Comments on: Articulated texts

By: Tim

Tim — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 18:29:49 +0000

J, you’re preaching to the choir ;) But we can’t make it compulsory without finding space for the equivalent of a semester of work from the program overall. When the total program is only 6 semesters that would leave 5… What we’d need is either another year – too expensive, or cut the Mission and Ministry courses ruthlessly – not acceptable to the clients. Unless you have some better idea?

My hope is that each year we have some students who see in Understanding and Interpreting the Bible that knowing what was really said might help them understand the text (the average commentary does not help with that as unless you know the languages (Hebrew and Greek and academic BS speak) you cannot understand what the issues are to see their value ;)

By: jonathan robinson

jonathan robinson — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 03:52:56 +0000

i mean i struggle to find the time to work on my language skills because i am fully aware how easily i can get by without them. but because i actually want to know what i am talking about instead of faking it i persevere, but the temptation to do otherwise is strong.

By: jonathan robinson

jonathan robinson — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 03:48:18 +0000

but that is the thing, if you can opt out, people will because it is hard. it needs to be compulsory, if it is important.

By: Tim

Tim — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 07:31:35 +0000

Yes, except when we did teach Hebrew we only had about one Carey student every five years, and once Greek stoipped being semi-compulsory for future pastors the numbers dropped to a couple of students every now and then…

By: jonathan robinson

jonathan robinson — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 03:51:02 +0000

But why have Biblical languages become so unpopular and come to be considered unnecessary? It is not because students don’t want to learn them, colleges simply don’t consider them a priority or make space for them in the curriculum and more. I have a new conversation with a different student about once a week about how to study biblical languages and they are always excited but also wary of embarking on a course of study without support and on top of their full time study load. by not making languages part of the curriculum, it actively discourages students from persuing language learning. Even if people do not have the background of a classical education or even a basic grasp of English grammar, those things could be taught, if they were considered a priority.