Class meets online beginning Monday, February 6

Before class starts...

• If you have not already done so, please take this brief tech survey. I'm trying to figure out where you all are at technologically so that I can make best use of resources with which we are familiar.
• Note the links to the syllabus above. You can get an idea of the course workload, but I'm also giving you some time to get the books you need. Note carefully that you are asked to get only 3 books, ones by: 
  • Gowler, 
  • Hultgren or Snodgrass, 
  • and one other from the list.

  Among those "one other" books, each of them is good in their own way. I'm hoping there is some variety among the ones you choose so that we get more perspectives reflected in our discussions. 

  • Scott's is a bit edgy in a good way backed up by excellent scholarship
  • Capon's is an excellent partner to provoke you into thinking about the parables in a new way. I don't always agree, but he always was a help, including for preaching.
  • Buttrick's is also well-informed with a special attention to preaching.
  • Herzog's full book title gives you a clear sense of his perspective, and it does work well in many instances with the parables.
  • Schottroff's is a solid exposition with attention to socio-historical and feminist/liberation perspectives.
• Please fill out this form letting me know which books you ended up getting for the course.
• Some of you do have Bible software, but some don't. It will help you! I use BibleWorks most, but I also can commend Logos and Accordance. Do not go out and buy these now, however, unless you have the time to learn how to use the programs. As some free alternatives, I recommend the following, but as always, use with caution! Stuff that is on the internet for free is often free for a reason:
  • Online sites: 
    • NET Bible Learning Environment: The NET Bible is a decent translation, but it's main value is the outstanding notes it provides. As you look at the NET Bible in the left column, be sure to consult the NET Notes in the right column. Additionally, use the Grk/Heb tab in the right column, and you will see how it highlights the matching English and Greek words. Double-click on a Greek word to get a rudimentary lexicon entry. Use the Parallel tab on the left to see NET, NIV, NASB, ESV, NLT, MSG, NRSV, and KJV together.
    • Biblos: A nice collection of resources. The Atlas alone is quite helpful.
  • Downloadable programs (free): There are many, but the first ones I'd check are:
    • The Word or e-Sword: The free Bibles and such are free and are sufficient for most of our work.
  • Check HERE if you want more options

I have decided to try to think of this course in terms of weeks in the semester and that we 'meet' twice a week. I will try to be very clear about when things are due. Note that the "noon/11PM" time refers to your responses on the discussion board in FishersNet Forum. Your first comment is due by noon. Response to someone else's comment by 11pm. Those are deadlines, but the sooner you reply the better!

SCHEDULE

By Monday, February 6, 9PM

• Completed brief tech survey if you haven't already done so.
• Introduced yourself on the discussion board
• Read the "Rubrics for Discussion Board Participation"
• If you have not already done so, indicate which books you got for the class.

By Thursday, February 9, noon/9PM

• View the Introduction to Parables PPT
  • A short video welcome (For some reason, I'm having trouble making this work in WindowsMedia Player. Give it a try, and see if it works for you. If you can't get it to work, don't worry about it.)
  • Click on the graphic below to see the Introduction to the Parables. Some things to note:
    • I've tried it in a couple different browsers, and it works fine. (But it works best in IE.)
    • You don't need to login to watch it.
    • If you click on "Start Slide Show," you can watch it in all its animated glory, but you will not be able to read the slide notes. So, I recommend that you just click on the "Notes" at the bottom of the screen. You don't get the animations, but you will see the notes. The screen should look like the graphic below.
  • 
  • As another option, you can also choose to "Download" the PPT. This one is only 243Kb which is tiny. 
  • As yet another option, you can download this PDF of the notes pages. (It's 3.8Mb which isn't terrible.) You definitely should not print it, however, because it's 27 pages long and in color.
  • Please let me know which of this methods worked well for you.
• Gowler, WATSA Parables
  • Read Introduction and chapters 1-2
  • Respond to questions on discussion board
• Complete "Which of the following is a "parable"?
  Note: This will bring you to a Google Docs page which you will be able to edit. It's intended to get us thinking about parables and also to get us acquainted with a coding system we will use on Google Docs throughout the semester.
• Read Questions to keep in mind when studying the parables.pdf

