve up to 10 youth at a time. The upstairs was the administrative offices but they have recently moved to Vine. I believe the plan is to turn those offices into more bedrooms to house youth. Usually the youth who are allowed at Taft are more stable but it serves as an emergency shelter when Gower is full.
The long-term group home is located on Beachwood right beneath the Hollywood sign. Youth are admitted to this program once they prove to be stable and in compliance with their individualized case plan. These youth go to school, meet with our clinical director, have mentors, tutors, and an education specialist. I like working at Beachwood because the youth are always the same. Some of them have been there for almost 10 years.
Since I have been at LAYN the Beachwood program has seen 2 youth go to UCLA, one go to USC, and one is the star football quarterback for Hollywood High School. He has scholarships to any school he wants as an upcoming junior.
Finally there is an independent living program called WOOW meaning Were On Our Way. These are apartments that are rented by LAYN for youth who are 18-21 and transitioning into independent living. It helps former foster and homeless youth transition into adult life. Program youth must be enrolled in college classes part-time and must be employed or looking for work. They receive assistance with transportation, grocery money, independent living skills and weekly case management. They are required to pay 30% of their paycheck to rent, which is put into a savings account and returned to the youth at the end of the program. The goal of the program is to assist youth with their transition into adult self-sufficiency.
If you would like to learn more about LAYN or get involved go to:
www.layn.org
To view the newspaper article about the star quarterback go to:
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/oct/07/sports/la-sp-sondheimer-jeremi-ross-20101008
Update to this blog: I was asked to become a full time staff person at my church in Westlake Village so I have switched my involvement from staff to volunteer. I will still be at each of the shelters as must as possible. This is a great organization and I am happy to help anybody who is interested in volunteering.
There are 3 shelters/programs and an independent living program at LAYN. The one I work at most is the first level shelter on Gower. This is the emergency shelter. They offer drop in, emergency overnight, and other services for up to 17 youth at a time. The youth are there for a day, week. or month but mostly they are in and out. Most of the time when I haven't been there in a few days there will be a completely new set of youth I haven't met yet.
The next shelter is on Taft. It is a short-term group home. It is set up in a huge house that was recently remodeled. This house can serve up to 10 youth at a time. The upstairs was the administrative offices but they have recently moved to Vine. I believe the plan is to turn those offices into more bedrooms to house youth. Usually the youth who are allowed at Taft are more stable but it serves as an emergency shelter when Gower is full.
The long-term group home is located on Beachwood right beneath the Hollywood sign. Youth are admitted to this program once they prove to be stable and in compliance with their individualized case plan. These youth go to school, meet with our clinical director, have mentors, tutors, and an education specialist. I like working at Beachwood because the youth are always the same. Some of them have been there for almost 10 years.
Since I have been at LAYN the Beachwood program has seen 2 youth go to UCLA, one go to USC, and one is the star football quarterback for Hollywood High School. He has scholarships to any school he wants as an upcoming junior.
Finally there is an independent living program called WOOW meaning Were On Our Way. These are apartments that are rented by LAYN for youth who are 18-21 and transitioning into independent living. It helps former foster and homeless youth transition into adult life. Program youth must be enrolled in college classes part-time and must be employed or looking for work. They receive assistance with transportation, grocery money, independent living skills and weekly case management. They are required to pay 30% of their paycheck to rent, which is put into a savings account and returned to the youth at the end of the program. The goal of the program is to assist youth with their transition into adult self-sufficiency.
If you would like to learn more about LAYN or get involved go to:
www.layn.org
To view the newspaper article about the star quarterback go to:
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/oct/07/sports/la-sp-sondheimer-jeremi-ross-20101008
Update to this blog: I was asked to become a full time staff person at my church in Westlake Village so I have switched my involvement from staff to volunteer. I will still be at each of the shelters as must as possible. This is a great organization and I am happy to help anybody who is interested in volunteering.
Narrative Criticism and Isaac
When studying ancient texts you really have to be versed in a wide range of disciplines and be aware of many things surrounding the text. There are many different approaches to the scholarly study of texts. These approaches are called criticisms. Different types of criticism can be used for most texts although it is beneficial to study certain texts with a certain approach. For example, some ancient texts are better understood within their historical context, so scholars would benefit more from traditional-historical criticism.
One type of approach I like is called “narrative criticism”. When compared to other types of criticism, it is more focused on the reader than the writer of the text. This is because the reader establishes the meaning of the text when a narrative approach is taken. When applying narrative criticism one would be interested in the writer as a narrator and therefore would examine the way the narrator composed the story.
Narrative criticism is a more postmodern approach. The scholars who implement it are often more willing to accept ambiguity. They also tend to be less sure about the reliability of the writer. Those who use narrative criticism focus on the narrative as a whole and include the development of the plot, the underlying theme of the story, how characters develop, and the role of the characters. Because these are the things present in any narrative, those who use this approach are interested in these things. One of the most interesting things about narrative criticism is that one may focus on exactly what was and was not said in the context of the entire story.
