Posts

Hebrew Scriptures and the Old Testament: One Text, Two Traditions

Image
  1. The Shared Foundation Both Jews and Christians revere the same ancient writings — the sacred texts of Israel. But they organize, interpret, and frame them differently. So the question isn’t what the texts are, but how they are understood. 2. The Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh) In Judaism, the Hebrew Scriptures are called the Tanakh , an acronym formed from three sections: Torah — “Instruction” or “Law” (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy) Nevi’im — “Prophets” (Joshua, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and others) Ketuvim — “Writings” (Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Chronicles, and others) The Tanakh is written primarily in Hebrew (with some Aramaic) and arranged to emphasize covenant and continuity — the story of Israel’s relationship with God. 3. The Old Testament Christians inherited these same texts but read them through the lens of Christ’s coming . The term Old Testament reflects that relationship: it is the “old covenant” preceding the “new.” Key differences: Order and grouping:...
Post a Comment
Read more

Publisher's pride: Books on bestseller lists - One Famiy Indivisible (Greenebaum)

Image
Today's Publisher's Pride is  One Family Indivisible  by Steven Greenebaum, which reached #185 in Unitarian universalism and #323 among Amazon top sellers in Christian ecumenism. Book Description: Throughout history we have divided ourselves into groupings of "us" and "them".  One Family: Indivisible  engagingly  invites the reader into the deeply spiritual and lifelong journey of the author to find a way to acknowledge our differences without dividing and subdividing ourselves into competing tribes. It is a journey of mountain tops and deep valleys, but it leads to the inclusivity and mutual respect possible with Interfaith. This is a book for seekers of all races, ethnicities, and spiritual paths who search for that elusive goal of a community of love and inclusion that also respects our diversity. AWARDS Eric Hoffer Award Category Finalist, American Book Fest Best Books Award Finalist (religion) Keywords: interfaith, spiritual journey, common humanity, re...
Post a Comment
Read more

This week's editor' choice: Practices That Work: Bringing Learners to Professional Proficiency in World Languages

Image
  This week's editor's choice: Practices That Work: Bringing Learners to Professional Proficiency in World Languages , edited by Professor Thomas Jesús Garza and written by a wide range of experts who have helped hundreds of students reach near-native levels of proficiency. Book Description: The many and varied demands of the digital age require cadres of professionals capable of collaborating effectively and engaging globally in the world's languages and cultures. This volume represents a collection of classroom- and field-tested practices used to prepare global professions to the highest standards of proficiency in their languages in order to meet these global challenges. Culled from faculty of government, private, and state educational programs, these "practices that work" offer the language practitioner a selection of "recipes" for helping language learners attain near-native professional proficiency. The techniques and practices offered in these pag...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Vine and the “True Vine”: What Jesus Actually Says

Image
If you listen closely to the readings in the Liturgy of the Hours, you may notice something curious. Sometimes Jesus is quoted as saying, “I am the vine, you are the branches.” Other times, especially in devotional writing, you hear the phrase “the true vine.” It’s natural to wonder: Does the Bible actually say “true vine,” or is that a liturgical addition? The answer is simple and surprisingly clarifying. In John 15:1, Jesus says: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.” The word true is part of the original Greek text — alēthinē , meaning real, genuine, ultimate . It’s not a contrast with a “false vine.” It’s a theological claim: Jesus is the living fulfillment of Israel’s ancient vine imagery. He is the source of divine life. But a few verses later, in John 15:5, Jesus continues the metaphor without repeating the adjective: “I am the vine, you are the branches.” This is the line most often used in the Liturgy of the Hours and in Mass readings. Because the liturgy f...
Post a Comment
Read more