ATSS: Horace Alexander, “Can the Bible Be Read as Literature?”
9 October 2024 |
When people look at a photograph, they may accept what they see at face value. But if a person is a photographer, many issues come to mind:
- a particular angle or perspective was chosen;
- some things in the picture may be in focus, while others are not;
- the picture may be composed more to the left or to the right;
- an f-stop was employed to get a particular effect.
The photographer sees much more in the photograph than a lay person does: she or he gets a glimpse into the mind of the one who took the picture because the photographer sees what decisions went into the creation of the picture.
Likewise, if we can read the Bible through the lens of literary analysis, we can gain wisdom, insights, and appreciations that are not possible any other way. The writings of the Bible show a plethora of different writing styles, an array of literary techniques, and a variety of genres of literature including poetry, narrative, and drama. The books of Psalms and Proverbs are mostly poetry; the stories of Esther and Ruth are very similar to narratives in a TV miniseries; the book of Job is a drama; the apocalyptic literature of the book of Revelation has much in common with the Star Wars movie series.
The Bible can be enjoyed and appreciated as an anthology of literary works.
Teacher:
Horace B. Alexander, M.A., Ed.S., Ed.D., is a Professor Emeritus of English with a specialty in the literature of the Bible. The author of the historical novel Moon Over Port Royal, he has also served as a school principal, District Superintendent, Dean of Instruction, and College Vice President.
Moderator:
Linda Nottingham is a businesswoman and business consultant who writes from Florida.
How to join:
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86802423425
Passcode: REVELATION
ATSS starting time depends on where you are. If you’re on the west coast of the United States, it’ll be 10:30 AM. On the east coast, 1:30 PM. Times in Europe, Africa, and elsewhere will vary with local time changes. Please double-check the correct time where you live.
The class is intended to last about 2 hours, though the conversation often continues to 4 PM (Eastern time).
About our class:
- The AT Sabbath Seminar is intended to be a courteous forum.
- Stick to the topic in both comments and chat discussion.
- Make your comments and questions short—don’t dominate.
- Keep your microphones muted unless you are called upon to make your comment or ask your question.
- Indicate your interest in speaking by raising your electronic hand.
- Please use your name when you sign in, so we know who we’re addressing.
We look forward to getting acquainted with you!
YouTube channel:
You can see all of our previous ATSS recordings here.
Coming up:
- Courtney Ray
- Jim Burklo
- Lena Toews
- Warren Trenchard
- Denis Fortin
- Mark Carr
- Skip Bell