There are many benefits to using narrative criticism. There are also many detriments. One of the benefits to using this approach is that it recognizes the Bible as a narrative rather than a solely a book of scientific fact, history, or even literature. It also emphasizes the academic study of scripture holistically. When narrative criticism is used correctly it draws meaning from the text as a whole rather than a small part. Certain approaches are only concerned with the scriptural context in terms of word choice, history, and the implications of society at that time. One of the detriments to using narrative criticism is the decline into post-modernity in that those who implement it are willing to accept ambiguity and can be less sure about the reliability of elements drawn from other methods. Users of this method can become so aware of a larger, holistic use of scripture that the careful reading of the text becomes neglected or seemingly unnecessary.
Narrative criticism is most often used in the study of the New Testament although it can be used in study of the Old Testament as well. It can be especially helpful in understanding the characters present in the Old Testament narrative. By using this method characteristics of certain characters and the implications of certain events gain meaning in light of ancient scriptures as a whole. The book of Genesis includes all the things necessary in order to be an exceptional narrative. There are actually many episodes of the story throughout the 50 chapters. These narratives all include a setting, characters, a plot, conflict, a climax, and resolution.
The story of Isaac – Narrative Criticism
Genesis is the book of beginnings. It is the first book in the Hebrew Bible. Genesis begins when God creates all things including the first humans, Adam and Eve. It continues by recording the events leading up to the start of the Nation of Israel and God’s claiming them as His chosen people. God makes a covenant with Abram in the 12th chapter of Genesis. God promises to make of Abram a great nation as long as he would obey. In chapter 16 and seventeen we find that Abram’s wife, Sarah is barren but God promises a son in their old age. The son is born and named Isaac. Isaac has become a young man by chapter twenty-two.
God chose to test Abram whose name had been changed to Abraham. God commanded Abraham to take Isaac to Moriah and kills him on an altar as a sacrifice. Abraham, Isaac, a donkey, and two servants started their journey the next morning by gathering wood for the burnt offering. They arrived at the place God showed them two days later. Abraham left the servants and donkey and took Isaac and the wood to the place of the offering. On the way Isaac asked Abraham where the offering was. Abraham replied that God would provide. They came to the place where the offering would take place. Abraham bound Isaac, put him on the altar, and prepared to kill him with a knife. God stopped Abraham and provided a ram for the offering.
When using narrative criticism to interpret Genesis twenty-two one must be interested in the aspects of this writing that make it a narrative such as setting, characters, plot, conflict, climax, and resolution. The setting can be found in Genesis Ch. 20. The last time we hear of the location of Abraham it is in the region of Negeb, and settled between Kadesh and Shur. Residing in Gerar as an alien. The end of Genesis 21 says, “and Abraham resided as an alien many days in the land of the Philistines.” From this we know that once Abraham took his family to Gerar he stayed there. The setting changes to the mountains in the land of Moriah once they start their journey.
This study must go further than just gathering the narrative attributes of the story. Each of these elements would need to be applied to the whole story of the Biblical narrative and would apply the same implications found in other portions of scripture. The study of the characters in a holistic textual comparison would be more beneficial than studying the setting or any other part of this narrative in a holistic way for many reasons.
The main characters are Abraham and Isaac. The characters would be important in the narrative study of this text because they are the patriarchs of the nation of Israel. There are several things that are interesting in analyzing the characters in the narrative of Genesis 22 in light of the scriptures as a whole. We know that Abraham is very old at this point. Abraham was 99 years old in Genesis 17 when God promised the birth of Isaac. Isaac is now a young man strong enough to carry all of the supplies necessary to build a fire for the burnt offering on his back so we can conclude that Abraham is close to the end of his life. This conclusion may also be drawn from Genesis 24:1 when it says, “Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years.” This occurrence is only 2 chapters after the narrative outlining the command to sacrifice Isaac.
One of the main ideas present in the narrative is the relationship dynamics between Abraham and Isaac. There are questions that would be asked of this text when using narrative criticism concerning their relationship. There is no doubt that Isaac obeyed his father but in terms of the father-son relationship one must ask if Isaac obeyed willingly or unwillingly. Perhaps this event allowed their relationship to become stronger or perhaps it caused Isaac to resent his father or dislike him for the rest of his life. When trying to answer this question a holistic, narrative criticism is necessary. I understand that there are differing opinions on this matter but you will soon know mine.
Until we approach Genesis 22 we are not given any information about Isaac except the events surrounding his birth in Genesis 21. We are not given the demeanor of Isaac or what his character is like except one phrase. In Genesis 22:3 Isaac goes with Abraham on the start of the journey. There is nothing in the text that implies Isaac being willing or unwilling to go. We just know that he did. The only time Isaac spoke to Abraham was in Genesis 22:7 which says, “Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘Father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ He said, ‘The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
There are questions that the narrative critic would ask like the question of the relationship dynamics between Abraham and Isaac. There are also items that would stand out for one using narrative criticism that would help answer this question. There is no part of the narrative that suggests that Isaac knew that he was to be the sacrifice or that he heard God’s voice speaking to Abraham while he was on the altar. Isaac would have been expecting a lamb to be provided by God based on the dialogue he had with Abraham. He would have been surprised and possibly upset with his father when he is bound and placed on the altar after being told that God would provide a lamb. Perhaps he felt betrayed in that moment. Another thing that would stand out to the narrative critic is that Isaac did not go down the mountain with his father. Genesis 19 says, “So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham lived at Beer-sheba.” The text does not include Isaac in the journey down the mountain. Yet another thing that stands out is that the narrative records Abraham mourning when his wife Sarah died but when Abraham dies the narrative does not mention any mourning by Isaac.
