Ecclesiastes--Extra Credit

Because I was called for jury duty last week, we're going to have to skip some material--material I think most of you would have really liked.  One of the things we'll skip is Ecclesiastes.  If you would like, you can read that book for extra credit. Please respond to the following prompt:

For some people, Ecclesiastes is their favorite book in the entire Bible. Others wonder why it is in the Bible at all. What's your reaction? Did you find this book more or less enjoyable/valuable than the other books you've read for this class?

Synagogue visit this Thursday!

I have arranged for the class to tour Aberdeen's synagogue (B'Nai Isaac) this Thursday. Please meet me at the synagogue (202 N Kline Street, Aberdeen SD)at 9:30. If you have an 8:00 class and will arrive a bit late, please look for us in the basement of the synagogue. Walk right in.

To get to the synagogue from NSU, just go north on Kline Street. Go past Alexander Mitchell library and across the railroad tracks. You'll see the synagogue on the right hand side of the road. It's a small building on the corner of Kline and 2nd Ave. NE. It's right next to St. Mary's church: you won't miss that!

If you need a ride to the synagogue, please meet me at the north door of Dakota Hall at 9:25. I have room for seven passengers in my mini-van, and I live right be NSU anyway, so it won't be hard for me to take you to the synagogue and back to NSU.

The tour will last about an hour, so you won't have any trouble getting back to NSU in time for an 11:00 class.


Please confirm that you got the message about the synagogue visit either by adding a comment here or sending me an e-mail.  I'll try to call those who didn't confirm tomorrow morning.

Ezekiel

I am hoping to clear up enough class time so we can visit Temple B'nai Israel, so let's plan on doing *all* of Ezekiel for next time. Please read my study questions on Ezekiel. Then read Chapters 1-12, 33, and 37 of Ezekiel itself.

What do you find here that suggests that Ezekiel's message was a burden? Are there any passages that particularly well reflect hope, beauty, faith in the triumph of justice, or anything else that makes that burden worth bearing?

Jeremiah--Discussion II

Please skim through Chapters 31-44 of Jeremiah, then go back an read more closely three or four chapters that seem to you particularly interesting.  What do you see in these chapters that shows Jeremiah's message to be a burden. Is there anything here to suggest why that burden is worth bearing?

Jeremiah--Discussion I

Please read through my Jeremiah study questions and then as much as you can of the first half of Jeremiah. Be sure to read Chapters 16, 20, 23, and 28.

Suppose you are asked to help prepare an anthology of great quotations from the ancient world. There are going to be two Jeremiah quotes, and you get to one of them. Of all of Jeremiah's many quotable lines, which two would you choose? Why this line? Of the other verses suggested by students in this class so far, which would you choose for your 2nd Jeremiah quote?

If you are one of the first three or four posters, you can choose an extra quote from Jeremiah on your own rather than commenting on another poster's verse.

Isaiah--Discussion 2

Please read Isaiah 36-39 and any five chapters of your choice from Isaiah 40-66. Suppose you are asked to help prepare an anthology of great quotations from the ancient world. There are going to be two Isaiah quotes, and you get to pick one of them. Of all of Isaiah's many quotable lines, which would you choose? Why this particular line? Of the lines already suggested by other contributors to this blog (either on this thread or the Isaiah I thread) which of those lines do you think would be the best to have as the second Isaiah quote? Why?

Isaiah 1

Please read again the Amos and Isaiah study questions, and then Chapters 1-11 of Isaiah. What do you find here that suggests that Isaiah's message was a burden? Is there a passage here that particularly well reflects hope, beauty, faith in the triumph of justice, or anything else that would have made this burden worth bearing?