Faith & Life Weekend Seminars

Understanding the Bible: An Introduction to the Language and Literature of Scripture

     Presenter: Bill Wilder

Although we all use the English language for conversation, we seldom dwell on the fundamental principles of our speech. Nor do we often think about the largely unwritten rules of our daily interactions: what to say or how to act in the literally dozens of different settings we find ourselves in each day. Immersed in our language and culture, we can often take communication and understanding for granted.

But when we turn to the Bible, we need to remember that these 66 books were neither written in English, nor were they composed in a culture like our own. Written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, the biblical message is couched in the rich vocabulary and grammatical distinctives of these ancient languages. Less obvious but no less important are the ancient cultural assumptions and literary forms that God used to shape His Word to His people.

In order to better understand the Scripture in our own time, we need to acquire the knowledge, wisdom, and skills necessary to interpret the Bible in these literary, historical, and theological contexts. This is, admittedly, a lifelong task, but a task is never completed if it is not begun, and it is not properly begun without the instruction and tools necessary to perform the task. This seminar will help students to interpret Scripture with the respect and clarity of understanding that it deserves‹in the strong hope that the Spirit will also interpret God's Word into our hearts and lives.

On every page, the Bible reflects a world of historical, cultural, and theological ideas that are as different from the predominant American culture as the East is from the West. This means that knowledge of the language and culture that could once be safely assumed in the ancient world must now be gained from a thoughtful consideration and study of the times and places in which the Bible was written.

This seminar will be shaped around the two "testaments" of Scripture, particularly the kinds of literature found in both, and the rules governing the understanding of them. Bill will look at the Old Testament genres of law, history, poetry, and prophecy, and investigate forms such as parable, gospel, epistle, and apocalypse from the New Testament. He will also introduce the theological uniqueness of various parts of Scripture, while weaving throughout the session the theological unity of Scripture in the themes of creation, covenant, and redemption.

To contact Bill Wilder, you may either e-mail bill@studycenter.net or phone (434) 817-1050. Click here to register for this free seminar.

BILL WILDER, Director of Graduate Ministries at the Center for Christian Study, completed his Ph.D. in Biblical Studies at Union Theological Seminary in Virginia. He is the author of Echoes of the Exodus Narrative in the Context and Background of Galatians 5:18 (Peter Lang, 2001). Bill is a former instructor of Biblical languages, history, and theology at the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary.

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