Which classes would I take to study the bible?

Question

I would like to study the science, history and archeology part of the bible by learning through classes. I have no idea which ones or where to start. I am not in a religion but I would like to read and understand the bible without asking a certain religion to interpret it for me. I would like to learn as much hebrew and what ever else I need to understand the way they used metaphors in that time. Maybe it is the science of the bible or something similar.

Thank you many of you are very helpful. I ask this because I go to a community college and want to take classes there for now and which ever you guys give me advice to take I will look up to see if they offer.

FOR THE USER: Heron By The Sea You have answered my question to the last word. Thank you for your time and answer.

Answer 1

If you can take some college courses at a secular university, you'll find just the thing you are looking for, I think.

I'm a religious studies major at a State University, and we learn about the Bible from a scholarly perspective. My professors do not condemn any religion or interpretation of the Bible. But they teach us what the majority of scholars in the field are saying. Check out what your university has to offer under either Theology or Religious Studies.

I had a course called The History and Theology of the Hebrew Scriptures which was very good. I had 2 professors - one taught Theology, and the other taught the History. We learned a lot about archeology. In fact, my professor had been to a lot of those places we learned about! Very fascinating.

I will be taking a similar course this next semester on Christian Scriptures.
I've also had courses in The Theology of the End Times, Origins of Judaism, and will be taking one on Biblical Ethics. All of these are taught from as unbiased a point of view as possible.

In almost all my classes, we use the Oxford Annotated New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. With my knowledge of Hebrew, I can tell you that at least the "Old Testament" portion is the most accurate of any of the translations.

My Origins of Judaism class used The Oxford Jewish Study Bible, which is also excellent, especially if you are curious about specifically Jewish interpretations.

Some of the textbooks we used are:
The Oxford History of the Biblical World, edited by Coogan. This is an EXCELLENT book. One of my favorites, and very scholarly.

The Old Testament: An Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures, by Harris and Platzner.

A Historical Introduction to the New Testament, by Bart D. Ehrman (all his books I recommend).

I don't know much about Greek, but I know a little Hebrew, and it can do wonders for your Biblical study! See if your university has a class on it. If not, there are some good books you can get. One I recommend is "Ha-Yesod." It teaches modern Hebrew, but also tells you the differences between Biblical and Modern as you go. I've not found a book that teaches strictly Biblical Hebrew that I would recommend. I'm sure they're out there. I just haven't come across them.

If you can't learn the Biblical languages, try to get a Strong's Concordance with Vine's Hebrew and Greek dictionaries included. This way, you can look up the meaning of the original words. Also, they make "interlinear" versions, which will have the Greek and Hebrew with word-to-word translations, which can help you get a perspective on what the original is saying.

Finally, I highly recommend this website:
http://www.teach12.com/teach12.asp?sa=4001&ai=19096&media=Google&keyword=the_teaching_company&tg=brand&lander=bkv_homepage&misc=exact

That is the "Teaching Company" and they sell courses on CD and tape which are taught by college professors. They are the best in the fields, and they have an excellent selection of Religion courses. Bart D. Ehrman has many courses on there, and he's really good on New Testament Studies. Amy Jill-Levine is there too, and she's supposed to be very good (she came to my university last year to lecture). These are expensive, but when they go on sale, they're extremely affordable and well-worth it! I love that company! I listen to the lectures on my commute to college.

Behatzlachah (Good Luck!)

Answer 2

You should take a new testament class and an old testament class...new testament first tho. I would take it at a college. Some churches offer the class tho. I would take the course at a college.

Personally, if you really want to know, i think you should take the course from a professor who is christian...most have studied the bible thier entire lives and could give you more relevant information than someone who does a lecture on the side who is totally opposed to it. This is if you are genuinely interested....if you're not then I suppose you could take a world religeons class or something.

