The Bible and Building a Better World REST 392
Fall 2010
Mar Peter-Raoul, Ph.D. (Professor Mar)
FN Hall 203
Contact: Mar.Peter-Raoul@Marist.edu
Hours: T/W/R 9:00 - 10 pm; W 5:30-6:30; R 4-5p; F by appointment
In our world evil is not an abstract scenario, but an existential fact (paraphrase). Albert Camus
“The future depends on what we do in the present.” Mohandas Gandhi
“Whatever we do, the world will bleed in.” Paul Rogat Loeb
The course will focus on the central biblical themes of righteousness, “doing justice,” and identifying
with “the poor, the stranger, the outcast.” In the words of the prophet Micah, the LORD says, “To know
me is to do justice.” What does this mean, to know the LORD? Special attention will be given to the
Hebrew prophets and their concern for justice and righteousness, and Jesus’ revelation of the “higher
righteousness” or agape in the Gospel According to Matthew, including the Sermon on the Mount.
These themes/subjects will be studied through multiple lenses: scholarly exegesis, Jesus and the
prophets, the context of the Bible as a whole, contemporary lives, and a praxis project (see Public Praxis
website – Search on Marist home page), wherein students integrate critical biblical study with work
towards building a better world. The course will also include Tracy Kidder’s iconic Mountains Beyond
Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man who would Cure the World.
Requirements with weights toward 100% of course grade
1. 10% Memorize personally meaningful biblical passages/verses.
2. 10% Choose a particular biblical verse/passage/concept to reflectively live by during the term.
Include weekly (usually brief) reflections on this intention in your written World-as-Text.
3. 30% World-as-Text - keep a critical, reflective Journal of course readings (including
Understanding the Bible – on reserve), media, class sessions, outside readings, film, resources,
Newspaper articles, websites. In particular, document/illustrate public work, your own and
others’, toward building a better world (citing references); identify biblical understanding of a
“better world.” Include references to www.thebelovedcmmunity.org. Roughly 2-3 well written
pages a week of superb material. Evaluated 2 times – see schedule for DUE dates. 30 pages
4. 30% Better World Project (Public Praxis) – explore ideas and take substantive action to better
the world in some specific way individually or communally; produce a public document on this
work, reflecting on/ describing/illustrating/analyzing/interpreting/relating to course material.
Also project with detailed outline further action for the continuation of this work.
5. 20% Attend class/join discourse/contribute insight/thoughtfulness/questions. Evidence of
well-read assigned material counts heavily.
Texts
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The Justice and Poverty Bible - central text of the course; in your reading, make
occasional comparisons with other translations: the Revised Standard, the Jerusalem
Bible, King James. Detect and Note any subtle changes in meaning with various
interpretive translations.
Understanding the Bible – on reserve; 2-3 pages a week (your choice), include
commentary in World-as-Text. Read at least 40 pages during the term
Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man who would Cure
the World by Tracy Kidder. If you have read this book, you might read it again OR
choose from the recommended list The Uses of Haiti by Paul Farmer (his best book
and containing a critical understanding of Haiti) or In the Parish of the Poor by JeanBertrand Aristide (a trove of insight on Haiti from the perspective of a priest, the first
democratically elected president of Haiti and friend of Farmer’s).
Liberation Theology by Robert McAfee Brown
Several books are Recommended for this course (check bookstore). Choose at least
ONE to include as a course text. Include critical reflection on this text in your Worldas-Text. Two of the books are staggeringly rich readings for this course: Tattoos on
the Heart and The Least of These my Brethern. Read as many recommended as you
choose, and include in your World-as-Text. Two nights ago I came home to Tattoos
on the Heart (ordered through Amazon). I read all night – felt my heart swell, bellylaughed, gained a well of spiritual wonder, changed. I’ll recommend other books in
class as options.
Journals, such as National Catholic Reporter, Sojourners, the Catholic Worker, for
occasional inclusion in your World-as-Text; check out PBS’ weekly Religion & Ethics
Check out Religion and Politics sections of The New York Times for relating to course,
and occasionally include in your World-as-Text.