While there are questions that may be answered in a study of the text surrounding the narrative it is often necessary for the narrative critic to think even further beyond the immediate context of the story and include implications reoccur multiple times in the entire Bible. One thing that occurs multiple times throughout scripture is blindness. There are many times when the characters who are blind also seem to be spiritually deprived and in conflict with God. One example of this occurrence is in Judges chapter 16. This is the story of Samson. The narrative portrays this character as extremely strong and having an ability to connect with God on a different level than others. He gives away the secret to his strength and his enemies are able to capture him. The 1st thing they did was gouged his eyes out. It is at that moment that Samson is spiritually deprived and in conflict with God. Another example is Saul of Tarsus in Acts chapter 9. Saul killed and persecuted many Christians. In Acts chapter 9, Saul is on his way to Damascus to continue persecution when suddenly a bright light from heaven blinds him. It is at that moment that Saul is spiritually deprived and in conflict with God. I Samuel 1:1-4 is the story of Eli the priest. Eli had two evil sons and was the priest of the temple when God sent Samuel to be a prophet. In this narrative, Eli loses his eyesight. One may suggest that Eli also was spiritually deprived and in conflict with God as he dealt with his two evil sons.
According to Genesis chapter 27; Isaac was also blind at the end of his life. By analyzing scripture in its entirety one may conclude that blindness implies spiritual depravity and a disconnection between God and humanity. One may assert that the reason Isaac was blind has to do with the dynamics of his relationship with his father after the time of sacrifice.
Narrative criticism is a very useful type of interpretation even though it is most often applied to the New Testament. The most important thing I found in my interpretation of Genesis 22 is that implications and motifs found in scripture may be applied to narratives that take place in various portions of scripture. One thing that is important to keep in mind is that these motifs and implications may apply in several parts of the narrative as a whole but may not apply in certain situations. It is important not to make definite assertions based solely on the fact that the same motif occurs elsewhere in the narrative.
One type of approach I like is called “narrative criticism”. When compared to other types of criticism, it is more focused on the reader than the writer of the text. This is because the reader establishes the meaning of the text when a narrative approach is taken. When applying narrative criticism one would be interested in the writer as a narrator and therefore would examine the way the narrator composed the story.
Narrative criticism is a more postmodern approach. The scholars who implement it are often more willing to accept ambiguity. They also tend to be less sure about the reliability of the writer. Those who use narrative criticism focus on the narrative as a whole and include the development of the plot, the underlying theme of the story, how characters develop, and the role of the characters. Because these are the things present in any narrative, those who use this approach are interested in these things. One of the most interesting things about narrative criticism is that one may focus on exactly what was and was not said in the context of the entire story.
There are many benefits to using narrative criticism. There are also many detriments. One of the benefits to using this approach is that it recognizes the Bible as a narrative rather than a solely a book of scientific fact, history, or even literature. It also emphasizes the academic study of scripture holistically. When narrative criticism is used correctly it draws meaning from the text as a whole rather than a small part. Certain approaches are only concerned with the scriptural context in terms of word choice, history, and the implications of society at that time. One of the detriments to using narrative criticism is the decline into post-modernity in that those who implement it are willing to accept ambiguity and can be less sure about the reliability of elements drawn from other methods. Users of this method can become so aware of a larger, holistic use of scripture that the careful reading of the text becomes neglected or seemingly unnecessary.
Narrative criticism is most often used in the study of the New Testament although it can be used in study of the Old Testament as well. It can be especially helpful in understanding the characters present in the Old Testament narrative. By using this method characteristics of certain characters and the implications of certain events gain meaning in light of ancient scriptures as a whole. The book of Genesis includes all the things necessary in order to be an exceptional narrative. There are actually many episodes of the story throughout the 50 chapters. These narratives all include a setting, characters, a plot, conflict, a climax, and resolution.
The story of Isaac – Narrative Criticism
Genesis is the book of beginnings. It is the first book in the Hebrew Bible. Genesis begins when God creates all things including the first humans, Adam and Eve. It continues by recording the events leading up to the start of the Nation of Israel and God’s claiming them as His chosen people. God makes a covenant with Abram in the 12th chapter of Genesis. God promises to make of Abram a great nation as long as he would obey. In chapter 16 and seventeen we find that Abram’s wife, Sarah is barren but God promises a son in their old age. The son is born and named Isaac. Isaac has become a young man by chapter twenty-two.
God chose to test Abram whose name had been changed to Abraham. God commanded Abraham to take Isaac to Moriah and kills him on an altar as a sacrifice. Abraham, Isaac, a donkey, and two servants started their journey the next morning by gathering wood for the burnt offering. They arrived at the place God showed them two days later. Abraham left the servants and donkey and took Isaac and the wood to the place of the offering. On the way Isaac asked Abraham where the offering was. Abraham replied that God would provide. They came to the place where the offering would take place. Abraham bound Isaac, put him on the altar, and prepared to kill him with a knife. God stopped Abraham and provided a ram for the offering.