What people need to do is learn to read what the bible says...not what they think it says. Sometimes its easy to forget that the bible was first and foremost written for people +2000 years ago. It applies to everyone but the authors obviously didn't know their writings would stand this long. It is easy to include modern lax or unlax thinking into the thought processes of authors that lived so long ago. Times, culture, and people are different. Bible scholars will help differentiate these sorts of things and show how to pull out meaning from the bible rather than read meaning into it which unfortunately, is how so many bad ideas and misfortunes have happened.

The fact is that anyone can very easily make the bible say what they want it to say....in the end, it is only the ones who are genuinely interested in finding out what it really says who will actually find out what it really says.

Answer 3

Women and Love Addiction--what exactly are you focusing on here? Women who are obsesse with marriage? What? You want some ways not to fall into the trap of risque answers and questions? Your subject is love. You can either avoid it altogether or just embrace the fact that you are going to have semi-pornographic questions. It's a part of life. Talking about sex isn't going to be anti-Bible. Go into the Bible study with a clear mind. If someone asks a question, answer it. If you tell the person that her question makes you feel uncomfortable, you're going to make the whole class feel as though you aren't a very good teacher. You know your class. You should know how to respond. Are they going to be able to discuss sex? Are they going to feel uncomfortable? I would approach this at the very state. Do NOT disallow such questions, but just ask everyone AS A WHOLE what they would prefer to do. ---Now that I know what you're talking about, I would suggest getting some books from your local Christian book store. While answers here will suffice, you need to read up more on this.

Answer 4

If you want to learn about the Bible from that aspect, taking a college level course in Comparative Religions would really help you.

I guess you know, if you're beliefs tend to be on the traditional side? That class will really shock you.

Someone, I get the drift from the question, you probably don't really think along Fundamentalist Christian terms.

If you did, I would suggest BibleLiteracy.org. Good Luck! And Happy New Year!

Answer 5

I LOVE THE MATH IN THE BIBLE

I love giving each person his place in history as time after Adam, time before or after the flood, and time before Christ.

Gen.5: 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 25, 28 is 1056 Noah born Gen.7:6; is age 600 flood year.
Gen.9:28,29;
Noah lived 350 years after the flood.
Gen.11:10,11;
Shem lived 502 years after the flood.
Gen.11: 10 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 is 222 years Gen.11:32 is 205 at 427 after flood.
Gen.12:4;
Abraham age 75 at 427 years after flood has Promised Land Covenant
Exo.7:7 [ Moses age 80 ]; 12:40,41 [ 430 ]; Gal.3:16-18 430 years after Abraham to the law.
Moses 857 years after the flood with half a million promised land heirs in Exodus. Num.33:38,39; Aaron died 40th year. Deut.34:7; Moses died 40th year.
Joshua 5:6,10,12; 14th day into New Year ends 40 years 898th after flood.
Judges 11:26; 300th year is 1,198 after flood. Acts.13:20; 450 & 857 is 1307 after flood. Iki.6:1,38; 480 & 897 is 1377 to temple of Solomon.
Solomon is 1033 less 36 1Ki.11:42; to 997 B.C. 391st year ends Judah kings.
606 B.C. 2006 and soon 2007 C.E. and Rev.20:1-6,12,13; 1000 years reign.

Answer 6

All u need is to read the whole book yourself.Give God the time to know all about him.It's not about U,it's about HIM.If God wants U to know him,he will let u understand. Get your knowledge from the source of all knowledge.Get a NIV Bible and read it ALL.God will open your eyes if they R true.Only God or Christ can teach u the truth.

Answer 7

Firstly, people the people who wrote and the people who study the Bible both think that science is very, very, very, very bad.

Secondly, this is as it should be, since it takes an extremely ignorant person to "understand" the Bible.

Answer 8

If you want a propper mix, I would take a World Civ class, an anthropology class, and a religiosn studies class (there are christian courses and so forth). There are no religious sicience classes as far as I know. What kind of science are we talking about?









Well, anthropology is a science. probably not what your thinking though. I don't know.

Answer 9

To get the best Bible education you would have to go to Bible College.

Answer 10

ok you have listed way to much to start with,,,,my advice to you is get in a bible study course and continue to study the maps and history books of the hebrew land