These plans are based on two excellent resources on the Hebrew Bible.
History of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament): Current Academic Understandings by Brant Abrahamson and Fred Smith. (Revised edition 2005) and Teacher's Manual: History of the Hebrew Bible (Old
Testament): Current Academic Understandings by Brant Abrahamson and Fred Smith. The cost of the two documents is $10.00.
Contact information:
The Teachers' Press, 3731 Madison Avenue, Brookfield. IL 60513
phone: 708/485-5983; e-mail: teacherspr@aol.com
website: http://www.
1. History of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament): Current Academic Understandings (Student text, 90 pages)
Target audience. This curriculum unit, as the other resources of The Teachers' Press, has been developed for, and used by, public high school students. However, it is very suitable for other audiences: adult education classes and self-instructional resources for adults. Parents with teenagers will find this very useful for their families or in small family groups apart from a formal class setting.
Brief overview. This comprehensive resource addresses many questions that people of all ages have asked, e. g., When was Genesis first put in written form and how does this information help one deal with creationists? How did concepts of the after-life change during the time period that the Old Testament was formulated? When did the Hebrew Bible become a "closed book"? How does it relate to the Christian New Testament and the Koran? And many more....
The lessons are based on the characteristics of the "oral tradition" out of which the oldest parts of the Bible arose, academic biblical research, and recent archaeological findings. The authors trace the Old Testament books from their origins through many centuries of development to the form that is current today.
The text is divided into the following chronological-based lessons:
1. The Geographic World of the Bible
2. Dating Bible Stories and Oral Tradition
3. The Oral Stage--Before 1000 BCE
4. Before Israel & Judah--1000 to 900 BCE
5. Israel & Judah--900 to 600 BCE
6. Hebrews, Babylonians, Persians--600-500 BCE
7. Jews & Persians--500 to 300 BCE
8. Jews, Greeks & Hasmonaeans--300 to 50 BCE
9. Jews, Romans & the World--From 50 BCE On
10. The Old Testament and Christianity
11. The Jewish and Christian Canons
12. The Old Testament and the Koran
In these 12 fact-filled and insightful chapters, readers will be able to answer the questions posed at the outset. In short, as the authors state, this historical study is an attempt to determine when these people of the Hebrew Bible lived and the circumstances of their times.
A "Summary and Conclusions" section ties the book up very nicely. It is followed by an appendix that describes each of the Old Testament books and a bibliography of the latest research. The section ends with this statement:
In this series of lessons we have presented an academic understanding of a historical artifact, the Hebrew Bible. We have summarized the processes through which biblical historians and archaeologists think that it came to exist in its present form. These lessons say nothing whatsoever about the possible divine inspiration of the Old Testament or any holy book. This is a topic that must be explored with the family or religious leaders in which a person has confidence. All understandings must include human minds and human brains, and these lessons describe how most biblical scholars think they operated in their historical context.
As one of the reviewers wrote, "It is not only, in my opinion, well designed for intelligent high school students, but could bear reading by millions of adult Americans." This reviewer could not agree more with that statement.
2. Teacher's Manual: History of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament): Current Academic Understandings (42 pages). In addition to the students' text, the Teacher's Manual includes a wealth of background information and related readings. The Introduction includes sections on religious beliefs and scientifically-oriented scholarship; teaching and religious bias (this resource, you should realize, presents a totally un-biased account of the subject matter); personal student beliefs; and dealing with miraculous happenings and abhorrent practices. Additional sections include many excellent and thought-provoking questions and discussion topics on such concerns as understanding an origin of supernatural stories, Judaism and the Babylonian captivity, ancient and modern world views, comparisons of the three Abrahamic religions with Hinduism and Buddhism, and the Golden Rule.
As with other teacher's manuals from The Teacher's Press, this too includes interesting quizzes - plus timelines and maps. The manual concludes with several more pages of readings, these on "Saul and David in Myth and History".
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Another Resources Lesson from The Teacher's Press: The Decalogue: Bible Scholarship for Use Today. This 26-page booklet facilitates a brief historical study of a central Bible theme and sets the stage for more reasonable and informed discussion of this topic. The cost of this resource is $2.00.
The Decalogue: Its History and Use -- Student text, 8 pages, includes the history, the four Biblical Decalogues, New Testament Decalogue References, Modern Abridged Decalogues, and Should the Decalogue be a Government Guide for Morality?
Teacher's Edition and Teacher References: Source analysis, 18 pages. A brief synopsis: First the authors present two understandings of the Decalogue. A "Biblical View" followed by "A Scholarly View." According to Biblical researchers, the first five books of the Bible -- the Torah or Pentateuch -- have four principal authors. Scholars have long referred to them by the letters "E," "J," "P" and "D." Each of these authors has a version of the Decalogue commandments. Students read these Decalogue versions found in Exodus chapter 20, Exodus chapter 34, Leviticus chapter 19 and Deuteronomy chapter 5. They then trace these commandment ideas as they are found in the New Testament. This sets the stage for discussions about whether highly edited lists of the Ten Commandments should be endorsed by local, state or national governments, including postings in public schools. The students look at reasons why people in various groups might want governmental recognition of the Decalogue as well as the multiple legal and other problems that such attempts call to mind.