Approximate reading schedule (media most weeks):
September 2
overall structure/landscape of Bible; Genesis Chapters 1 and 2
Creation as good; relationship as good
September 9
Torah Genesis 18:19; Joseph Chapters 42-45; Exodus 1:8-14;
Rescue 2:13-25; 3:7-8; 13:14; God’s Laws 20: 1-17; Leviticus
1:1-2; 9-18; 33-37; 23:22; 24:22; 25:10-12; 25-28; 35-55;
Numbers 9:14; Deuteronomy 1:16-17; 4:5-8; Shema Yisrael
6:4-9; 10:16-19; 14:28-29; 24:17-22
Mountains Beyond Mountains Chapters 1/2/3 - p32
September 16
Wisdom Job 31:5-41; 42:13-15 Psalms 5:5; 10:17-18; 33:4-5
September 23
September 30
October 7
October 14
October 21
37:16, 30; 67:4; 68:5-6; 82:1-4; 85:10-11; 89:14; 94:15, 20;
101:1-8; 107:1-32; Cornerstone 118:22; 140:12; 146:7-9
Proverbs 1: 2-3; 2: 8-9; 31:8-9; Ecclesiastes 3:16; 4:1; 9:
13-16
Mountains Beyond Mountains Chapters 4/5/6 - p84
Prophets 1st Isaiah 1:15-17, 26-27; 16:3-5; 21:13-15; Firm
Foundation 28:16-17; 32:16-17; 33:5-6; Jeremiah 4:1; 7:5-6;
20:13; 22:3, 15-16; 31:31-34; 34:17; Poor left in city 39:10;
2nd Isaiah Servant Songs 42:1-7; 53:1-32; 58:6-10; 3rd Isaiah
Rebuild city 61:1-11; Ezekiel 33:32; 47:22-23; Amos 5:21-24
to kno3w God Micah 6:8; Zechariah 8:4-6; 16-17
Mountains Beyond Mountains Chapters 9/10/11 – p.113
Mountains Beyond Mountains Chapters 12/13/14 – p134
SKIM Chapters 15-19 SEE pragmatic solidarity 153;
Preferential option for poor 169 change world 175;
Poverty and inequality 198; facing social injustice 206-207;
Medicine/preferential option 209-221; road map to decency
244; Haitian help blocked 258; goal equity 261; preferential
Option/defeat 288-289; Farmer’s method 293; root of all
that is wrong with the world 294/298.
Liberation Theology – solidarity/starting point
The Gospel According to Mark – Jesus as healer/”sell all you have
and give to the poor” 10: 19-27; supreme commandments
12:28-34
Liberation Theology overview/themes/preferential option…
Chapters1/2
The Gospel According to Matthew – “higher righteousness”/
Sermon on Mount/forgiveness; ArchBishop Tutu on
meaning and effect of forgiveness; justice – Servant Song
12:15-31; workers’ living wage; servant/slave 20: 24-28;
“the least of these my brethren” 25:31-45
Liberation Theology Chapters 3/4
DUE World-as-Text
The Gospel According to Luke Chapter 1 Mary’s Magnificat;
3: 7-14; John the Baptist – message; Jesus’ inaugurates
Ministry 4: 18/19 fulfills Isaiah 61; rich/poor 6: 20-25
The Good Samaritan 10: 25-37; heart’s treasure 12: 33/34;
be humble 14: 12- 14; rich/poor 16:19-25; persist 18: 2-5
Liberation Theology starting point/solidarity/preferential
option for poor/Jesus as liberator/restored relationship/
Maxim - “where you stand is what you see”/key references
November 4
The New Testament church – The Acts of the Apostles 2:44-46
4: 32-37; 6:1-4; selected text
November 11
the Letters of Paul – selections; selected text
November 18
Epistles/James – selections; selected text
DUE World-as-Text
THANKSGIVING WEEK
December 2
Kairos Document
DUE Better World Project Public Document
December 9
Public Presentation of Project
December 16
Communal celebration of semester’s achievement
October 28
Objectives and Outcome: to gain biblical knowledge; to study and practice critical
hermeneutics; to learn of those embodying the biblical commandment of agape; to
memorize personally meaningful Scripture; to better some hurting situation to the degree
possible. The readings, media, and building project aim to achieve these goals.
“God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house. God is in the
silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives.
God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war. God is in the debris of wasted
opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them.” BONO
“To forgive another person from the heart is an act of liberation. We set that person free
from the negative bonds that exist between us…We also free ourselves from the burden of
being the ‘offended’ one.” Henri Nouwen
“If you remove the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger and speaking
wickedness and if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then
your light will rise in darkness and your gloom will become like midday and the Lord will
continually guide you and satisfy your desire in scorched places.” Isaiah 58: 9-11
“Bring about a better and more just world!” Cesar Chavez
“tell the oppressed the good news….Then they will rebuild cities that have been in ruins....I,
the Lord, love justice!” Isaiah 61: 1/4/8