ORDINARY LIFE - Thoughts and Ideas to Help You Live a Happier Life

Summary for July 24, 2022

Rev. Dr. Jim Bankston took over lecture duties today in Ordinary Life while Bill is on tour in England with the St. Paul’s Choir.

Jim centered his talk on the dominant theology of the Old Testament, exploring many of the counter currents in the Canon of the Old Testament centering around the promised gift or possession of land and the subsequent loss of that land. The narrative reflects on adherence to the covenant to keep the Law as a condition of prospering in the land. Prophets and historians within the canon itself reflect on faithfulness and unfaithfulness as an explanation of Israel’s circumstances. The dominant narrative is that faithful and strict adherence to the Law yields victories, success and prosperity. Anything else yields defeats, chaos and destruction. The strict adherence was very exclusionary and hostile towards the “other” and toward Hebrews who did not strictly keep the Law. There are however narratives from within the Canon itself that are more gracious in the interpretation of the Law. Knowing these more broad interpretations exist within the Canon itself is helpful in the religious landscape of today’s world. We’ll look at texts and perspectives that reflect both narrow and broad religious commitments and suggest that the more broad offers the hopeful way forward.

To download the slides from today’s presentation, click HERE.

If you would like to download or listen to an audio recording of today’s talk, you can use the audio player below.

If you would like to watch the video of the presentation, you can use the YouTube player link below.