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Learning Bible Today: From Creation to the Conquest of Canaan
by Michael J. Prival. (1996) A publication of the International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism and the Milan Press. (129 pages).
The cost is $20 plus a $4.60 charge for shipping and handling on the first book and $1.00 for each additional one.
The full text of the book (without the clip-art or maps) can be found at --
http://iishj.org/images/Bible.
http://www.bible.x10hosting.
Since many educators prefer paper copies, they can buy the much more attractive paper version from:
International Institute for Secular Humanistic Judaism
28611 West Twelve Mile Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48334
phone: 847-777-6907
e-mail: info@iishj.org
web site: www.iishj.org
Target audience. In the very first sentence, the author states that the primary purpose of the book is to help parents and teachers who want to discuss the Bible with children but who are not comfortable with traditional religious views on the subject, and that the book is intended for interested readers from about the sixth grade to adults who wish to obtain basic information about the Bible from a modern, scientific, and critical perspective without having to study scholarly works in this field. (Nevertheless, this is a highly scholarly work that is very readable and accessible for youth and adults.)
An Overview. The scope and depth of this teaching resource is very impressive. We have reproduced the Table of Contents to give you an idea.
Introduction: What Is Religion? What Is the Bible?
How Did Religion Get Started?
Where Did the Bible Come From?
What Is the Hebrew Bible?
What Is the Difference Between the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible?
Why Do We Study the Bible?
Time Line Overview of the Bible and Jewish History
Chapter I. Origins - Earth and People
The Story of Creation
Adam and Eve, the First People
Cain, the Jealous Brother of Abel
The Time When There Were Giants on the Earth
Noah and the Great Flood
The Tower of Babel
Chapter II. The First Israelites
Abraham and Sarah, the Promise from God
Abraham Smashes the Idols
Abraham Avoids an Argument with Lot
Abraham Argues with Yahweh
Isaac Is Born to the Sound of Laughter
Ishmael and Hagar Are Cast out of Abraham's House
God Tells Abraham to Kill His Son, Isaac
Isaac Marries Rebekah
Esau Sells His Birthright to His Brother, Jacob
Jacob Tricks His Brother, Esau, and His Father, Isaac
Jacob's Ladder
Jacob Gets Married - Twice
Jacob Leaves Haran
Jacob Wrestles with an Angel, Gets a New Name, and Meets his Brother Esau
Joseph and His Brothers
Joseph and Potiphar - and Potiphar's Wife
Joseph Explains Some Dreams
Pharaoh Dreams and Joseph Becomes Ruler of Egypt
Joseph Sees His Brothers Once Again
Israel (Jacob) and His Sons All Settle in Egypt
Moses - from a Basket to Pharaoh's House
Moses Burns Himself
Moses Rescues a Hebrew Man and Leaves Egypt
Yahweh Speaks to Moses from a Burning Bush
The Israelites Gain Their Freedom
The Waters Part! The Israelites Escape!
Chapter V. Wandering in the Wilderness
Complaints and Miracles - Food, Water, and a Battle
The Israelites Receive Ten Commandments
Commandments, Commandments, and More Commandments
Yahweh Prescribes Religious Rituals
Some Laws and Rituals
Food
Do Not Oppress the Stranger, Except Sometimes
Crime and Punishment
Yahweh Will Reward the Israelites for Following His Commandments
Moses Is Criticized for Marrying a Cushite
The Israelites Anger Yahweh and He Announces Their Punishment
The Rebellion of Korah the Levite
Moses and Aaron Are Punished for Disobeying Yahweh
Along the Road to Canaan, the Conquest Begins
From Moses to Joshua
Joshua Sends out Two Spies
Crossing over the Jordan and Conquering Jericho
The Israelites Settle in the Land of Canaan
This list of chapter titles and contents hardly begin to capture the depth, the information, and the insights of this marvelous resource. What makes this such a useful instructional tool are not only the wonderful narratives in each section but the highly insightful discussion topics that lead students to explore ideas and concepts that they likely have never imagined.
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The teaching resources described above are everything a parent or teacher will need to stimulate thought and, surely, additional study on the part of the students - as well as the parents and teachers. We are fortunate to have access to these works by Brant Abrahamson, Fred Smith and Michael J. Prival.
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Feedback. Please let us know how this went... and please suggest any additional ideas for teaching the concepts in these resources. I would be most grateful if you would send them to me at - rbhaerman@americanhumanist.org
Bob Bhaerman, Coordinator, Kochhar Humanist Education Center,
American Humanist Association