By Monday, February 13, noon/11PM

• Sign up for a parable that will be your focus for the semester. First come, first claimed...
  • Parable Listing - Lukan Order with Lectionary Readings - Use this doc to see what the texts are and if they occur in the lectionary.
• Gowler, WATSA Parables
  • Read chapters 3-4
  • Respond to questions on discussion board
• Read this document, "A parable is..."
  • As you read, complete this survey of your preferred definition in each row.
  • After you finish the survey, go to the discussion board and defend your choice of the best definition of a parable. Or compose your own definition!
• Parable of the Mustard Seed
  • Before viewing the presentation, take a look at the Greek of the passage in Mark, Matthew, and Luke. NOTE: I am not expecting you to answer all the questions. Greek is not a requirement for this course. You all have had some Greek, and so I'd like to see what you can come up with. Even if you don't recall much of your Greek at all, look at the English translations I've set out in parallel and see what observations you can make. Use Bible software to help you!
  • As you work through the presentation, be sure to read my notes. You will see that I ask you to go to the discussion board at three points. I am not expecting the usual requirements of responses and replies, but I'm hoping you are motivated enough to want to jump in.
  • I'm serving this to you in a number of formats. I'm still trying to figure out what works best.
    • HERE is the presentation that you can view online. You'll get some animations, but you'll miss some of the drama of it all! Be sure to read the notes.
    • On slide 13, the audio may not work within the powerpoint. HERE it is if you want to play it separately. (You don't necessarily need it.)
    • Note that you can download the previous two links. Save them to the same subdirectory, and you should be good to go.
    • HERE is a PDF handout with all the notes. You will not get any animations, and you will entirely miss the pictures that are part of the big finale.

By Thursday, February 16, noon/11PM

• Gowler, WATSA Parables
  • Read chapters 5-6
  • Respond to questions on discussion board
• The Secret Seed - Please watch this 4'30" video. (Let me know if you can't get it to work.) Then respond on the discussion board. (Located under "Online Presentations Discussion," then #3 on Secret Seed.)
• Click for larger view
• Follow up: I'm still waiting for a couple more to join in. Once they do, look on the discussion board, go to "My Favorite Definition of a Parable." I will your results from the survey. Once that's up, respond to the "So, what do you think?" thread.

By Monday, February 20, noon/11PM

• So far, so good! I've been pleased with your responses! I can assure you that I've been reading all your postings on the discussion board, and I'm doing my best to respond in a timely manner.
• So far, so much work! I'm still trying to find my rhythm for this class and to find a way to make this work without burning out. How has the work load been for you? I'm working on the basis of a 3 hour class + 1.5 hours homework / in-class time = about 7.5 hours of week that you should be working on this class. How is it going so far? Let me know.
• Gowler, WATSA Parables
  • Read chapter 7 and Conclusion
  • Respond to questions on discussion board
• I have forgotten to mention that with each parable we cover, I would like you to read that section in the Hultgren or Snodgrass book as well as the "other book" you got.
•  By Monday, watch the Luke 15, Lost & Found video (~25minutes long) 
  • Watch it on YouTube
    
  • Read: Hultgren (46-91) or Snodgrass (93-143)
  • Respond on the Discussion Board

Reminders and looking ahead...

• I will be updating the course schedule.
• As noted above, as we work on a parable, you should plan to read that section about it in Hultgren/Snodgrass and in your "other book." (Your "other book" will not necessarily have every parable discussed in it.)
• You will see that we finish Gowler this week. Next week I am asking you to read the Introductions in Hultgren or Snodgrass. Then we will be done with those types of readings! Do note, however, that you will be providing a summary reflection on your "other book" by March 16. (This will be done on Blackboard.) So, as we are working on a a parable, I'm hoping your discussion comments will reflect insights from that book but that you will also be accumulating more general observations. I've opened discussion forums on Blackboard for each of the books if you want to write in your comments there as we go.
• I will give more specifics later, but note when you are scheduled to introduce and re-present your parable. You should be starting to work on your chosen focus parable.
  • One thing to start doing now is to settle on a translation. I am not asking you to come up with your own translation (though that would be nice!). I am asking you to look at a variety of translations and choose one or adapt one that you want to use.
  • A nice way to see if the translation reflects your reading is to create a Wordle of it. (Cf. the Wordle using my own translation of the Secret Seed parable.)

• Read Hultgren, The Parables of Jesus, pages 1-19 OR Snodgrass, Stories with Intent, pages 1-35 (37-59). The reading guides are simply to help you identify key elements as you read.
  • Hultgren
    • As you are reading the introductory chapter, answer the questions in this Hultgren Reading Guide. (You will be doing this collaboratively. Everyone reading Hultgren contribute as you are able.)
    • After reading the introductory chapter, check out this review (which is not of great help...).
    • John: I see that everyone else got Snodgrass. You are on your own, but since you are auditing, you don't have to do it!
  • Snodgrass
    • As you are reading the introductory chapter, answer the questions in this Snodgrass Reading Guide. (You will be doing this collaboratively. Everyone reading Hultgren contribute as you are able.)
    • After reading the introductory chapter, check out this review (which is quite perceptive...)

