BIBL 682: Teaching Scripture in
Contemporary Contexts
May 16-20, 2016
Dr. Mark W. Hamilton
Professor of Old Testament
Biblical Studies Bldg.
ACU Box 29434
(325) 674-3765
mark.hamilton@acu.edu
Dr. Samjung Kang-Hamilton
Adjunct Professor of
Religious Education
ACU Box 29408
skhamilton@acu.edu
Mission of the GST: to equip men and women for missional leadership in ministry
in all its forms and to provide strong academic foundations for theological inquiry.
Course Mission: to orient men and women to the challenges and opportunities of a
teaching ministry in contemporary settings; to foster a deeper theological
engagement with Scripture and with pluriform cultures; to encourage more creative
teaching of Scripture in churches; to increase awareness of the effects of the
changing culture on ministry (and potentially vice versa); and to help students begin
to develop more sophisticated curricular options for church education. This is a
joint effort by the professors to connect the disciplines of biblical studies and
religious education in ways that will promote better teaching of Scripture.
This course serves as an elective for the MDiv, MAGS, and MACM degrees.
Class Format and Commitments
A. Class attendance is required. Students who must be absent for a brief period
owing to important commitments should notify the professors in advance.
B. Academic honesty is taken for granted. Plagiarism (i.e., the claiming of
another person’s work as one’s own) is incompatible with higher education,
especially at a Christian university, and will result in dismissal from the course with
a failing grade and a recommendation of discipline to the university administration.
C. Classroom Virtues: The GST invites students to participate in a process of
theological and spiritual formation. Knowing how to think theologically comes by
habit and by imitation, not simply by acquiring isolated facts. The assumption here
is that books alone are insufficient for addressing difficulties of life and forming
people into the image and likeness of God. One should pursue “intellectual, moral,
spiritual excellence,” the result of which is the formation of the whole person with
such qualities as desire for truth in the context of love, humility, honesty, openness,
courage, wisdom, stewardship, hopefulness, and prayerfulness.
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D. Grading Scale. The grading scale is:
A
91-100
B
81-90
C
71-80
D
61-70
F
0-60
E. The assignments, described below, have these weights in the course grade:
1. Book Reviews 1 and 2
20% due July 8
2. Reading Examination
20% due May 27
3. In-Class Teaching Project 10% due May 19
4. Final Project
50% due August 5
F. Assignments. Papers are due at 5:00 p.m. in the professors’ e-mail in-boxes on
their due dates:
1. Two book reviews of ca. 1000 words each on books related to the topic of the
course. The books should be chosen in consultation with one of the
professors. For potential books, see the attached list. You may propose
other, similar books as well. Book reviews are due on Friday July 8.
2. An examination over all readings will be handed out on Monday, May 16 and
will be due on Friday, May 27. Questions will be integrative in nature. The
examination should be typed and submitted in hard copy. It should not be
more than six pages, single-spaced in length.
3. A 15-minute teaching presentation on a text of the student’s choice. The
presentation to be given on Thursday, May 19 during the course. This
presentation will receive extensive feedback from the professors and
students.
4. A paper 16-18 pages in length. Specific instructions are below and will be
given during the course. Please choose one of the two stated options. The
major project is due Friday August 5.
Outcomes and Indicators
Outcomes
Students will
Integrate current
discussions of biblical
theology and education
Evaluate proposals for
Christian education in light
of their understandings of
theology and culture
Develop a coherent plan for
the training and support of
teachers
Indicators
As indicated by
Measures
At the level of
Examinations over readings
80% or above
Book reviews
80% or above
Major project
80% or above
2
Theorize in a grounded way
on the connection between
the shape of their
educational plan and the life
of the church, theologically
conceived
Improve their skills as
teachers
Major project
80% or above
In-class teaching projects
80% or above
Grades can measured as follows
A
B
C
D
F
Shows superior command of the primary literature and the ability to employ
relevant theory to great effect in the interpretation of the primary literature.
The A paper or essay can raise new questions in the context of previous
scholarship. An A essay or paper also shows flawless English grammar and
rhetoric.
Shows strong command of the primary and secondary literature and some
ability to form independent interpretive judgment. A B paper also shows
near flawless English grammar and rhetoric.
A C essay or paper has some grasp of both primary and secondary literature
and a general awareness of the central theoretical issues covered by the
course but shows little ability to form independent scholarly judgment.
Serious English compositional flaws may lower an otherwise A or B paper to
a C.
A D essay or paper lacks coherence or significant awareness of the issues
raised in the course about the texts studied in it.
Don’t ask!
Required Textbooks
Brueggemann, Walter, Creative Word: Canon as a Model for Biblical Education
(Minneapolis: Fortress, 1982).
