A group of Franciscan friars furious at the theft of bibles from their church in Florence have taken the unusual step of praying for the thief to be struck down by diarrhoea.
Friars at the 15th century church of San Salvatore al Monte, which was a favourite of Michelangelo, were irritated when a rare and expensive bible disappeared from the lectern, and they flew off the handle when a replacement bible donated by a worshipper also went missing and within a few hours.
In a note, pinned up in full view of worshippers, the friars say they hope the thief sees the error of his ways. But in case he does not, they add: "We pray to God that the thief is struck by a strong bout of the shits." This turn of events will, they hope, "encourage him to carry out no further thefts".
Described by La Stampa newspaper as "the product of the Tuscan ability to be ironic about anything", the note and its unorthodox request will be forgiven, claim one of the friars. "It is not exactly clean language," the friar said, "but we couldn't put up with it any longer. The Lord and the faithful will understand."
Interior of San Salvatore al Monte
Now there's a proper group of biblenerds if there ever was one!
I'm doing a bit of work on the difference between religious imagery and kitsch (there be a thin line let me tell you) but there is very little debate surrounding what category the Ten Plagues Finger Puppets fall into.
Available from Amazon and several other stores what Pentateuch class could survive without these? All credit to the designer Yitzy Erps.
I started my lectures of Images of God in prophetic Literature course with a cartoon and have since been under pressure to provide light entertainment at each lecture....here's some for "Creator" :)
Horrific puns aside, these two comedy films are useful in a debate on the images of God (one suspects that God himself would be pleased with the choice of Morgan Freeman playing him in both films).
Interestingly, Freeman's God is far more the God we see revealed in Jesus than the God of the original flood story. When Evan questions his motives he replies "let's just say that whatever I do I do it because I love you". It seems to contrast with his prediction of a flood, but ultimately he's shown to be true to his word.
Perhaps the most significant aspect of the God of the ‘Almighty’ franchise is that he's a God who prefers to work through his people. While he may laugh at their plans, and use their prayers as an opportunity for growth, he longs to make the world a better place primarily by relying on "one act of random kindness at a time".Bruce Almighty also deals with the themes of injustice in this world, our response to God, and the goodness of God’s authority over our lives.
Now I'm not the world's greatest cook but I was working on a handout I distribute to my students on the Passover and the Sedar meal for my course on the Pentateuch. I don’t get a lot of time to dwell on the Sedar meal and it’s significance but I fund students are very interested in it so I try and have something that they can work with outside of the class. Here’s a rough version of it-I change it every year depending on the focus of the group so it’s a bit general:
Passover is the 8-day celebration that commemorates the setting free and escape (exodus) of the people of Israel from Egypt. It is a period of family get-togethers and lavish meals that are called Seders. The story of the Passover is retold through the reading of the Haggadah. Passover begins on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Nissan and just like Easter the date changes every year.
Passover in 2011 will start on Wednesday, the 19th of April and will continue for until Thursday, the 26th of April. (Note that in the Jewish calendar, a holiday begins on the sunset of the previous day). Chabad.org is a fantastic website that is packed with info and ltos of things for children. I have actually used this book in class too-some times you need to go back to basics-and it has lovely pictures!
According to the Book of Exodus - Moses, was ordered by God to go to the Pharaoh and insist on the independence of the Israelite slaves. Moses' appeal of let my people go was ignored. Moses warned the Pharaoh that God would send brutal punishments to Egyptians if the Israelites were not freed. Again the Pharaoh ignored Moses' request of freedom. In response God unleashed a series of ten terrible plagues on the people of Egypt
Blood
Frogs
Lice (vermin)
Wild Beasts (flies)
Blight (Cattle Disease)
Boils
Hail
Locusts
Darkness
Killing of the First Born
I usually add in those who think the plagues are scientifically provable and those who think it's all a natural occurrence:
The holiday's name - Pesach, meaning "passing over”, or "protection" in Hebrew, is derived from the instructions given to Moses by God. In order to persuade the Pharaoh to free the Israelites, God intended to kill the first-born of both man and beast. To protect themselves, the Israelites were told to mark their dwellings on the door lintel with lamb’s blood so that God could identify and "pass over" their homes.
