Theories of Inspiration
write one page for each topic. You must call upon examples from the text to support your answers. I do not expect you to quote from the text, but you are expected to give examples from it. Example-free essays are not considered satisfactory. It is recommended that your essay show a high level of organization. 1.) Theories of Inspiration: (a) Describe the three theories of inspiration. (b) Apply the third theory to a specific story in the Bible, explaining how it resolves certain difficulties for the modern reader. (c) Explain which theory you find the most compelling and why. (See Theories of Inspiration in the resource list.) 2.) Creation: (a) Describe the creation stories in the Enuma Elish and in Genesis 1:1-2:3. (b) Compare and contrast these accounts, showing their similarities and differences. (c) Explain what the authors of Genesis were trying to say about their God. 3.) Abraham: (a) Describe Abrahams struggles to develop faith and trust. (b) How does Abraham learn to relate differently to God than the humans in Genesis 3-11? (c) In the Abraham stories, how does God relate differently to humans than in Genesis 3-11? 4.) Exodus: (a) Explain how God came to reveal himself to Moses. (b) Show the competition between the god of Moses and the god of Pharaoh. Explain its significance. (c) Show how the story culminates in Exodus 18-20, discussing the relationship between God and the Hebrew people. 5.) Prophets: (a) Describe the historical circumstances surrounding the prophets, especially Second Isaiah and Daniel. (b) Show how the concept of the Suffering Servant developed. (c) Show how the concept of the Messiah developed. (d) More briefly, describe how Christianity uses both concepts. 6.) Messianic Secret: (a) Describe how the identity of Jesus is slowly revealed in the Gospel of Mark. (b) Explain why Jesus identity is concealed until his death. (c) Illustrate your answer to (b) by showing some of the failings of the disciples in the second half of the gospel.