Groome, Thomas H., Will There Be Faith?: A New Vision for Educating and Growing
Disciples (New York: HarperOne, 2011).
Osmer, Richard R., The Teaching Ministry of Congregations (Louisville: Westminster
John Knox, 2005).
Rogers, Andrew P., Congregational Hermeneutics: How Do We Read? (Burlington, VT:
Ashgate, 2015).
Smith, Christian, The Bible Made Impossible: Why Biblicism Is Not a Truly Evangelical
Reading of Scripture (Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2012).
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Course Schedule
Date and Time
Discussion Topic
Monday, May 16
8:00-12:00
The challenges of teaching today
Survey all readings
The Nature of Scripture, Teaching, and
especially
The Contemporary Context (Postmodern, Brueggemann, Smith
Post-Christian, Post-critical)
1:00-5:00
Tuesday, May 17
8:00-12:00
1:00-5:00
Wed., May 18
8:00-12:00
1:00-5:00
Thur., May 19
8:00-11:00
Activity
Teaching biblical narrative
Case Teaching;
Osmer
The Narrative Substructure of the
Canon
Biblical Narrative in multiple contexts
Telling Story and Storytelling
The Prince of Egypt,
The 10 Commandments
Contemporary Teaching Approaches
Discuss Groome,
Rogers
Babette’s Feast
Teaching Ritual
Passover and Lord’s Supper
Music, Arts, Symbols
Teaching prophecy & prophetic
teaching
Transformational teaching &
learning
Discuss all readings
CD: Martin Luther
King Jr.
11:00-12:00
Teaching Practice
1:00-4:00
Teaching Practice
Student teaching &
Feedback
4:30-6:00
Meal and Video at Hamiltons’ Home
Sacred Trust
Friday, May 20
8:00-12:00
Teaching Wisdom: Job and the
Sermon on the Mount
Challenges and Reflections
Building a church as a learning
And forming community
Group Discussion
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Major Class Project
Due Date: August 5, 2016 at 5:00 by email. Please submit your paper at
mark.hamilton@acu.edu and skhamilton@acu.edu. There are two ways to complete
this assignment successfully, each described below.
OPTION #1
Your assignment is to write a 16-18 page paper constructing a theological
and educational rationale for a program of teaching Scripture that you hope to
implement for a church or parachurch setting of your choice.
Imagine that you have been appointed to organize a program of teaching
Scripture in a church or parachurch setting (or perhaps you really have entered into
that role, which is even better). You are writing this paper to explore the theological
and educational theory that will guide this program. The paper presents that
theory.
The paper should consider the following issues:
1. Theology of teaching Scripture. Articulate your theology of Scripture,
using Scripture and other theological resources, as warranted, to fashion a
coherent and cogent articulation of the Bible’s life in the church. Consider
the nature and functions of Scripture as you understand it, and explain in
detail how this theology shapes your conception of the task of teaching
Scripture in the church or parachurch setting you have chosen. In short,
consider the questions “What is the Bible?” “Who teaches it and why?” and
“what about it is to be taught?”
2. The contexts of the group you are to teach. Describe the group in some
detail.
Issues of context may include social ranking, wealth, age, educational level,
size of church/parachurch, size of the community of which it is part, history,
etc. Any items that are educationally relevant should be considered here.
3. Appropriate models of education. You should choose one or two of the six
contemporary models of teaching (models that we will hand out in class) we
discussed in class that seem appropriate to the group you are seeking to
educate. Explain the model and how it fits in your setting (and what
modifications to it you wish to make). Give some rationale for what you are
doing. That is, justify in a step-by-step way what you are arguing for.
4. Methods of teaching. Identify those methods (e.g. case teaching,
storytelling, etc.) of teaching (among those discussed in class) that will be
most appropriate to the models of education, group context, and theology
you articulate.
5. Texts you would like to consider over a stretch of time. Offer a longterm
program of study of Scripture for the church (perhaps 1-3 years). Why these
texts? Which biblical texts do you include or omit? Why? What processes of
evaluation will you build into the curriculum? What special issues may arise
in the teaching of these texts?
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6. Synthesis of Items 1-5. Throughout the paper, consider how these various
issues influence each other. For example, how does your understanding of
the experiences of the group you are teaching shape your theology of
Scripture, and vice versa?
7. An ample bibliography of intellectually appropriate works that you use,
and sufficient footnotes in a standard style (Turabian, Chicago Manual of
Style, or the SBL Handbook).
OPTION # 2
Your assignment is to write a 16-18 page paper describing in detail a real
program of teaching Scripture, in which you are involved, in a church or parachurch
setting.
