Historical Foundations of Christianity The Bible as History Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2017 Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa Larry Clayton, Instructor

What is History? What is this course about? What is history? Herodotus, the “father” of history Documents. See slide 4 Some examples of “good” history? Some of “bad” history? his·to·ry  (hst-r)n. pl. his·to·ries 1. a. A usually chronological record of events, as of the life or development of a people or institution, often including an explanation of or commentary on those events: a history of the Vikings. b. A formal written account of related natural phenomena: a history of volcanoes. c. A record of a patient's medical background. d. An established record or pattern of behavior: an inmate with a history of substance abuse. 2. The branch of knowledge that records and analyzes past events: "History has a long-range perspective" (Elizabeth Gurley Flynn). 3. a. The past events relating to a particular thing: The history of their rivalry is full of intrigue. b. The aggregate of past events or human affairs: basic tools used throughout history. c. An interesting past: a house with history. d. Something that belongs to the past: Their troubles are history now. e. Slang One that is no longer worth consideration: Why should we worry about him? He's history! 4. A drama based on historical events: the histories of Shakespeare. [source: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/history ]

Saving Private Ryan History always more powerful than fiction. To wit, this movie. Any other examples you care to suggest?

Primary vs. Secondary Documents What do primary documents tell us about any historical period? They add not only immediacy to the subject, but, obviously, a firsthand witness to the events.   The documents give us an unfiltered view of events, one unfiltered by the passage of time (which, on the other hand, adds perspective), but also untouched by the cultural setting of the student separated from the events by hundreds or even thousands of years

Primary vs. Secondary Documents (2) “Primary” documents are distinguished from “secondary” documents by having been produced at the time of the event. They can be letters, journals, diaries, newspapers, pamphlets, anything produced at the time. Secondary documents are histories of the events written by someone not there; they could be separated from the events by only a few years, or many centuries

Primary vs. Secondary Documents (2) So, a letter from the apostle Paul to the church in Corinth (the letters to the Corinthians) is a primary document. Someone who writes about that letter hundreds or thousands of years later produces a secondary document, or an interpretation and comment on the event.

Genealogy

History or Theology? Or Both? 1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning.

Is the Bible True? Is the Bible true? How to test it? Against other, extra-Biblical, evidence Against archaeological evidence Internal literary evidence

Wikipedia A note on sources online. Welcome to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit. 2,040,580 articles in English

Wikipedia, on the Bible and History* Contents 1 Introduction 1.1 Conservative religious views 1.2 Liberal/Progressive religious views and secular views 1.3 Overview of academic views 1.4 Critique of the Maximalist - Minimalist Dichotomy 2 Old Testament/Hebrew Bible 2.1 Genesis 2.2 Problems with conventional Biblical chronology 2.3 Exodus 2.4 Joshua 2.5 United Monarchy 2.6 Later kings 2.7 The Exile and after 3 New Testament/Greek Bible 3.1 Historicity 3.1.1 Pontius Pilate 3.1.2 Historicity of Christian beliefs 3.1.3 Historicity of Christian traditions 4 Marginal views 5 Schools of archaeological and historical thought 5.1 Biblical minimalism 5.2 Biblical maximalism 5.3 Increasing conflict between the maximalist and minimalist schools 6 Archaeology and modern Israeli politics 7 Mid-Eastern Analogies 8 Conclusion 9 Footnotes 10 References 11 See also 12 External links *BTW, Wikipedia founder a UA graduate.

Adam and Eve, 3rd Century, catacombs, Rome Not exactly a Playboy rendition. But, true or mythological? Creationism vs. Evolution?

Assyrian Empire (746-609 BCE)

Babylonian Empire (809-539 BCE)

Persian Empire (550-330 BCE)

Empire of Alexander the Great (336-323 BCE)

The Ten Commandments Moses with the Ten Commandments by Rembrandt This 1768 parchment (612×502 mm) by Jekuthiel Sofer emulated the 1675 Ten Commandments at the Amsterdam Esnoga synagogue.[1]

The 1956 version of the Commandments starring Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner and Anne Baxter