SBL Forum: Student Creative Project

There is a very interesting post published in this month's SBL Forum written by James D Findlay. Titled "Student Creative Projects: Aural and Video Productions as Biblical Exegesis," this article highlights James' experience in encouraging his students to find ways "into the joyful task of creative and responsible interpretation in ways that make sense for their own lives and experiences."

Click here to read the article - it's worth reading it.

As a lecturer, I have been struggling how to give the necessary space for my students to express their creativity in exegesis classes. Perhaps I might give James' idea a try in my next semester's course on Exegesis of Romans. Who knows, we might even discover some hidden talents.

Metrosexual is Out...Here Comes Retrosexual!

In one of my earlier posts, I mentioned that I used the word "metrosexual" to explain one of the fallacies of doing word study on compound words. I also highlighted that the students in the Exegetical Methods class were not aware of the meaning of "metrosexual" and that I gave a rather "cheeky" definition, much to the "horror" of my students.

Since then, I think I may have to add another word to my word study vocabulary to balance things a little bit. The latest Newsweek issue reports that the good-old rugged manly looks is making a comeback with more men seeking surgical solutions to create more hairy chests and breads, squarer chins, and more angular jaw lines. So say goodbye to "metrosexual" and hello again to "retrosexual"! So looks like I have to add another "sexual" word to my list.

One of our students, Gerrad, is quick to pick up this issue. I think he is right to say that some of those in my Exegetical Methods class who are "troubled" with the rise of metrosexuality (or my definition of metrosexual) can now breathe with relief and need not be too concerned about "men who are in touch with his feminine side," and about what's the latest in the men's cosmetic section in the stores!

Gerrad, wish you were in my class!

Word Study & Metrosexual

A few weeks ago, I was explaining how to do word study in my Exegetical Methods class in the seminary. In the prosess, I also highlighted some of the fallacies of word study and the need to be aware of our assumptions especially when it comes to compound words.

As an illustration, I gave the example of a series of compound words such as homosexual, bisexual, heterosexual, and transsexual that have one thing in common - all of them clearly describe the sexual orientation of a particular individual. However, not every compound word that ends with "sexual" carries the force of describing one's sexual orientation. To emphasise this point, I highlighted that the word "metrosexual" does not really describe a person's sexual orientation.

Then I received blank looks from those in the class. One student asked, "What is metrosexual? Is this a new word? Never heard of this before."

Opps...Wrong example to use...

But being cheeky as usual, I then gave a brief definition of a metrosexual as "an urban male that is in touch with his feminine side. He is one that is conscious of the latest male fashion, pays particular attention to his appearance, allocates a large portion of his budget for cosmetics, be a part of the gym and fitness culture, goes for spa, facial, and even hair removal, whether facial or elsewhere."

Opps...Not a very "appropriate" or "spiritual" definition to be given in a class in seminary!

One has to be there to witness the response I received, and the looks in the faces of some of the students. I would not want to imagine what went through their minds or what they think of me.

Someone in the class then commented something like this (which I freely paraphrase), "I do not know there is a male cosmetic section in the department store. You mean they sell male cosmetic nowadays?"

I think I can almost hear Steven Curtis Chapman, "I am speechless...."

Postscript: I wonder as ministers and future ministers of the gospel, how can we effectively reach out to our young people if we are simply not in touch with the contemporary culture? So, is it any wonder that in some urban churches, we are fast losing our youth and young adults simply because we are no longer relevant, or perhaps, we are not interested in what they are interested in, or we are not making any serious effort in moving with the times? Something for me to ponder...

The Apostle Paul - A Storyteller?

Is Paul a storyteller? A philosophical debater? My own research in Paul has led me to consider the narrative dynamics approach to Paul (taking the cue after Richard Hays, NT Wright, Ben Witherington III, Steven Fowl, and Michael Gorman, amongst others - well..more about this approach later). I recently wrote a short article that is published in the first issue of Berita STM for 2007. This article is reproduced below.

I Love to Tell the Story

When we think of the Apostle Paul, we would naturally think of him as a courageous missionary who contributes significantly to the expansion of Christianity; an excellent communicator who articulates his thoughts eloquently and persuasively in his letters; and a principled person that stands his ground without compromise, refutes false teachings, and confronts those who oppose the gospel of Christ.

Many of us may not consider him as an engaging storyteller. If we consider the world that Paul lives in, narrative and story are fundamental to the very fabric of oral cultures that he is accustomed to. Paul’s symbolic universe is essentially made up of a series of stories. When Paul thinks of sin, he thinks of the story of Adam (Rom 5:12-19); when he thinks of the law, he thinks of the story of Moses (2 Cor 3:7-18); and when he thinks justification, he thinks of the story of Abraham (Rom 4:1-25; Gal 3:6-9). Above all else, when Paul thinks of grace and redemption, he thinks of the story of Jesus Christ, especially the story of his death and resurrection. It is this story that Paul places special emphasis in his letters, particularly in his correspondence to the Corinthians (1 Cor 2:2; 11:23-26; 15:3-9; 12, 20; 2 Cor 4:7-15; 5:14-15; 8:9; 13:4). Why does Paul continue to recount the story of Jesus to the Christ-believers in Corinth?

First, this is the story that Paul wants the church in Corinth to embrace. In his initial proclamation of the gospel in Corinth, Paul emphasizes on the story of Jesus and him crucified so that their faith is grounded in the unshakable foundation of Christ, and not any clever rhetoric or human wisdom (1 Cor 2:1-5).

Second, this is the story that Paul wants the church in Corinth to proclaim. In instituting the Lord’s Supper, Paul not only draws on the story of Jesus, he also reminds the church that whenever they gather to celebrate the Eucharist, they are in fact proclaiming this story until Jesus comes again (1 Cor 11:26).

Finally, this is the story that Paul wants the church in Corinth to live out in their daily lives. In exhorting the church to give generously to the financial project that Paul initiated in helping the church in Jerusalem, Paul appeals to the story of Jesus (2 Cor 8:9). It is this character of Jesus Christ that considers the needs of others before self that Paul wants the church to emulate (see also Phil 2:5-11).

For Paul, the Easter story is not simply an event in the past that has no contemporary significance, neither it is a story that is worthy only to be recalled during the Lent season. It is a story that is to be embraced, proclaimed and lived out in our daily lives. No wonder, the story of Jesus is the story that Paul never gets tired of telling and retelling. It is the same story that we are called to tell and retell as beautifully reflected in the words of this hymn:

I love to tell the story of unseen things above,

Of Jesus and His glory, of Jesus and His love.

I love to tell the story, because I know ’tis true;

It satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.

I love to tell the story; ’tis pleasant to repeat

What seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet.

I love to tell the story, for some have never heard

The message of salvation from God’s own holy Word.

I love to tell the story, ’twill be my theme in glory,
To tell the old, old story of Jesus and His love.

BibleWorks 7

On behalf of the seminary students and faculty, we made an Institutional Promotional Programme purchase for BibleWorks 7 at heavily discounted prices. The people at BibleWorks are really efficient and the package arrived in less than 2 weeks after our order! I can now upgrade my BibleWorks from version 6 to 7 - finally! There are many new exciting features in version 7 - I will be playing with it and hope to post some of my new "discoveries" soon.

With BibleWorks, hopefully, we will be making it mandatory for our students in my seminary to use this software for their exegesis courses soon....