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God the Midwife: a repost with new format

May 1, 2012 tim No comments

With mothers’ day coming up it seems a good time to reissue an old post, with a new format and somewhat cleaned up audio. I briefly remind you of some of the passages that picture God as a midwife. The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) regularly pictures Yahweh as intimately associated with forming in the womb and with birthing. In view of “his” role as midwife “he” can hardly have been thought of as a male god.

Remembering this stuff and celebrating motherly God (who is no god) is particularly appropriate as we approach mother’s day! Better for us than extra chocolate too And it’s not un-topical here in NZ where the TV is showing a drama about Midwives just now, either.

God the Midwife [ 5:01 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Gender, Genesis, Jeremiah, Job, OT, Psalms, Theology none

Who is the audience for Genesis?

April 17, 2012 tim 2 comments

Attentive audience by San Jose Library

I’ve been marking student assignments for a course on Genesis. The more I mark the more I become aware of the issue of the intended (expected/implied) audience. In this podcast I’ll suggest that the answer is not as simple as it sounds and draw a conclusion about our practices of reading Scripture…

Who is the audience for Genesis? [ 5:06 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Genesis, Implied audience none

Genesis as an edited text: pt.1 Gen 1-5

February 27, 2012 tim No comments

Two Narrators by absentmindedprof

Since I am teaching Genesis again I am filling out the gaps in my podcasts on this book. I think it is important to notice that Genesis is told to us by (at least) two narrators. The story comes to us as an edited text, that is it already in its telling belongs, not to one person, not even a great hero like Moses, but to a community. For it is a book that tells of the origins not only of “everything” but of the people of God…

In this podcast I’ll focus on chapters 1-5 where it is easiest to spot the different narrators, then (all being well) I’ll talk about the rest of the book soon.

Here is the audio: Genesis as an edited text: pt.1 Genesis 1-5.

Genesis, Narrative, Structure none

Introducing Genesis

February 13, 2012 tim 8 comments

The first chapter of Genesis (in the Israel Museum) photo adapted from Wikimedia

My class on Genesis starts soon, and I’ve been working on a Bible Dictionary article on “Genesis” , so it seemed like a good time to fill in a gap in my Genesis page. I am a bit “bunged up” today, so forgive the nasal quality to the voice please.

I’ve tried both to introduce very briefly some of the scholarly issues as well as the theological importance of this magnificent book, let me know where you think I suceed or fail! Your criticisms could be really helpful

Here is the audio: Introducing Genesis

Genesis none

Introducing the Torah or Pentateuch

February 2, 2012 tim No comments

Torah scroll by Lawrie Cate

One of the things I have not yet done as well as I’d like is to package these podcasts into convenient forms to give quick simple introductions for students in classes I teach, so I’ve been collecting the posts on Genesis with that in mind.

I’ll gradually be adding podcasts to fill some of the gaps. Here’s one to introduce the section of the Bible that contains Genesis, the Torah or Pentateuch. I’ll try briefly (5 minute Bible) to explain what the Torah is and what it does. To do this we’ll also look briefly at what it contains, and hint at the role of the Pentateuch as Christian Scripture.

Here is the audio: Introducing the Torah or Pentateuch

Law/Torah/Pentateuch none

Would a rose smell as sweet? What’s in a name? Genesis 22

May 12, 2011 tim 3 comments

Rembrandt (1606–1669) Sacrifice of Isaac (Wikimedia)

Usually I try to present the ideas in these podcasts so that anyone can understand. However, this time if you cannot read Scripture except in translation and you have not learned to use an interlinear or computer Bible to get beyond that handicap, this podcast may be less accessible.

It deals with the naming of God, in one of the most challenging and difficult stories in the Bible, the near-sacrifice (or binding) of Isaac.

An unheard of second warning, in this podcast I don’t reach any conclusions, I either leave that to you, or you will have to wait till I am inspired to make a follow-up ‘cast

So, here’s the link to the audio: Would a rose smell as sweet? What’s in a name? Genesis 22

characterisation, Genesis, Humour, Narrative abraham, akeda, binding of isaac, Gen 22, isaac, sacrifice of isaac

Humour in the Bible: Book 5 Deuteronomy

April 16, 2011 tim No comments

Photo of traditional site of Transfiguration of Jesus Christ (Mount Tabor). The settlement on the plain in the background is Kfar Kish. Taken in Palestine 2005 by Bantosh

This podcast, suggesting a gentle wry smile in Dt 1:6 was inspired by a blog post from Rabbi Michal Shekel “Could it be possible to stay too long at the site of Revelation?”

There are also quotes from: Tigay, J. Deuteronomy. Jewish Publication Society, 1994, 8; and Rashi on Dt 1:6.

As well as Dt 1:6-7 I will also refer to Mark 9.

So, here’s the link to the audio: Humour in the Bible: Book 5 Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy, Humour, Mark none

Humour in the Bible: Book 4 Numbers

April 15, 2011 tim 4 comments

No one has get suggested humour in Leviticus, so I’m moving on while I think…

Numbers 11 provides a fun story with several wry smiles, and Moses tells God that as Israel’s mother (which role Moses himself is not at all keen on) Yahweh should feed and care for these “babies”.

So, here’s the link to the audio:
Humour in the Bible: Book 4 Numbers

Humour, Numbers none

Humour in the Bible: Book 3 Leviticus

April 15, 2011 tim 5 comments

A fine pile of manure.

I never said all the humour in the Bible was gentle or polite. We have come to expect harsh even toilet humour from the prophets, but in this reading Leviticus outdoes Ezekiel sharpening his toilet humour and even making it shorter and more pointed.

In this podcast I’ll compare Ezek 6:3-6 with Lev 26:30, and even throw in some Hebrew and a reference to Cuneiform, just to show how serious Leviticus’ humour really is

So, here’s the link to the audio:
Humour in the Bible: Book 3 Leviticus

Ezekiel, Humour, Leviticus none

Humour in the Bible: Book 2 Exodus

April 13, 2011 tim No comments

An ironically blond European Moses discovered (Paul Delaroche 1797–1859 Moïse exposé sur le Nil)

In this post we’ll discover some humour from below. The humour of the oppressed often pokes fun at the oppressor. Those who subjugate others fear them, and this fear generates feelings of inferiority that in Exodus some oppressed women manipulate delightfully.

Please open your Bibles at Exodus 1-2.

So, here’s the link to the audio:
Humour in the Bible: Book 2 Exodus

Exodus, Genocide, Humour none