For Teachers

Welcome to our Engaging with Scripture: Reading the Bible resource.  This resource was created to support our Professional Learning offering ‘Engaging with Scripture’.

The focus for this professional learning opportunity was ‘How can we make meaning of the contemporary world in light of the wisdom of the Scriptures?’ The program was designed to deepen participants’ understanding of Scripture so they can assist young people to find new ways to explore the bible and make meaning of the contemporary world in light of the wisdom of the Scriptures. Participants were encouraged to strengthen their skills and dispositions for engaging with Scripture through critical thinking, exegesis, dialogue, prayer, storytelling and the visual arts.

What is Hermeneutics?

Before we can begin to engage with scripture, it is important that we first understand what we bring to the text.  Watch this short clip that was created by the Catholic Education Archdiocese of Brisbane.  Listen to Dr Ormond Rush, Professor of Theology ACU, as he explains how we approach Scripture today.

 

What is your hermeneutics? What do you bring to this text?

How do we write about Scripture?

Before we look at how to write about Scripture, we need to understand the different between exegesis and eisegesis.  Listen to Matt Ryniker, Pastor of Youth Ministries and Evangelisation, as he describes the difference.

It is paramount that we are aware of bias, credibility and authorship of all the resources we use.  Credible commentaries help to guide our learning.  When writing about scripture, make sure that follow a critical approach.

In this resource I have used a Narrative criticism approach.  A six part process is used:

Who?

What?

Where?

When?

Why?

How?

This concludes with reflecting on what the meaning of the passage was for the intended audience and then what is the meaning for this text today?

Go to ‘How do we write about Scripture?’ to see how to use this in the classroom.

Bible Timeline

There are many different types of timelines we could explore when we are looking at the creation of the bible.  Do we want to look at the progression of ideas as they developed within the text?  Do we want to look at when in history the texts were written?  Do we want to look at a broader timeline of historical events along side when in history the texts were written? Do we want to look at the order of events as they occur in the text?

Watch this short clip created by XCHANGE and see if you can follow the order of the events as they occur in the Old Testament

Watch this short clip that was created by Crash Course.  It tells us about what has happening historically around the time of the life and death of Jesus.

Watch this short clip created by XCHANGE nd see if you can follow the order of the events as they occur in the New Testament

Explore this timeline that was created to show the general consensus from biblical scholars around the timing of the birth and death of Jesus and when the texts were believed to be written.

Overview: The Worlds of the Text

Before we begin to explore the Worlds of the Text, we need to ask some questions.  How did we get the Bible? and what are these Worlds of the Text?

How did we get the Bible?

Watch this short clip created by Living Stone Churches.  It presents an account of how the canon was created.

This clip talks about time as BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini).  Today, BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) instead of BC and AD has become common among historians as it is a more inclusive way to express time.  Remember this as you watch.

 

What are the Worlds of the Text?

Before we can begin to engage with scripture, it is important that we first understand the worlds of the text.  Watch this short clip that was created by the Catholic Education Archdiocese of Brisbane.  Listen to Dr Ormond Rush, Professor of Theology ACU, and Professor Peta Goldburg RSM, Professor of Religious Education ACU, as they discuss the worlds of the text.

We will use this diagram, created by Catholic Education Brisbane, of the Worlds of the Text as we continue to engage with Scripture

Behind the Text

Watch this short clip that was created by the Catholic Education Archdiocese of Brisbane. Listen to Dr Ormond Rush, Professor of Theology ACU, and Professor Peta Goldburg RSM, Professor of Religious Education ACU, as they discuss ‘what is the world behind the text?’

What are some of the questions we would want to ask when we are behind the text?

In the Text

Watch this short clip that was created by the Catholic Education Archdiocese of Brisbane. Listen to Dr Ormond Rush, Professor of Theology ACU, and Professor Peta Goldburg RSM, Professor of Religious Education ACU, as they discuss ‘what is the world of the text?

 

What are some of the questions we would want to ask when we in the text?

In Front of the Text

Watch this short clip that was created by the Catholic Education Archdiocese of Brisbane. Listen to Dr Ormond Rush, Professor of Theology ACU, and Professor Peta Goldburg RSM, Professor of Religious Education ACU, as they discuss ‘what is the world in front of the text?

What are some of the questions we would want to ask when we are in front of the text?

The Worlds Together

Watch this short clip that was created by the Catholic Education Archdiocese of Brisbane. Listen to Dr Ormond Rush, Professor of Theology ACU, and Professor Peta Goldburg RSM, Professor of Religious Education ACU, as they discuss ‘how do we use these worlds of the text together?’

How do we write about Scripture?

When we want to write about Scripture we follow a process know as exegesis which means finding meaning in the text.

STEP ONE

Decide which piece of Scripture you want to write about.  Make sure you know which translation you are working with.  Make sure you read your chosen section of Scripture a few times.  Also make sure that you read what comes before it and what comes after it.

STEP TWO

Now it is time to ask questions.  Apply the following questions to your section of Scripture and collect your answers but before you do remember the ‘Worlds of the Text?

As you are working through these questions think about which ‘World of the Text’ you are in when you ask these questions and when you look for your answers.

STEP THREE

Now it is time to read further.  What sources are reliable when we want to know more about our chosen section of Scripture?

Watch this short clip that was created by the Catholic Education Archdiocese of Brisbane. Listen to Dr Ormond Rush, Professor of Theology ACU, and Professor Peta Goldburg RSM, Professor of Religious Education ACU, as they discuss ‘how do we know if a source is reliable?’

STEP FOUR

Begin writing!