Over the next thirty days or so, I’m hoping to garner a lot of responses to this short (three question) survey about the future of the Naked Bible. The future of MEMRA and my general efforts to put out biblical-theological content are also in view. Some of the questions deal with suggestions from readers that involve financial support. The “church” question is included since I have been asked about “doing church” online a number of times (i.e., producing sermon content on a weekly basis — not baptizing anyone in cyberspace!) I thought it best to get broad input.
Looking for Reader Input on the Future of Naked Bible
Mike,
At a time in my Christian life when most other Bible studies seem to leave the void, the topics and discussions here seem to fill them.
Thank you and keep up the good work
you’re welcome.
Sermons could be interesting to get a more ‘personal’ look at things. We know you as a scholar… but how does the Divine Council stuff affect your everyday faith and life, and the mission of the church today? I hope you can see what I’m getting at.
You took the words right out of my mouth
Podcast – Sheol Yeah!!
funny!
Im not so sure about sermons. Im sure you would do a great job but there are plenty of sermons online and there is a lack of Christian scholars offering serious education to lay people (especially on Old Testament topics).
Put another way, if I had to choose between a sermon with bits of scholarship, or a scholarly lecture that is a bit preachy Id choose the latter.
Others are free to disagree.
I’d agree. I come here for Biblical Studies, not devotionals, but just a touch more ‘heart’ would be nice.
Unsure about how you’d produce sermon content, but that’s ignorance on my part. A podcast would be awesome, though.
I like what I see here and would hate to see it leave. I discovered you recently when I was wrestling with the idea of learning to read the MT. I had all but made up my mind to stick with the OG and forego Hebrew. (My Hebrew experience was with Lambdin/Ross from the 70’s and the endless paradigms were brutal). At times it seemed we were being trained to be Tiberian scribes.
Your Hebrew lessons were a breathe of fresh air. Because of your online Hebrew lessons and Dr. William Griffin’s, HebrewforReadingComprehension.com, my world is richer.
oh, it won’t disappear for sure. Lambdin? You have my heartfelt sympathy.
Mike,
My interest and enjoyment of you and your brain is something I reserve for very few. The “church” (can we use the better term “community”?) doesn’t need sermons nor with sermonizing have the affects that your research and research writing (subtle but important difference here…) are what will help more, IMHO.
My wife and I have been pleasantly surprised by your candor and intensity. Truly your work in doctrine alone (from the northwest semitic perspective) should stand and deliver many from the overreaching simplicity of fundamentalism. Yet the work, which is far from done, BTW, is filling in some vast holes in the study of the Hebrew Scriptures and gaining ground back from the “critical” theologians who have thrown up a terrible wall around the explication of the texts.
Thanks for your work and I pray for you often.
Bob
thanks – I need it for sure to stay focused and not make inept decisions.
What’s revelation for, BTW? Did someone say it went away? “to each is given the manifestation of the spirit for profiting”…
Oh, yeah, Lambdin, 1976/77, U of C with Dennis Pardee#$@&*()^^&%#%#
I almost teared up (again) at your Lambdin experience. I can identify, having been forced to try and learn elementary Middle Egyptian with Gardiner. You know you’re in a bad place when your Egyptologist professor gets to a point in the grammar and says, “I’ve been teaching Egyptian for 18 years, and I have no idea what Gardiner is talking about here.”