When using narrative criticism to interpret Genesis twenty-two one must be interested in the aspects of this writing that make it a narrative such as setting, characters, plot, conflict, climax, and resolution. The setting can be found in Genesis Ch. 20. The last time we hear of the location of Abraham it is in the region of Negeb, and settled between Kadesh and Shur. Residing in Gerar as an alien. The end of Genesis 21 says, “and Abraham resided as an alien many days in the land of the Philistines.” From this we know that once Abraham took his family to Gerar he stayed there. The setting changes to the mountains in the land of Moriah once they start their journey.
This study must go further than just gathering the narrative attributes of the story. Each of these elements would need to be applied to the whole story of the Biblical narrative and would apply the same implications found in other portions of scripture. The study of the characters in a holistic textual comparison would be more beneficial than studying the setting or any other part of this narrative in a holistic way for many reasons.
The main characters are Abraham and Isaac. The characters would be important in the narrative study of this text because they are the patriarchs of the nation of Israel. There are several things that are interesting in analyzing the characters in the narrative of Genesis 22 in light of the scriptures as a whole. We know that Abraham is very old at this point. Abraham was 99 years old in Genesis 17 when God promised the birth of Isaac. Isaac is now a young man strong enough to carry all of the supplies necessary to build a fire for the burnt offering on his back so we can conclude that Abraham is close to the end of his life. This conclusion may also be drawn from Genesis 24:1 when it says, “Now Abraham was old, well advanced in years.” This occurrence is only 2 chapters after the narrative outlining the command to sacrifice Isaac.
One of the main ideas present in the narrative is the relationship dynamics between Abraham and Isaac. There are questions that would be asked of this text when using narrative criticism concerning their relationship. There is no doubt that Isaac obeyed his father but in terms of the father-son relationship one must ask if Isaac obeyed willingly or unwillingly. Perhaps this event allowed their relationship to become stronger or perhaps it caused Isaac to resent his father or dislike him for the rest of his life. When trying to answer this question a holistic, narrative criticism is necessary. I understand that there are differing opinions on this matter but you will soon know mine.
Until we approach Genesis 22 we are not given any information about Isaac except the events surrounding his birth in Genesis 21. We are not given the demeanor of Isaac or what his character is like except one phrase. In Genesis 22:3 Isaac goes with Abraham on the start of the journey. There is nothing in the text that implies Isaac being willing or unwilling to go. We just know that he did. The only time Isaac spoke to Abraham was in Genesis 22:7 which says, “Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘Father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ He said, ‘The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
There are questions that the narrative critic would ask like the question of the relationship dynamics between Abraham and Isaac. There are also items that would stand out for one using narrative criticism that would help answer this question. There is no part of the narrative that suggests that Isaac knew that he was to be the sacrifice or that he heard God’s voice speaking to Abraham while he was on the altar. Isaac would have been expecting a lamb to be provided by God based on the dialogue he had with Abraham. He would have been surprised and possibly upset with his father when he is bound and placed on the altar after being told that God would provide a lamb. Perhaps he felt betrayed in that moment. Another thing that would stand out to the narrative critic is that Isaac did not go down the mountain with his father. Genesis 19 says, “So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham lived at Beer-sheba.” The text does not include Isaac in the journey down the mountain. Yet another thing that stands out is that the narrative records Abraham mourning when his wife Sarah died but when Abraham dies the narrative does not mention any mourning by Isaac.
While there are questions that may be answered in a study of the text surrounding the narrative it is often necessary for the narrative critic to think even further beyond the immediate context of the story and include implications reoccur multiple times in the entire Bible. One thing that occurs multiple times throughout scripture is blindness. There are many times when the characters who are blind also seem to be spiritually deprived and in conflict with God. One example of this occurrence is in Judges chapter 16. This is the story of Samson. The narrative portrays this character as extremely strong and having an ability to connect with God on a different level than others. He gives away the secret to his strength and his enemies are able to capture him. The 1st thing they did was gouged his eyes out. It is at that moment that Samson is spiritually deprived and in conflict with God. Another example is Saul of Tarsus in Acts chapter 9. Saul killed and persecuted many Christians. In Acts chapter 9, Saul is on his way to Damascus to continue persecution when suddenly a bright light from heaven blinds him. It is at that moment that Saul is spiritually deprived and in conflict with God. I Samuel 1:1-4 is the story of Eli the priest. Eli had two evil sons and was the priest of the temple when God sent Samuel to be a prophet. In this narrative, Eli loses his eyesight. One may suggest that Eli also was spiritually deprived and in conflict with God as he dealt with his two evil sons.
According to Genesis chapter 27; Isaac was also blind at the end of his life. By analyzing scripture in its entirety one may conclude that blindness implies spiritual depravity and a disconnection between God and humanity. One may assert that the reason Isaac was blind has to do with the dynamics of his relationship with his father after the time of sacrifice.
Narrative criticism is a very useful type of interpretation even though it is most often applied to the New Testament. The most important thing I found in my interpretation of Genesis 22 is that implications and motifs found in scripture may be applied to narratives that take place in various portions of scripture. One thing that is important to keep in mind is that these motifs and implications may apply in several parts of the narrative as a whole but may not apply in certain situations. It is important not to make definite assertions based solely on the fact that the same motif occurs elsewhere in the narrative.
