The SBL’s Teaching the Bible project
Aug 26th, 2009 by Bryan
Jim West has posted information about the SBL’s project in development, The Bible in American Public Schools, which aims to help public school teachers address the Bible in their classes. Here is a page of general information and here is the “e-pub” Teaching the Bible. I am rooting big-time for this project. This is the first thing I have seen from SBL that makes me think about checking that “extra donation” box on my registration form.
As an aside, I have already been helped myself by this site in my own teaching. First, they provide this link to an interactive chart about different biblical canons, which is something I will be talking about in class on Friday.
Also, they link to the Bible Dudes, a site that is new to me, but I will now recommend to all of my youth minister friends. The Bible Dudes, for example, have this page discussing the most important archaeological finds relating to the Bible. This is something you can find elsewhere, but the list here is nicely comprehensive (Ketef Hinnom!) and the descriptions are balanced and careful. Take a look, for example, at their discussion of the almost certainly fake inscription on the “James Ossuary.” They point out that most scholars question its authenticity and end with this editorial comment: “Dude! Like collecting ancient artifacts is so totally bogus! The BibleDudes agree with Indiana Jones: artifacts belong in a museum!”
Right on, dude!
[...] Hat tip to Bryan at Hevel. [...]