Course Outline, References and Links - Holy Manners Study #37 - this page updates frequently.
Re-Claiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World
THE BOOKSTUDY ARCHIVES. A good book is even more interesting when you study it with friends. When our studies complete, we archive them here to share. Enjoy our notes, our discussions, and our research. You are welcome to their use.
Reclaiming the Bible for a Non-Religious World - by John Shelby Spong
“I have sought, therefore, to introduce people to the themes and messages of the various books of the Bible by examining the sweep of history in which these books were originally written. What was the situation that compelled this or that particular writing? What was the message the author sought to convey, and what part of that message still has universal applications? I wanted to help my readers understand why these particular books, written between two and three thousand years ago, came to be regarded as authoritative and thus worthy of being preserved as sacred.”
Sep 19
Session 1		 BOOK READINGS - not req'd yet
AN EVENING OF INTRODUCTIONS - to each other, to the themes of the books, to the authors.
OPENING- Cantus - "Wanting Memories" Ysaye Barnwell. LINK
PRESENTATION - LINK  - (PDF format includes links)
MEDIA LINKS
   1. Video to introduce John Shelby Spong - excerpt. full clip LINK
          "Biblical Literalilsm - a gentile heresy"
   2. Video to introduce modern Biblical Scholarship - excerpt. full clip LINK
          "How to Read the Bible and Still be a Christian" by John Dominic Crossan.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
   1. What would you like to see as an element in this course?
REFERENCES:
   1. Review - Wayne Holst - Review in his Colleague's List: LINK
   2. Review - Progressive Christianity - LINK 
   3. Chapters link to book: LINK:
   4. Amazon link to book: LINK.
   5. Progressive Christianity - "How to Read the Bible: A Progressive Christian Guide" Jim Burklo - LINK
   6. Bishop John Shelby Spong links:
          1. His own website: LINK
          2. His Facebook page: LINK
 CLOSING: Vocal Essence and Sweet Honey in the Rock - "We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest" - LINK
NOTE: RECLAIMING THE BIBLE FOR A NON-RELIGIOUS WORLD - A 23 page COMMENTARY
By Michael Grammer

These notes were contributed by Michael Grammer of Toronto. Michael is a friend and correspondent to our Deb Charnuski.
He is Jewish and so presents a unique view of Spong’s book, all the more since one of Spong’s main points, is that the early Christians were Jew’s whose religious experience was in the synagogue, well before there were churches.

This one document is linked on each of the following session sections. Just check the page references he has provided.
If you appreciate his 23 page commentary on the book and are further interested in the points he raises, drop him an email. < msgrammer@rogers.com >
Sep 26
Session 2

