by Robert W. McDonald

Created on: November 03, 2009   Last Updated: November 04, 2009

In my personal opinion the term "Bible Study" should mean just what it says: a study of the Bible. Such study should promote within the student a desire to gain insight into both the tenets of one's faith and the historical environment in which those tenets developed. Unfortunately, many Bible Study groups (both "live" and online) seem to care more about maintaining dogmatic orthodoxy, by indoctrination or intimidation, rather than promoting an inquisitive mindset in the student.

I have found that there are few study assets available via the Internet that make more than a token effort to present the Bible, and the New Testament in particular, in a doctrinally- neutral manner. Hopefully, you can imagine how excited I become when one of those rare web presentations comes to my attention and that you will allow me to submit it for your consideration.

I have recently completed viewing a series of online lectures presented though the good graces of the Department of Religious Studies at Yale University. This presentation, entitled RLST 154 - Introduction to New Testament History and Literature, runs for 26 lectures averaging 45 minutes in length and is presented by Dale Martin, PhD, a graduate of Princeton University and the Yale Divinity School, who previously taught at Duke (NC) University. If you decide to sample one of these lectures, I am sure that you will share in my opinion that Dr. Martin is anything but a boring lecturer.

The course begins with five lectures that consider the political and religious forces at play in first-century Palestine that shaped the life and public ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. These are followed by a closer examination of the five gospel traditions (the usual four, plus the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas), with special attention devoted to the Gospel of John.

After the above-mentioned topics have been considered, seven lectures are devoted to the writings of the man who, for the lack of a better term, created Christianity: the converted Hellenistic Jew known to history as Saul of Tarsus. The remaining class sessions are divided among the Epistles of Peter, the Apocalypse of John, and the evidences of the influence of Greek culture and philosophy (particularly that of Plato and Aristotle) on the early development of the church.

In all honesty I must point out that these lectures, since they are presented from a neutral academic, rather than a religious, perspective will not meet with the doctrinal approval on many whose religious beliefs lie in the fundamentalist and evangelical traditions. This is unfortunate, as throughout the course Dr. Martin reminds us that regardless of our personal beliefs there can be no dialog, on any topic, if only a single point of view is allowed expression.

In conclusion, I again recommend this series of lectures to all wishing to better understand the foundational teachings of Christianity as a first step on the road to religious tolerance and ecumenical dialog.

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