“Say Bible!”

Teaching Biblical Reception

Abstract

Classes focused on biblical reception might seem to some like a “get out of jail” card in the face of ever-threatening questions about the relevance of biblical studies today. To others, such classes look like a cul-de-sac that fails to lead to either renewed interest in the Bible or meaningful pedagogical outcomes. In this short reflection, I tease out chances and challenges that come with teaching biblical reception. I argue that the significance of teaching biblical reception lies in the opportunities for addressing key issues of societal significance, for honing hermeneutical skills, and the ample possibilities for interactive student-centred learning. The purpose of teaching biblical reception is to demonstrate the multiple and varied uses to which biblical texts are (and have been) put, and thereby to elucidate the impact of these texts on everything from conceptions of nature, race, gender, and sexuality, to political visions, cultural production, linguistic trends, and apocalyptic imaginaries.