A very short Greek word study
You might be asking - "Why would you EVER post a Greek word study in you blog" - Well of all the studies I have done I feel like this one has a lot of meaning. It is intended to be something my fellow graduate students and professionals may use in their study. I also set up my blog to be public so if somebody searches the meaning of this word they can find their answer here.
The word is:
περιπατεω - Verb - To Walk
The word περιπατεω occurs six times in I John. The occurrences including parsing are as follows:
περιπατωμεν- present active subjunctive, first plural I John 1:6, 1:7
περιεπατησεν aorist active indicative third singular I John 2:6
περιπατειν present active infinitive I John 2:6
περιπατει present active indicative third singular.
This Greek word is used in I John to describe one who walks in light rather than darkness. There are few words that appear in close proximity to this word in the few occurrences found in I John. John uses it to speak of walking in the light as Jesus is in the light so we may have fellowship with Him. Jesus’ name or a personal pronoun for Jesus is used each time John speaks of this type of walking. The idea is that one may not have fellowship with Him while walking in darkness.
It may also be defined as to “go about, walk around with an indication of the place where one walks about.” In other places it may be defined, “to stay, spend some time, or be, without the idea of remaining on the same spot.” Another meaning may be “to go about which is an indication of the way one is clothed.”
There are many other New Testament texts where word appears. Some examples are Mk. 2:9, Jn 5:5-12, Ac 3:6-12. Mk 5:42, and many more. These other occurrences may have similar or different meanings. One example is when Luke records the Acts of the Apostles. In Acts 3, Peter tells a lame man to stand up and walk in the name of Jesus. It is interesting that the person of Jesus is in close proximity to this idea of walking. Jesus was not physically there but the walking occurred once Peter healed the lame man saying “in the name of Jesus.” One may assert that the lame man was now walking physically as well walking in the light as spoken of in I John.
The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament continues to reinforce this idea. It says that περιπατεω, “is first used in the New Testament quite commonly in the simple original sense ‘to walk around.’ Thus in the accounts of the healing of lame fold we repeatedly find it.” Paul uses this word to speak of walking in life in the moral sense. He calls the people to live their lives walking in the Spirit. This word is often further specified or given more precision with the addition of κατα, εν, αξιως, or a dative. Another use is in I Peter 5:8 when the devil is describes as roaming around. Many of these uses refer to a being moving from one place to another.
What does this mean?
The authors use περιπατεω to speak of physical walking but it almost always could have the idea of walking spiritually. Many times it is found when the lame is healed and telling the reader that they got up and started walking. My present thinking of this word is that it can be used to instruct people to walk about our world physically and in a spiritual way, in the light as Jesus. The word us used in I John to compare Jesus to the light and instruct all people to walk and abide or "live" in the light as Jesus is in the light. Another theological idea is that it means to leave one place and enter into another. This can be a physical movement as well as spiritually moving from darkness into light.
It is also interesting to not that the verb used for "go" in the great commission - "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel (also translated - Good News)" can also mean "walk" "travel" or "live" in the Greek. This means the great commission doesn't hold only the idea of going but of walking, traveling, and living in the world spreading the Good News.
The word is:
περιπατεω - Verb - To Walk
The word περιπατεω occurs six times in I John. The occurrences including parsing are as follows:
περιπατωμεν- present active subjunctive, first plural I John 1:6, 1:7
περιεπατησεν aorist active indicative third singular I John 2:6
περιπατειν present active infinitive I John 2:6
περιπατει present active indicative third singular.
This Greek word is used in I John to describe one who walks in light rather than darkness. There are few words that appear in close proximity to this word in the few occurrences found in I John. John uses it to speak of walking in the light as Jesus is in the light so we may have fellowship with Him. Jesus’ name or a personal pronoun for Jesus is used each time John speaks of this type of walking. The idea is that one may not have fellowship with Him while walking in darkness.
It may also be defined as to “go about, walk around with an indication of the place where one walks about.” In other places it may be defined, “to stay, spend some time, or be, without the idea of remaining on the same spot.” Another meaning may be “to go about which is an indication of the way one is clothed.”
There are many other New Testament texts where word appears. Some examples are Mk. 2:9, Jn 5:5-12, Ac 3:6-12. Mk 5:42, and many more. These other occurrences may have similar or different meanings. One example is when Luke records the Acts of the Apostles. In Acts 3, Peter tells a lame man to stand up and walk in the name of Jesus. It is interesting that the person of Jesus is in close proximity to this idea of walking. Jesus was not physically there but the walking occurred once Peter healed the lame man saying “in the name of Jesus.” One may assert that the lame man was now walking physically as well walking in the light as spoken of in I John.
The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament continues to reinforce this idea. It says that περιπατεω, “is first used in the New Testament quite commonly in the simple original sense ‘to walk around.’ Thus in the accounts of the healing of lame fold we repeatedly find it.” Paul uses this word to speak of walking in life in the moral sense. He calls the people to live their lives walking in the Spirit. This word is often further specified or given more precision with the addition of κατα, εν, αξιως, or a dative. Another use is in I Peter 5:8 when the devil is describes as roaming around. Many of these uses refer to a being moving from one place to another.