BOOK READINGS
    PART I - SETTING THE STAGE: POSING THE PROBLEM
    PART II - THE FORMATION OF THE TORAH
    Chapters 1 - 6
OPENING - Margie Oakander - LINK
PRESENTATION - LINK  - (PDF format includes links)
COMMENTARY - Mike Grammer - LINK
MEDIA LINKS
    1. Progressive Christianity - Review - "A Short History of Myth" by Karen Armstrong - LINK
    2. NOVA PBS Documentary - The Bible’s Buried Secrets - Moses’ Torah - LINK
    3. Arianna's Bat Mitzvah - Torah Reading - LINK
    4. Rolf Stengl found the TED talks of Michael Shermer, a noted sceptic, of interest.
          a. Why people believe weird things - LINK
          b. The pattern behind self deception - LINK
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
    1. Spong says history is only written when a nation becomes established. Really?
    2. Does knowing the 2 stories 2 gods 2 histories backgrounding the Torah change our readings in church?
    3. What is your understanding now of the “word of god”?
    4. What value has our Christian claim on the Torah?
CLOSER - Sally Hodges - LINK
Oct 3
Session 3		 BOOK READINGS
    PART III - THE RISE OF THE PROPHETS
    PART IV - INTRODUCING THE WRITING PROPHETS
    Chapters 7 - 14
OPENING - Florence Rachansky - LINK
PRESENTATION - LINK  - (PDF format includes links)
COMMENTARY - Mike Grammer - LINK
MEDIA LINKS
    1. Walter Brueggemann’s Price Lecture at Trinity Episcopal Church in Boston March 2014 (2:37:46)
        The Prophetic Tradition of the Hebrew Bible LINK (last 10 min shown) 
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
    1. Who out of middle history would you call prophets?
    2. Who out of recent history would you call prophets?
    3. Who today would you call a prophet?
    4. Can most of the declarations of the prophets be best described as hindsight reactions to historical experiences?
Oct 10
 Thanksgiving - no bookclub
Oct 17
Session 4		 BOOK READINGS
    PART V THE MINOR PROPHETS: THE BOOK OF THE TWELVE
    PART VI - THE BIBLE’S PROTEST LITERATURE
    Chapters 15-22
PRESENTATION - LINK  - (PDF format includes links)
COMMENTARY - Mike Grammer - LINK
MEDIA LINKS - Common Theme "Speaking Truth to Power"
    1. “Quakers Speak” Trayce Peterson, Director of Multicultural Affairs at Earlham College
         Student Activism as Prophetic Ministry. LINK
    2. "Speaking Truth to Power", Noam Chomsky at Brussels Conference Mar 2011. LINK
         Organised by Bruxelles Laïque asbl, Editions Aden, Editions EPO,
         Comac et le Centre d'Histoire et de Sociologie des Gauches
    3. "Speak Truth to Power - Moral Courage", Kerry Kennedy, LINK
         Pres. Robert F Kennedy Foundation of Europe, TEDx Conference, Lecce, Italy Del 2012
    4. '"Speak Truth to Power", Ariel Dorfman on writing the play for Kerry Kennedy LINK
    5. "Speak Truth to Power", Martin Schulz reading Elie Weisel from Ariel Dorfman's play "Speak Truth to Power".
         for the other 12 voices in the presentation to EU parliament. Mar 2014. LINK
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
    1. Why is the "sinner" in Hosea a woman and the just one, a man?
    2. Why are so many contemporary clergy still content to teach about a theistic god who intervenes in life?
    3.Are Spong’s detailed stories from the New Testament accurate or a loose paraphrasing?
Oct 24
Session
5		 BOOK READINGS -
   PART VII - LITURGICAL BOOKS AND WISDOM LITERATURE
    Chapters 23 - 26
OPENING- Dorothy Duker read the 78 Psalm - Tell Me a Story - - LINK
     or possibly Psalm 96 - A Hero's Welcome - LINK - so here are both
     from Jim Taylor's Everyday Psalms
PRESENTATION - LINK  - (PDF format includes links)
COMMENTARY - Mike Grammer - LINK
MEDIA LINKS
    1. Psalm 23 - From the Scottish Psalter (1912). This Psalter Choir is composed of members
        of the Protestant Reformed Churches in America LINK
    2. Everyday Psalms by Jim Taylor. A beautiful transliteration of the psalms.
    3. Jim also blogs. He calls the recent judgement of Greta Vosper an Inquisition. LINK.
    4. The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha - the additional.books in the Hebrew and the Catholic Bibles.
         from the Jewish Virtual Library. LINK. Recommend Maccabees.
    5. Holy Rascals -Rabbi Salman Schachter-Shalomi
          Psalm 23 explained - The Lord Is My Sheperd LINK
    6. John Rutter’s "The Lord Is My Sheperd" LINK
    7. John Rutter describing his Requiem as it included Psalm 23 - LINK
CLOSING:
Oct 31
Session 6		 BOOK READINGS -
   PART VIII - INTRODUCING THE CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES, (NEW TESTAMENT)
    Chapters 27 - 30
OPENING
PRESENTATION - LINK  - (PDF format includes links)
COMMENTARY - Mike Grammer - LINK
TIMELINE - Ken Kittridge - LINK
MEDIA LINKS
    1. Jesse Herriott interviews John Spong - on Jesus - Excerpts. Full clip LINK
    2. Article with Timeline 6 BCE to 90 CE LINK
    3. The archeological history of the Capurnaum Synagogue. Virtual Jewish Library. LINK
    4. Chris White - "Is Jesus Real? - Non-biblical Evidence of His Existence".
         Excellent research and presentation by layman. 10 sources. 36m LINK
    5. Chris White's website. LINK
    6. Lecture by Professor Bart D. Ehrman, "Jesus, the Law and a New Covenant" LINK
         Ehrman is not a Christian, but is an expert on New Testament.. A prolific and popular writer/speaker.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
    1.Why is it important to examine the bible using both the historical and biblical chronology?
    2. Why is the oral Period (30-50), aka “Dark Tunnel” Important to examine?
CLOSING: Deb reads Mike of Toronto - LINK
Nov 7
Session
7		 BOOK READINGS -
    PART IX - PAUL: THE FIRST NEW TESTAMENT WRITER
    Chapters 31 - 41
OPENIING-
PRESENTATION - LINK  - (PDF format includes links)
COMMENTARY - Mike Grammer - LINK
MEDIA LINKS
    1. The Search for the Historical Paul - John Dominic Crossan. LINK
    2.  The First Christians - Documentary by Lost Worlds - LINK
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
CLOSING - Joan Gray - LINK
Nov 14
Session 8		 BOOK READINGS -
    PART X - THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS
    Chapter 42 - 51
OPENIING-
PRESENTATION - LINK  - (PDF format includes links)
COMMENTARY - Mike Grammer - LINK
MEDIA LINKS
    1. John Spong at Chatauqua "Recasting the Christ Story" LINK
    2. The Jewish Liturgical Calendar for year 5777 (CE 2016-2017) LINK
    3. The Revised Common Lectionary - Year C beginning Advent LINK
    4. The Historical Jesus - John Dominic Crossan. LINK
    5. Legends, Fictions, and the Manuscripts That Illustrate Christ's Story - Bart D. Ehrman. LINK
    6. The Explosion of Early Christianity Explained. (math) LINK
    7. Bible Gateway - 114 Bible versions/languages, all searchable. LINK
    8. Passover - 4m - Animation produced by Crossroads Kids Club - LINK
         Illustrates the way New Testament uses the story models of the Hebrew Bible - (Mishnah).
    9. Graphic - Rolf Stengl - In the End, What Matters - LINK
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
    1. Do you favour Paul or the Gospels as the most useful portrayal of the teachings of Jesus?
CLOSING:
    Leonard Cohen - "Hallelujah" - London performance 2009 - LINK
    (Cohen died this week 7 Nov 2016).
    The lyrics of the London performance - LINK.
    Rolling Stone article - “How Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah’ brilliantly mingled Sex, Religion" - LINK``
Nov 21
Session
9		 BOOK READINGS -
    PART XI - THE PASTORAL EPISTLES, HEBREWS AND THE GENERAL EPISTLES
    Chapter 52 - 54
OPENIING-
PRESENTATION - LINK  - (PDF format includes links)
COMMENTARY - Mike Grammer - LINK
MEDIA LINKS
    1. The Teaching of the Apostles - Didache - Text LINK - Wikipedia LINK
    2. Video - Ron Rolheiser OMI, June 2016, Walking in Light and Darkness
        from Seminar - Fervor and Dark Nights in Our Spiritual Journey. LINK
    3. Poem - Credo 2 - intention - LINK
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
    1. Has the institutionalization of the church been a positive influence?
CLOSING:
Nov 28
Session
10		 BOOK READINGS -
    PART XII - THE JOHANNINE CORPUS
    Chapter 55 - 59
OPENIING- Hallelujah - Cohen - Cor Clanaethwy Community Choir, North Wales - LINK
PRESENTATION - LINK  - (PDF format includes links)
COMMENTARY - Mike Grammer - LINK
COURSE SUMMARY - Ken Kitteridge - LINK
HANDOUT - A Second Naivete - Article in Globe and Mail - 19 Nov 2016
    "Attendance Increasing at Theologically Conservative Churches - Joe Friesen. LINK
NEXT STUDY INFO
    1. How Jesus Became God - Ehrman - Excerpt - TOC and Introduction. LINK
    2. Review by Publisher and by Wayne Holst - LINK.
MEDIA LINKS
    1. Article, Huffington Post, "Gospel of John: What everyone should know" - LINK
    2. John Spong - Jesus for the Non-Religious, in conversation with Allan Gregg TV Ontario. Nov 2012. LINK
    3. Book Study 29 - Revelations by Elaine Pagels - Cross LINK
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
    1. What discoveries about the Bible have I made after this study?
    2. What difference will it make? For Me? For St. Davids?
CLOSING:
Note on Documents and Videos. If in clicking documents linked in these web pages, you cannot open them, it may be because you do not have Microsoft Office installed at the computer you are at. There are two FREE alternatives. First, Microsoft themselves offer auxiliary programs called "readers" for their various programs like PowerPoint and Word. LINK. Second, a complete Office Suite is available that can read and write Microsoft documents. The Open Office Project is now in about 80 languages and an excellent program set. LINK.
Holy Manners The background on the phrase and why we have adopted it. The guidelines for our studies.
Click to visit the St. David's Adult Ed Forum  Internet Discussion Group at Yahoo - the St. David's Forum. The archive is public and readable. Participation is by invitation. Click HERE if you would like to join. You will then be able to post your own responses to the list and will be emailed the notices and contributions of the others. Click left to visit the archives of the site (read only). There are presently 88 persons.
Apply your heart to instruction and your ears to words of knowledge. ... Proverbs 23:12 (NIV)
Group Facilitator. Wayne Holst              EMAIL WAYNE