You should describe the program and your reflections on it in light of the
following considerations:
1. Theology of teaching Scripture. Articulate your theology of Scripture,
using Scripture and other theological resources, as warranted, to fashion a
coherent and cogent articulation of the Bible’s life in the church. Consider
the nature and functions of Scripture as you understand it, and explain in
detail how this theology shapes your conception of the task of teaching
Scripture in the church or parachurch setting you have chosen. In short,
consider the questions “What is the Bible?” “Who teaches it and why?” and
“what about it is to be taught?”
2. The contexts of the group you teach. Describe the group in some detail.
Issues of context may include social ranking, wealth, age, educational level,
size of church/parachurch, size of the community of which it is part, history,
etc. Any items that are educationally relevant should be considered here.
3. Appropriate models of education. Describe the model of teaching and
learning used in this ministry of education, while also bringing them into
dialogue with the models we have discussed in class.
4. Methods of teaching. Identify those methods (e.g. case teaching,
storytelling, etc.) of teaching (among those discussed in class) that will be
most appropriate to the models of education, group context, and theology
you articulate.
5. Personnel of teaching. Identify the persons who planned the teaching
program and those who carried it out.
6. Texts the ministry studied over a year. What texts did your group study
and why? What were the discoveries made along the way? How did you
evaluate learning over time? What special issues arose in the teaching of
these texts?
7. Assessment of Items 1-6. Throughout the paper, consider how these
various issues influence each other. Weigh carefully the pros and cons of
each aspect of the teaching program of which you are part.
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8. An ample bibliography of intellectually appropriate works that you use,
and sufficient footnotes in a standard style (Turabian, Chicago Manual of
Style, or the SBL Handbook).
Books for Possible Review
Note: You may write on these or others like them. Remember that a good review
does three things: (1) it summarizes the arguments of the book (what was written);
(2) it situates the book in a larger intellectual context (why it was written); and (3)
it evaluates the quality of the book (how well it was written). The review does not
take up these elements in a mechanical way, but with creativity.
Armstrong, Thomas, Multiple Intelligences in the Classroom (Alexandria, VA: ASCD,
1994).
Astley, Jeff, Leslie Francis, and Colin Crowder, eds., Theological Perspectives on
Christian Formation: A Reader on Theology and Christian Education (Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996).
Banks, Robert, Reenvisioning Theological Education: Exploring a Missional
Alternative to Current Models (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1999).
Banner, James and Harold Cannon, The Elements of Teaching (New Haven: Yale
University Press, 1997).
Bass, Dorothy C. and Craig Dykstra, eds., For Life Abundant: Practical Theology,
Theological Education, and Christian Ministry (Grand, Rapids: Eerdmans,
2008).
Beaudoin, Tom, Virtual Faith: The Irreverent Spiritual Quest of Generation X (San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1998).
Beck, John A., God as Storyteller: Seeking Meaning in Biblical Narrative (St. Louis:
Chalice, 2008).
Bellous, Joyce E. Educating Faith: An Approach to Christian Education (Toronto:
Clements, 2006).
Bracke, John and Karen Tye, Teaching the Bible in the Church (St. Louis: Chalice
Press, 2003).
Brown, William P., ed., Character & Scripture: Moral Formation, Community, and
Biblical Interpretation (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002).
Brueggemann, Walter, The Prophetic Imagination, 2nd ed. (Minneapolis: Fortress,
2001).
__________________, Texts Under Negotiation: The Bible and Postmodern Imagination
(Minneapolis: Fortress, 1993).
Childs, Brevard S., Biblical Theology: A Proposal (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2002).
Collins, John, The Bible After Babel: Historical Criticism in a Postmodern Age (Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 2005).
Cukrowski, Ken, Mark W. Hamilton, and James Thompson, God’s Holy Fire (Abilene:
ACU Press, 2002).
Culbertson, Philip and Elaine M. Wainwright, The Bible in/and Popular Culture: A
Creative Encounter (Atlanta: SBL, 2010).
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Deppe, Dean, All Roads Lead to the Text: Eight Methods of Inquiry into the Bible
(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2011).
Driver, Tom F., Liberating Rites: Understanding the Transformative Power of Ritual
(Boulder, CO: Westview, 1998).
Dykstra, Craig, Growing in the Life of Faith: Education and Christian Practices
(Louisville: Geneva, 1999).
Eldrige, Daryl, The Teaching Ministry of the Church (Nashville: Broadman & Holman,
1995).
Enns, Peter, The Bible Tells Me So (New York: HarperOne, 2014).
Everist, Norma Cook, The Church as Learning Community: A Comprehensive Guide to
Christian Education (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2002).
Farley, Edward, Practicing Gospel (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2003).