What does this mean?
The authors use περιπατεω to speak of physical walking but it almost always could have the idea of walking spiritually. Many times it is found when the lame is healed and telling the reader that they got up and started walking. My present thinking of this word is that it can be used to instruct people to walk about our world physically and in a spiritual way, in the light as Jesus. The word us used in I John to compare Jesus to the light and instruct all people to walk and abide or "live" in the light as Jesus is in the light. Another theological idea is that it means to leave one place and enter into another. This can be a physical movement as well as spiritually moving from darkness into light.
It is also interesting to not that the verb used for "go" in the great commission - "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel (also translated - Good News)" can also mean "walk" "travel" or "live" in the Greek. This means the great commission doesn't hold only the idea of going but of walking, traveling, and living in the world spreading the Good News.
Theological discovery - James VS. Solomon
One of the reasons why I wanted to start a blog is to post my theological discoveries.
I have always had an interest in the spiritual and academic study of religion - especially sociological theology and a few other specific areas. Of course one of my favorite things to do is study the ancient writings and try to find connections.
In my first semester of seminary I took Old Testament. I found the book of Proverbs to be interesting so I spent some time there. I remember reading Proverb 15. It stuck out to me when we were studying the different kinds of criticisms (literary, form, redaction, etc).
This past semester I took Greek and New Testament. When I studied the book of James I found that the entire book was very similar to Proverbs 15.
The Bible is full of practical knowledge, themes, and many other various dynamics. It is used by religious practitioners to further their purposes spiritually, communally, and in many other ways. One of the things scholars are interested in is the academic study of the countless hidden connections that are to be found throughout scripture. Wisdom literature is one of the disciplines that a scholar may study for an entire lifetime. James wrote a letter of wisdom that was directed to Jewish Christians. It would later be dispersed among the Jews of the Diaspora, as James became the leader of the church in Jerusalem. This writing is thought of as wisdom literature of the New Testament. The Proverbs of Solomon are also considered wisdom literature of the Old Testament. As I studied these two ancient documents my goal was to compare and contrast the writing of James and Proverb 15 in terms of their form and various thematic literary and thematic elements.
The two most noticeable similarities have to do with their audience and content. James and Solomon are both writing to Jews. Of course their audiences are hundreds of years apart but they are Jews nonetheless. Solomon wrote timeless wisdom literature that never ceased to be studied so it is safe to say the Jews of the first century were familiar with the Proverbs as well as the writing they received from James. You wouldn’t want to forget that not ALL Jews of the first Century were familiar with James.
The book of James and Proverb 15 are also similar in terms of content. Both have elements of works, moral instruction, sayings of wisdom, courage, form, and literary and thematic elements. Some specific themes are mentioned by scholars include trials and temptations, wisdom from above, faith and works, and rich and poor. All of these themes are also present in Proverb fifteen. There are other themes that are present in both writings. I would add the speech and the tongue, understanding in addition to wisdom, and the fear of God’s judgment, to the list of comparable themes present in both writings.
There are also many differences in the two writings. Some of the other differences have to do with content. While there are many themes that are present in both writings, there are some themes that are distonctive. For example, James includes a lot of things that are to be done and actions that need to be taken that are not included in Proverb 15. James also includes certain illustrations that do not appear in Proverb 15 such as Abraham acting by faith in sacrificing Isaac, and the illustration of bearing fruit. One reason why this occurs is because the Book of James is five chapters long while proverb fifteen is only thirty-three verses.
Another difference is seen when doing a careful analysis of their form (form criticism). When analyzing the form of these writings one may see the themes more clearly. James wrote five chapters that are all very similar in what they include. One example is the theme of rich and poor. It seems as if the theme of rich and poor begins in chapter 1 and 2 and picks up again in at the end of the letter in chapter 5. The first two chapters speak of how the rich will disappear like a flower in the field and how they shouldn’t make distinctions between rich and poor. In chapter 5 James speaks of how the rich should mourn for coming judgment. One might note how the element of rich and poor is present at the beginning and the end of the letter. The form of Proverb 15 may be analyzed in terms of verses rather than chapters. The theme of rich and poor is present at the beginning in verse 6 saying, “the house of the righteous contains great treasure” and picks up again at the end of the writing in verse twenty-seven saying, “the greedy bring ruin to their households.” This is an example of how the form of the two writings is similar. Each writer begins and ends with elements of rich and poor.
There are many other literary elements that characterize the writing of James and
Solomon (Literary criticism). James wrote from a first century, Jewish perspective. James experienced life with Jesus as his brother and died the death of a martyr. Some say the writer could have been a different James but I choose to go with the stance taken by the NOAB. James is characterized as including many rhetorical and stylistic similarities to Greco-Roman literature, especially those philosophical writings that employ the literary technique called “diatribe” which engages the audience in direct conversation. Solomon wrote from a very different perspective. He lived and wrote as a king in ancient Israel. Solomon destroyed the nation of Israel, led them into Babylonian captivity, and possibly died an apostate. His writing style is very poetic and proverbial. James’ writing is prose - a sermon that would later be a letter to be dispersed.
