Reading Genesis Well

1. Introduction

1.A Historical backcloth: Benjamin Jowett and 19th century literalism
1.B James Barr, Jowett's heir
1.C Why do I think Lewis can help?
1.D My own background and stance

2. What is happening in Literary Communication

2.A The Big Idea: How to approach any work of art
2.B Linguistics, rhetoric, literary criticism

3. Types of Language and Biblical Interpretation

3.A Speech Act Theory and Biblical rhetoric
3.B Lewis' essay, "The language of religion"
3.C Metaphor, thought, truth
3.D Examples of exegesis
3.E Is there a role for analytical language?
3.F Conclusions

4. Good Faith Communication

4.A How does communication work?
4.B What is "good faith communication"?
4.C What is the connection between world picture and worldview?
4.D Sense, referent, rhetoric, and truth

5. What do we have in Genesis 1-11? 1: Context

5.A Cohesion and coherence
5.A.1 Internal cohesion
5.A.2 Cohesion with Genesis - Deuteronomy
5.A.3 Connected but separate
5.B Shared world context
5.B.1 Other nations' origin stories
5.B.2 Audience criticism and "rhetorical situation"
5.B.2.a Date of Genesis
5.B.2.b Implied audience

6. What do we have in Genesis 1-11? 2: Function

6.A The Pentateuch as "constitution"
6.B Genesis and worldview story
6.C Anachronism and history
6.D Literary style and language level
6.E Literary style and architecture of Genesis 1-11

7. Genesis 1-11: A rhetorical-theological reading

7.A Creation and fall (Genesis 1-4)
7.A.1 Creation (Genesis 1-2)
7.A.2 "Fall" and consequences (Genesis 3-4)
7.B From Adam to Noah (Genesis 5)
7.C The Great Flood
7.C.1 The set-up (Gen. 6:1-4)
7.C.2 Flood Story proper (Gen. 6:5-9:17)
7.C.3 The sequel (Gen. 9:18-29)
7.D All the families/clans of the earth (Gen. 10:1-11:9)
7.D.1 Table of Nations (Gen. 10:1-32)
7.D.2 Tower of Babel (Gen. 11:1-9)
7.E From Shem to Abram (Gen. 11:10-26)

8. What have other qualified readers seen in Genesis 1-11 (Old Testament, New Testament, Jewish, Patristic)

8.A The Big Story
8.B Creation of material ex nihilo
8.C Relation of Genesis 1 and 2
8.D Human origins and fall
8.E The Flood
8.F Genesis and Hellenistic science

9. Genesis 1-11, World picture and worldview

9.A What is the shape of the world?
9.B Does the sun "rise"?
9.C Where does the rain come from?
9.D A three-decker universe?
9.E Hasn't explaining become explaining away?
9.F How should we read God's action in creation?
9.G Where the conflict really lies

10. Genesis 1-11: A humane moral vision for Israel and the world

10.A Redemptive history as worldview story
10.B "Heirs" of this story
10.B.1 Israel
10.B.2 Christians
10.C Conclusion: Reading Genesis 1-11 well