English 245 (The Bible as Literature) Audio Lectures

English 245 (The Bible as Literature) was a course that I taught for many years at a local community college. Many people have a theological approach to the Bible, focusing on its discussion of God, Jesus, sin, salvation, grace, the afterlife, . . . But few have considered the Bible as a literary work. For sincere believers, understanding the Bible as literature will enrich their spiritual journey. For nonbelievers, an appreciation for the Bible’s literary qualities may encourage them to read this book, which they might have been hesitant to approach. All of us need to be familiar with the Bible since it is the most influential book in the Western world.

Lecture 31: Epistles in the New Testament

Epistles are letters penned to early Christian churches. What is their typical organization, what literary devices are found in them, and how can we get the most out of reading them?


Lecture 32: Satire

We have all encountered satire on TV, in the movies, or among friends. The Bible has it as well. Let's look at what it is, the elements of it, examples of it in the Bible, and its purpose.


Lecture 33: Visionary Literature

What are the characteristics of the disturbing visionary books of the Bible (Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, Zechariah and, most famously, Revelation? Why are they in the Bible?


Lecture 34: The Literary Unity of the Bible

The Bible is composed of 66 books written over a long period of time by many authors scattered far from each other. Yet it has tremendous unity.


Lecture 35: The Shroud of Turin

There's a mysterious cloth in Italy that may contain the image of the crucified Jesus.


Lecture 36: A History of the Hebrew People

I give an overview of the history of the Jews with all the upheavals over the centuries.


Lecture 37: Geography of the Bible

Most people are not familiar with Biblical geography, yet the land plays an important role in so many stories, especially in the Old Testament.


Lecture 38: The English Bible

Let's look at the dramatic history of how we ended up with the Bible in English.


Lecture 39: Why Are There 66 Books in the Bible?

How were the 66 books chosen to be part of the Bible?


Lecture 40: Literary Features of the Bible

Near the end of this set of lectures I step back and survey the big picture--how the Bible is the same and different from other literature.