One of the literary elements that characterize the writing of James and the Proverbs is a sort of poetic, ABAB, antithetical phrasing that is often found in the Psalms and Proverbs. The times when James uses this method they are elaborated more than the Proverbs. One example is in James 3:16-17 where he says, “where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, the peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.” Here James begins with a negative statement, inserts a conjunction, and continues with the opposing, positive statement. This literary element is all throughout Proverb fifteen as well. The first verse says, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” This is an example of the same literary element used in both writings.
Each of the two writings conveys truth in a different way. James often asks questions and follows with an answer. Some examples of these questions are, “Who is wise and understanding among you (James 3:13)?” and “are any among you suffering (James 5:13)?” James asks rhetorical questions to get the audience thinking about the issue he wishes to address. Proverb 15 is written to give the reader a sense of wickedness or evil followed by something righteous and good. There are times throughout the writing where it switches so Solomon is writing of something righteous and good first followed by something wicked or evil. This leads one to believe that Solomon was conveying truth by way of contrast. One can understand the truths of this writing clearly because the negative and positive elements are always in line.
One dynamic of these sayings of wisdom is how they function in a social context. When thinking of the social aspects the theme of the tongue and judgment are prominent. The themes of works, moral instruction, and sayings of wisdom aren’t as functional in the social context as the theme of speech and judgment. Speech is an appropriate theme in the social context because it has to do with the way people interact with each other. This theme is present in many ways throughout the book of James. He encourages his audience not to make distinctions (2:1), to be careful what they say because the tongue being a small member boasts great exploits (3:5), not to speak evil against one another (4:11), not to grumble (5:9), not to swear (5:12), and to confess sins (5:16). Proverb fifteen also mentions speech in almost every verse. Each occurrence in James and in Proverbs has something to do with social interaction.
The other theme that is prominent in terms of social context is judgment. Both writings mention judgment several times but they are somewhat different in their approach. James is encouraging people not to judge each other, that we are all to be judged by the law of liberty, and how God is the Ultimate Judge. Proverb 15 incorporates this theme in the context of family and the household. Solomon says to heed the instruction given by parents and that the Lord tears down the house of the proud. Proverbs also includes some of the same notions James includes by speaking of God’s judgment to humanity. The parts that are of interested in the social context would be judging others and how God judges the actions that take place within families and households. One may see the similarities and differences through the various literary styles and inclusion of the authors. The practice of analyzing a text is crucial in understanding the countless hidden connections that are to be found throughout scripture. Wisdom literature is one of the disciplines that a scholar may study for an entire lifetime and wisdom comes from careful reading and analysis of the text. There are endless themes and literary elements present in scripture if we are willing to look for them.
These are some of the sources I used in this study:
Walter Bauer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament
The New Oxford Annotated Bible: With the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books.
John Dart's “Scriptural Schemes: The ABCBAs of Biblical Writing.”
Mark Allan Powell - Introducing the New Testament: A Historical, Literary, and Theological Survey.
I have always had an interest in the spiritual and academic study of religion - especially sociological theology and a few other specific areas. Of course one of my favorite things to do is study the ancient writings and try to find connections.
In my first semester of seminary I took Old Testament. I found the book of Proverbs to be interesting so I spent some time there. I remember reading Proverb 15. It stuck out to me when we were studying the different kinds of criticisms (literary, form, redaction, etc).
This past semester I took Greek and New Testament. When I studied the book of James I found that the entire book was very similar to Proverbs 15.
The Bible is full of practical knowledge, themes, and many other various dynamics. It is used by religious practitioners to further their purposes spiritually, communally, and in many other ways. One of the things scholars are interested in is the academic study of the countless hidden connections that are to be found throughout scripture. Wisdom literature is one of the disciplines that a scholar may study for an entire lifetime. James wrote a letter of wisdom that was directed to Jewish Christians. It would later be dispersed among the Jews of the Diaspora, as James became the leader of the church in Jerusalem. This writing is thought of as wisdom literature of the New Testament. The Proverbs of Solomon are also considered wisdom literature of the Old Testament. As I studied these two ancient documents my goal was to compare and contrast the writing of James and Proverb 15 in terms of their form and various thematic literary and thematic elements.
The two most noticeable similarities have to do with their audience and content. James and Solomon are both writing to Jews. Of course their audiences are hundreds of years apart but they are Jews nonetheless. Solomon wrote timeless wisdom literature that never ceased to be studied so it is safe to say the Jews of the first century were familiar with the Proverbs as well as the writing they received from James. You wouldn’t want to forget that not ALL Jews of the first Century were familiar with James.
The book of James and Proverb 15 are also similar in terms of content. Both have elements of works, moral instruction, sayings of wisdom, courage, form, and literary and thematic elements. Some specific themes are mentioned by scholars include trials and temptations, wisdom from above, faith and works, and rich and poor. All of these themes are also present in Proverb fifteen. There are other themes that are present in both writings. I would add the speech and the tongue, understanding in addition to wisdom, and the fear of God’s judgment, to the list of comparable themes present in both writings.