Freire, Paolo, Pedagogy of Hope (New York: Continuum, 1992).
Grenz, Stanley, and John Franke, Beyond Foundationalism: Shaping Theology in
a Postmodern Context ( Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2001).
Groome, Thomas H., Christian Religious Education: Sharing our Story and Vision
(San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1980).
Habermas, Ronald T., Introduction to Christian Education and Formation (Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 2008).
Hamilton, Adam, Making Sense of the Bible: Rediscovering the Power of Scripture
Today (New York: HarperOne, 2014).
Hodgson, Peter, God’s Wisdom: Toward a Theology of Education (Louisville, KY:
Westminster John Knox Press, 1999).
Johnson, S., Christian Spiritual Formation in the Classroom (Abingdon, 1991).
Lambert, Dan, Teaching That Makes a Difference: How to Teach for Holistic Impact
(El Cajon, CA: Zondervan, 2004).
LeFever, Marlene, Creative Teaching Methods (Elgin, IL: David C. Cook, 1996).
Levine, Amy-Jill, Short Stories by Jesus: The Enigmatic Parables of a Controversial
Rabbi (New York: HaperOne, 2014).
Lingenfelter, Judith E. and Sherwood G. Lingenfelter, Teaching Cross-Culturally:
An Incarnational Model for Learning and Teaching (Grand Rapids: Baker).
Melchert, Charles, Wise Teaching: Biblical Wisdom and Educational Ministry
(Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International, 1998).
Melick, Rick & Shera, Teaching That Transforms: Facilitating Life Change Through
Adult Bible Teaching (Nashville, TN: B & H Academic, 2010).
Mongoven, Anne Marie, O. P., The Prophetic Spirit of Catechesis (Mahwah, NJ:
Paulist, 2000).
Moore, Mary Elizabeth, Teaching from the Heart: Theology and Educational Method
(Minneapolis: Fortress, 1998).
Moran, Gabriel, Showing How: The Act of Teaching (Valley Forge, PA: Trinity Press
International, 1997).
Murphy, Debra Dean, Teaching that Transforms: Worship as the Heart of Christian
Education (Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2004).
Newton, Gary, Heart-Deep Teaching: Engaging Students for Transformed Lives
(Nashville: B & H, 2012).
Osmer, Richard R., Practical Theology: An Introduction (Grand Rapids, MI: William
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B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2008).
Pazmiño, Robert C., By What Authority Do We Teach: Sources for Empowering
Christian Educators (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994).
_______________, God Our Teacher, Theological Basics in Christian Education
(Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001).
Palmer, Parker J., The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a
Teacher’s Life (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1998).
Parrett, Gary A., S. Steve Kang, and J. I. Packer, Teaching the Faith, Forming the
Faithful: A Biblical Vision for Education in the Church (Downers Grove, IL:
Intervarsity, 2009).
Regan, Jane E., Toward an Adult Church: A Vision of Faith Formation (Chicago:
Loyola Press, 2002).
Richards, Lawrence and Gary Bredfeldt, Creative Bible Teaching (Chicago: Moody,
1998).
Roehlkepartain, Eugene C., The Teaching Church: Moving Christian Education to
Center Stage (Nasvhille, TN: Abingdon, 1993).
Roncace, Mark and Patrick Gray, eds. Teaching the Bible: Through Popular Culture
and the Arts (Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2007).
Sargeant, Wendi, Christian Education and the Emerging Church (Eugene, OR:
Pickwick, 2015).
Segovia, Fernando and Mary Ann Tolbert, eds., Teaching the Bible: The Discourses
and Politics of Biblical Pedagogy (Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 1998).
Shaw, Susan M., Storytelling in Religious Education (Birmingham, AL: Religious
Education Press, 1999).
Stackhouse, Max L. with Don S. Browning eds., The Spirit and the Modern Authorities
(Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International, 2001).
Sweet, Leonard, Post-Modern Pilgrims, First Century Passion for the 21st Century
World (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2001).
Treier, Daniel J., Introducing Theological Interpretation of Scripture: Recovering a
Christian Practice (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2008).
Vang, Preben, Telling God’s Story: The Biblical Narrative from Beginning to End
(Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2006).
Vogel, Linda J., Teaching and Learning in Communities of Faith: Empowering
Adults Through Religious Education (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 1991).
Wickett, R. E. Y., Models of Adult Religious Education Practice (Birmingham, AL:
Religious Education Press, 1991).
Wilhoit, James C. and Leland Ryken, Effective Bible Teaching, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids,
MI: Baker Academic, 2012).
Zuck, Roy, Spirit-Filled Teaching: The Power of the Holy Spirit in Your Ministry
(Nashville, TN: Word Publishing, 1998).
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