I spent most of my life thinking like a church professional, rather than as a regular congregational member. My training as a pastor always had me asking myself 'how can I apply this discovery, insight, new information to a regular church setting?'

Often, clergy have been hesitant to share the discoveries they have made through a 'critical' approach to the Bible with their parishoners because they wonder how laypeople might accept it. I have found that many thinking laity are professionals in their own fields of endeavour and understand a critical approach very readily. What they seek are ways of relating faith to daily living.

I am grateful for the journey I have been taking through ordained ministry to teaching at the university and serving as a fellow layperson at St.David's United Church. Here we find that questioning and honest expression of our faith and doubt is readily accepted and supported.
Group Facilitator. Jock McTavish           EMAIL JOCK

I am a student and a poet, a democrat and a techocrat, an eclectic eccentric. I grew up in a loving Baptist community, so in my heart I'm still a Bible loving evangelical. As I grew in learning I found a new home in the United Church whose tolerance embraces the broadest range of Christian understanding. I most enjoy the illumination of our ancient traditions by modern scholarship. For they show in clear novel ways that the perspectives of the Special Ones were seldom the understandings of those that followed. They show all knowledge to be in relationship .

There seems a lack of understanding in our secular world for religious practices. The reasons why I still gladly - even necessarily - attend church are difficult to voice to those unfamiliar with church, or those injured by church. Elliott got it right. We find our way back to the place we started from. But with new understanding.