The Bible & the English Major
All Articles & Episodes
Maren's articles marry her love of stories and her fascination with living connected to a God who loves us. The Bible and the English Major examines Bible stories the way an English major would, through multiple methods of interpretation presented in fun, accessible bites.
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The Woman Caught in Adultery, Part 4: Conversations With a Friend: Jennifer Garcia Bashaw
We conclude this series on John 8 with a conversation with Dr. Jennifer Garcia Bashaw about her book, "Scapegoats, the Gospel through the Eyes of Victims." She helps us understand better ways to read the Bible and why English majors are the best. Those are her words, I promise!
The Woman Caught in Adultery, Part 3: Stoop, Stand, Speak, Repeat
Have you noticed Jesus' moves yet? He shows them off with the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law first. Then he repeats them for the accused woman. Individual results vary, but Jesus makes his point, and it's all about justice.
The Woman Caught in Adultery, Part 2: Such a (Greek) Tragedy
Noticing the Greek tragedy structure of this story shines a dramatic spotlight on its central theme. All the tragic goodness, including the crisis, climax, and fatal flaw, lies with the Pharisees and not with the woman, leaving the theme that usually distracts us backstage.
The Woman Caught in Adultery, Part 1: What a Terrible Title
The story’s title has made the woman caught in adultery the infamous star of the show. But when we do a little grammatical analysis, we see she functions far more like a prop for the Pharisees than a leading lady. How then, has she become the title character?