There are also many differences in the two writings. Some of the other differences have to do with content. While there are many themes that are present in both writings, there are some themes that are distonctive. For example, James includes a lot of things that are to be done and actions that need to be taken that are not included in Proverb 15. James also includes certain illustrations that do not appear in Proverb 15 such as Abraham acting by faith in sacrificing Isaac, and the illustration of bearing fruit. One reason why this occurs is because the Book of James is five chapters long while proverb fifteen is only thirty-three verses.
Another difference is seen when doing a careful analysis of their form (form criticism). When analyzing the form of these writings one may see the themes more clearly. James wrote five chapters that are all very similar in what they include. One example is the theme of rich and poor. It seems as if the theme of rich and poor begins in chapter 1 and 2 and picks up again in at the end of the letter in chapter 5. The first two chapters speak of how the rich will disappear like a flower in the field and how they shouldn’t make distinctions between rich and poor. In chapter 5 James speaks of how the rich should mourn for coming judgment. One might note how the element of rich and poor is present at the beginning and the end of the letter. The form of Proverb 15 may be analyzed in terms of verses rather than chapters. The theme of rich and poor is present at the beginning in verse 6 saying, “the house of the righteous contains great treasure” and picks up again at the end of the writing in verse twenty-seven saying, “the greedy bring ruin to their households.” This is an example of how the form of the two writings is similar. Each writer begins and ends with elements of rich and poor.
There are many other literary elements that characterize the writing of James and
Solomon (Literary criticism). James wrote from a first century, Jewish perspective. James experienced life with Jesus as his brother and died the death of a martyr. Some say the writer could have been a different James but I choose to go with the stance taken by the NOAB. James is characterized as including many rhetorical and stylistic similarities to Greco-Roman literature, especially those philosophical writings that employ the literary technique called “diatribe” which engages the audience in direct conversation. Solomon wrote from a very different perspective. He lived and wrote as a king in ancient Israel. Solomon destroyed the nation of Israel, led them into Babylonian captivity, and possibly died an apostate. His writing style is very poetic and proverbial. James’ writing is prose - a sermon that would later be a letter to be dispersed.
One of the literary elements that characterize the writing of James and the Proverbs is a sort of poetic, ABAB, antithetical phrasing that is often found in the Psalms and Proverbs. The times when James uses this method they are elaborated more than the Proverbs. One example is in James 3:16-17 where he says, “where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. But the wisdom from above is first pure, the peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.” Here James begins with a negative statement, inserts a conjunction, and continues with the opposing, positive statement. This literary element is all throughout Proverb fifteen as well. The first verse says, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” This is an example of the same literary element used in both writings.
Each of the two writings conveys truth in a different way. James often asks questions and follows with an answer. Some examples of these questions are, “Who is wise and understanding among you (James 3:13)?” and “are any among you suffering (James 5:13)?” James asks rhetorical questions to get the audience thinking about the issue he wishes to address. Proverb 15 is written to give the reader a sense of wickedness or evil followed by something righteous and good. There are times throughout the writing where it switches so Solomon is writing of something righteous and good first followed by something wicked or evil. This leads one to believe that Solomon was conveying truth by way of contrast. One can understand the truths of this writing clearly because the negative and positive elements are always in line.
One dynamic of these sayings of wisdom is how they function in a social context. When thinking of the social aspects the theme of the tongue and judgment are prominent. The themes of works, moral instruction, and sayings of wisdom aren’t as functional in the social context as the theme of speech and judgment. Speech is an appropriate theme in the social context because it has to do with the way people interact with each other. This theme is present in many ways throughout the book of James. He encourages his audience not to make distinctions (2:1), to be careful what they say because the tongue being a small member boasts great exploits (3:5), not to speak evil against one another (4:11), not to grumble (5:9), not to swear (5:12), and to confess sins (5:16). Proverb fifteen also mentions speech in almost every verse. Each occurrence in James and in Proverbs has something to do with social interaction.
The other theme that is prominent in terms of social context is judgment. Both writings mention judgment several times but they are somewhat different in their approach. James is encouraging people not to judge each other, that we are all to be judged by the law of liberty, and how God is the Ultimate Judge. Proverb 15 incorporates this theme in the context of family and the household. Solomon says to heed the instruction given by parents and that the Lord tears down the house of the proud. Proverbs also includes some of the same notions James includes by speaking of God’s judgment to humanity. The parts that are of interested in the social context would be judging others and how God judges the actions that take place within families and households. One may see the similarities and differences through the various literary styles and inclusion of the authors. The practice of analyzing a text is crucial in understanding the countless hidden connections that are to be found throughout scripture. Wisdom literature is one of the disciplines that a scholar may study for an entire lifetime and wisdom comes from careful reading and analysis of the text. There are endless themes and literary elements present in scripture if we are willing to look for them.
These are some of the sources I used in this study:
Walter Bauer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament
The New Oxford Annotated Bible: With the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books.
John Dart's “Scriptural Schemes: The ABCBAs of Biblical Writing.”
Mark Allan Powell - Introducing the New Testament: A Historical, Literary, and Theological Survey.
My first BLOG
I decided that I wanted to start documenting things that happen in my life. I have facebook but it isn't as personal as this will be. I hope to be able to look back over my blog and remember things about my life. One thing I want to do is document my trips and my time in grad school. I'm sure more could come from blogging but I have to get used to it first.
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