By Monday, February 27, noon/11pm

• As you may have noted, I slowed things down just a bit. We just focused on the Hultgren/Snodgrass readings and didn't move on to the next parable.
• In the next few weeks, I'm planning for us basically to cover a parable per session. Here's the rhythm I'm hoping you will get into:
  • View my parable presentation video.
  • As you watch it, pause it as necessary. I'm trying to keep the videos short, so I won't always read all the text on the screen.
  • Consult the Greek text and other English translations as you go along with the video.
  • After viewing the video, read the appropriate sections on this parable in Hultgren/Snodgrass and in your 'other' book. (Note: Your other book will not necessarily have every parable in it. I've provided page numbers if I know them.)
  • Go to the Discussion Board, click on the "Online Presentations Discussion," look for the thread related to the parable and hand. Your first comment is due by noon. Respond to someone else's comment by 11pm. Those are deadlines, but the sooner you reply the better!
• Wheat and Weeds: Matthew 13.24-30, 36-43
  Hultgren (292-303); Snodgrass (191-216); Scott (-); Capon (84-93); Buttrick (90-99); Herzog (?); Schottroff (~204-208)
  Wheat and Weeds: This is a 47Mb file you can view/download. If that doesn't work, here is the version I uploaded to YouTube.
  

By Thursday, March 1, noon/11pm

By Tuesday, April 2

• Complete discussion of Casey's presentation.

EASTER BREAK

By Monday, April 16

• Sharon will have her presentation posted by the 12th. (Paper due April 30) Complete discussion by the 16th. 

By Thursday, April 19

• Alicia will have her presentation posted by the 16th. (Paper due May 3) Complete discussion by the 19th. 

By Monday, April 23

• Tresa will have her presentation posted by the 19th. (Paper due May 10) Complete discussion by the 23rd.

By Thursday, April 26

• Pharisee and Publican (mgvh) start

By Monday, April 30

• Read the parable in Luke 18.9-14
• Read Hultgren/Snodgrass' comments on the parable
• Read the comments in your 'other' book
• Be sure to check this transcript of a radio interview w/ Capon: 
  The interviewer just never does get it... Capon does a better job here re: the tax collector after he leaves the Temple. You sense Capon getting a bit frustrated. Read the closing exchanges where the interviewer keeps wanting to bring it around to what we have to do!

By Thursday, May 3

• Pharisee and Publican (mgvh): View the YouTube video (~14 minutes)
• Respond to questions on the discussion board

By Monday, May 7

• Ten Lepers presentation (mgvh): View the YouTube video (~11 minutes)
  
• Ten Lepers re-presentation (mgvh)
  • A Thanksgiving Sermon (rhymed!) 
  • "Misery Loves Company" - Have mercy! This is really rough. I would need to practice it quite a bit more, and I would want some backing vocals as well. The soundtrack is Sufjan Steven's John Wayne Gacy, Jr. from Illinoize. (You can download the tracks yourself as well.) It will probably help to read the lyrics as you listen to it. You will see that it is a revised edition of the sermon.
• Respond to questions on the discussion board

By Thursday, May 10

• Return to the discussion board and go to the online presentation listed below. 
  • View the parable re-presentation uploaded by classmates and post responses. 
  • Provide initial responses and follow-up replies.
  • IMPORTANT: You all, being pastoral sorts of people, are very encouraging and supportive of one another. That's wonderful! (See, I'm being pastoral here!) As you respond to each other, you can indeed be complimentary, but let's see if we can get above the level of "Good sermon" or the dreaded "That was nice." Let's aspire to Proverbs 27.17: "Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens the wits of another." I.e., be constructively critical. Consider the following:
    • How faithful was the re-presentation to the text?
    • Was there a clear audience? How well does it work for the intended audience?
    • Did it leave you thinking "that was nice"? Or did it only raise more questions for you? Did it make you want to engage in conversation with the author, or was the author trying to present a persuasive argument that had a specific goal? There are all sorts of possible responses, but think about what the author was trying to accomplish, whether they succeeded, and if you agreed with their method.
    • What about aesthetics? This is very subjective. (And that's why it's better to have all of us respond rather than just me giving my response.) Depending on the medium, did you like the color scheme? Fonts? Music? Graphics? ...
    • Ultimately, what would you suggest to the author to improve their re-presentation? What, do you think, would make it more effective and compelling?
• Re-presentations are to be posted 4 days before the response deadline.
• Look near the bottom of each forum for the new thread with the uploaded presentation attached.
• Complete discussion of Casey's re-presentation by the 10th.

By Tuesday, May 14

• Using the same guidelines as given for Thursday, May 10, respond to this week's re-presentation
• Complete discussion of Sharon's re-presentation by the 14th.

By Thursday, May 17

• Using the same guidelines as given for Thursday, May 10, respond to this week's re-presentation
• Complete discussion of Alicia's re-presentation by the 17th.

By Tuesday, May 21

• Using the same guidelines as given for Thursday, May 10, respond to this week's re-presentation
• Complete discussion of Tresa's re-presentation by the 21st.

Wednesday, May 22

• Parables conclusion (mgvh)