The Bible Through Art and Artifact III
This course combines the riches of the biblical text with some of Yale’s greatest treasures. Each day will explore the concept of wonder through academic study and lively conversation about a biblical text. We will then enrich our learning about this theme each day with guided e-visits to one of Yale’s collections, led by world-class experts. Our excursions will virtually take us to the Yale Peabody Museum (the wonder of animals), the Yale Art Gallery (the wonder of the divine/human connection), the Yale Babylonian Collection (the wonder of civilization), back to the Art Gallery (the wonder of creativity), and the Yale British Art Museum (the wonder of earth and sky).
Before each class, you will have three (relatively light) assignments. First, you will need to read the brief Bible passage (up to one chapter) that is the focus for the day. Second, you will be asked to do a three-to-five minute “wonder exercise” and intentionally observe something that we usually don’t notice; small group discussions in class will reflect on these experiences. Third, you will have an academic article that you may choose to read, related to the day’s passage and theme. The articles are optional for those who want to dive deeper into the material.
The first part of the class will include presentations from the professor on biblical texts, followed by small group discussions of the wonder exercises, and finishing with an all-class conversation. We will take a short break, then reconvene joined by our museum guide. The final forty-five minutes of class will be devoted to a virtual presentation from a Yale expert.
This class offers the chance to explore new and familiar biblical texts in refreshing ways. Plus, the wonders Yale’s collections come to you! Together will grow in knowledge and love of the Bible, while experiencing the vitality of Scripture.
Julie Faith Parker is an Old Testament scholar who passionately believes that the ways we read the Bible matter. She holds a Ph.D. in Old Testament/Hebrew Bible from Yale University, awarded with distinction, and also has degrees from Yale Divinity School (S.T.M), Union Theological Seminary in NYC (M.Div.), and Hamilton College (B.A. , Phi Beta Kappa). She is ordained in the United Methodist Church and worked full-time in ministry prior to doctoral studies, first as a congregational pastor, then as a university chaplain. Her research interests focus on feminist biblical interpretation, childist biblical interpretation, and ancient Near Eastern languages and cultures.
She is a Visiting Scholar at Union Theological Seminary and the Biblical Scholar in Residence at Marble Collegiate Church. She has been on the faculty at General Theological Seminary in Manhattan and Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio; at both schools she founded programs to bring together seminarians with people who are incarcerated. She has also taught at Yale Divinity School, Colby College, Fordham University, Andover Newton Theological School, and New York Theological Seminary, with a program teaching students incarcerated in Sing Sing Maximum Security Prison.
Dr. Parker has published many scholarly articles and written or edited eight books, including (most recently) Eve Isn’t Evil: Feminist Readings of the Bible to Upend Our Assumptions (Baker 2023). She is married to the Rev. Dr. Bill Crawford and they are the proud parents of two grown children, Graham and Mari. She enjoys going to museums, singing, and running, and has run the New York City Marathon twice.
