RA 144

Scripture in Literature

Dr. Kathleen Henderson Staudt

Wesley Theological Seminary Spring 2006

The Bible has been a source of inspiration, meditation, and prophetic witness for writers throughout the centuries. In this course, we will explore how a number of writers from different times, places and cultural perspectives have retold and reinterpreted stories from Scripture. Writers to be studied will include John Milton, Frederick Buechner, Lucille Clifton, Denise Levertov, Margaret Atwood, James Weldon Johnson, Shusaku Endo and others. This course will invite students to explore how imaginative approaches to Scripture can open and deepen their understanding of Biblical story and enliven their ability to interpret and reflect on Scripture in their ministries. Assignments will include journaling and 5-10 pages of writing in the course of the semester (1 short paper and a final exam, or 1 long paper).

Readings will be selected from the following:

John Milton, Paradise Lost and Other Poems http://www.everypoet.com/archive/poetry/John_Milton/milton_paradise_lost_book_1.htm Buchner & Speigel, eds. Out of the Garden: Women Writers on the Bible Frederick Buechner, Son of Laughter

Lucille Clifton, The Book of Light

Dostoevsky, The Grand Inquisitor 0-87220-193-7 http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/pol116/grand.htm

James Weldon Johnson, God's Trombones (0-14-042217-x)

Margaret Atwood, The Handmaid's Tale

Shusaku Endo, A Life of Jesus

Recommended: Staudt, Annunciations: Poems out of Scripture

January 19: Course introduction: imagination and scripture. Scripture meditation. Readings of passages from Milton, Herbert's "The Pulley," James Weldon Johnson's "Creation" and other poems based on Scripture.

January 26 Scripture for the day: The book of Job.. Literary reflections on good and evil, the mythology & metaphysics of Creation and Fall. Read Milton, Paradise Lost, Books I and II and also III, 1-343 and IV, I-324. Discussion will center on I, 1-20 and II 310-389. Use questions on study guide, “Day 1”, to prepare for discussion (JOURNAL #1 DUE TODAY)

February 2: Scripture for the day: Genesis: Temptation and fall: Read Paradise Lost, book IX, X 956-1100, XI 840900 and XII, 605-650. The effect of Milton's imagination on our tradition, theology, imagination of scripture. Prepare for discussion using questions on study guide, “Day 2" ( JOURNAL #2 DUE TODAY)

February 9: Scripture for this week and next: Genesis 25:7 - 49:53. Discussion of Son of Laughter, Chapters 1-14 (pp. 1-162) (JOURNAL #3 DUE TODAY)

February 16: Revisit Genesis 25:7 - 49:53. Son of Laughter, day 2. Finish the novel (pp. 163-274). Buechner's novel as "midrash". Bring Dostoevsky to class. (JOURNAL #4 DUE TODAY)

February 23: Scripture for the Day: Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-14. (the temptation in the wilderness) Read Dostoevsky, The Grand Inquisitor and come prepared to discuss. Writing/creative activity in class.

March 2 READING WEEK (it would be a good idea to get started on The Handmaid's Tale over break)

March 9: Scripture for the week: the book of Ruth.: Women writers on the Bible: in Buchner and Spiegel, read Alicia Ostriker, "The Nursing Father," pp. 41-54; and Marcia Falk, "Reflections on Hannah's Prayer,." Guest speaker: Poet/writer Emily Blair Stribling. Intro. To The Handmaid's Tale.

March 16: Scripture for the day: Luke 1. Finish The Handmaid's Tale for today and prepare for class using guides to reflection, Day 1. (Journal #5 due today)

March 23: : Scripture for the Day: 1 Samuel 1:1-2:11. Revisit The Handmaid's Tale, including the Epilogue. Prepare for class using guides to reflection, Day 2.

March 30: Endo, Life of Jesus

April 6 Endo, Life of Jesus (Journal #6 due today)

April 13 : EASTER BREAK

April 20 Poetry out of Scripture:: web links and selected poems TBD, including selections from Staudt, Annunciations, Clifton The Book of Light, In Johnson, God’s Trombones, read "Let My People Go," “Crucifixion,” and “The Prodigal Son,” Paper Due: midrash on a Scriptural text of your choice.

April 27 Presentation of student midrashim Day I (all seniors must go today)

May 4: Complete midrash presentations.

Graded work in this course:

1. Journals/ reflective writing (60% of grade): For the first four weeks of the course: up to reading week break, you will have 2 pages of reflective writing due EACH WEEK. One page should be a brief response of your own to the Scripture passage of the week (there will be one or two suggested for your own meditation each week). The second page (you may spill into one more, for a total of 3 but NO MORE please!) should be a reflection on the literary text assigned for the week, reflecting on what this author has found in the Scripture passage and your response to that: what speaks, what challenges, what opens new doors? This is reflective writing, not formal writing, though I do expect it to be grammatically and stylistically clear. . You are writing primarily for yourself, to clarify thoughts, with me as discreet eavesdropper. Sharing of thoughts from journals will be invited in class but never required. I will return these as soon as possible with comments or (often) check marks to show that it is well done and to mark what I see as particularly strong or important insights. You may skip one week in the first 4 weeks, for a total of 3 journals.

At the last class before the midterm break you will hand in to me a folder containing all of your journals from the first part of the semester, so that I can give you a grade on your class participation and journal work up to that point.

2 more journals are due after the midterm break(see dates on syllabus) for a total of 5 for the semester.

2. Midrash on a text from Scripture: A short paper and presentation (4-6 pages 40% of your grade-- 20% on paper and 20% on presentation) developing your own creative midrash on a text from Scripture, using some kind of verbal art. We will spend the last two days of class sharing these presentations. This will be in place of a final exam. (More information on this assignment on the next page of syllabus)

Other Information:

I am glad to meet with you by appointment, though I do not hold regular office hours. I can usually linger for a few minutes after class. I welcome, and respond to, e-mail: kstaudt@.umd.edu. You can reach me by phone at (301)588-9116 – leave a message if I don’t answer.

RA 144: Midrash papers and presentations:

Due April 20 (4-6 pages). Write your own brief midrash on a story from Scripture. You can approximate the method of traditional interpreters or literary authors by either: rewriting the story in the voice of one of the characters; telling the story from another angle, from the point of view of a minor characer; inserting another character ; telling the story from God's point of view, in the voice of God; or trying the method that begins "this seems to say. . . but really it says. . . . Since the rabbinic tradition thought of Scripture as speaking to its own present time, feel free to recast the story in time and to draw from it an insight relevant to our own time. Be sure, however, that you stay close to the Biblical text in whatever interpretation and elaboration you produce. Papers will be evaluated by their close adherence to what is in the text and by the consistency and creativity of the interpretation presented, and by the following criteria (which also apply, loosely to presentations in other verbal art media, including poetry and drama).

1. Originality -- an interesting twist or approach to the topic, which helps reader to understand the story in a fresh and relevant way.

2. Characterization and/or narrative voiceseems consistent, and there is a recognizable, consistent voice throughout the paper

3. Details from the Scriptural text are provided to flesh out the character and make the voice and istuation clear.

4. Style is consistent, mature and self-controlled If poetic form is used, form enhances content and deepens reader's experience of the Scriptural text.

5. Paper/presentation is free of serious or distracting stylistic errors and not overburdened with awkward or imprecise sentences.