When the Pharaoh finally agreed to freedom, the Israelites left their homes so quickly that there wasn't even time to bake their breads. So they packed the raw dough to take with them on their journey. As they fled through the desert they would quickly bake the dough in the hot sun into hard crackers called matzohs. Today to commemorate this event, Jews eat matzoh in place of bread during Passover
Passover celebrates this event. The first two nights of the 8-day holiday are celebrated with lavish meals called Seders in which the stories and history of Passover are celebrated. With its special foods, songs, and customs, the Seder is the focal point of the Passover celebration. Special foods, plates, silverware are all a part of the Seder.
Traditional Passover Foods & Their Symbolism
Unleavened Bread -- In their haste to leave Egypt and escape slavery, the Israelites had no time to let dough rise for bread. Their only provision was matzoh, which is made of wheat but not allowed to ferment or rise. Matzoh is a perfect example of how the food we eat is intricately woven into history, traditions, and culture. It is the bread of both slavery and of freedom.
Roasted Lamb Bone -- The roasted lamb bone symbolizes the lamb that was sacrificed at the Holy Temple of Jerusalem on the eve of the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. The blood of that ancient sacrifice was used to mark the doors of the Israelites, so they might be "passed over.” Today, many families substitute a chicken or turkey neck for the lamb. Whichever meat you choose, roast it in the oven until done, and then scorch over a flame, like a gas burner or grill. Jewish vegetarians have been known to use a whole roasted beet instead of lamb.
Roasted Egg -- Eggs symbolize the perpetual cycle of life, from birth to death to re-birth. To roast eggs, first hard boil them, then, using tongs, hold over a gas burner or candle flame.
Bitter Herbs -- Fresh horseradish, without beets or vinegar, graces the Seder plate to symbolize the bitterness of slavery.
Greens -- Greens, usually fresh parsley or celery tops, represent re-birth and spring.
Salt Water -- The greens are traditionally dipped in salt water, which symbolizes the tears of the Hebrew slaves.
Charoset -- A traditional Passover dish, charoset consists of a mixture of chopped fruits, usually apples, nuts, raisins, spices, and wine. The mixture represents the mortar Hebrew slaves used to make bricks for the Pharaoh Ramses II.
Some websites that have recipes for Passover meals and foods
This all got me to thinking about the Bible and Food (and lunch if I'm honest) and I found this amazing website Biblical Cooking.
Are you looking for bible inspired dishes for your restaurant or home kitchen? If so you came to the right place, welcome to the Biblical Cooking website. We invite you to browse through our user friendly website and find out how easy biblical cooking can be.
I wasn't but I sure as hell am now....
Try King David's Lamb Chops:
Was the "forbidden fruit" of the garden of Eden really an apple? What is St. Peter's Fish? What was in the bowl that Jesus dipped into at the Last Supper? Within the pages of this book you will find a uniquely in-depth and easy-to-read survey of every aspect of food in the Bible, accompanied by fascinating illustrations and photographs. You will learn not only what people ate and drank in Bible days, but how they raised their food, stored it, traded in it, and prepared it. You will take a fresh look at food through the eyes of Scripture, seeing new and deeper symbolic meanings behind many a menu.
Best of all, you will find an exciting collection of biblically-inspired, easy-to-prepare recipes for a cornucopia of delicious dishes to share with friends and family.
As you enjoy learning about what our biblical ancestors ate, you will find yet another way of coming closer to Bible days and Bible ways. Through this book you will discover that Scripture, the most important inspiration in our spiritual lives, can be an inspiration in the kitchen as well!
I could go on but my tummy is rumbling :) I'll let you know when I try some recipes!
'Tis the season of Exam Boards and Exam Corrections which always make me cast my mind back to correcting the exam papers of a certain college (which shall remain nameless). One question I posed asked the students to answer short questions on a previously seen (if they had come to lectures) piece of text on Mark 6 and the Miracles-one of which is where Jesus walks on water. Rather than answer the questions, one student drew me a fabulous picture of Jesus on board a surfboard. It made me laugh but he (yes it was a male!) failed on that section. So in honour of students sitting exams everywhere I give you these hints for my birthday present and accompanying card:
I've been meaning to post a bit more on the wide subject of Bible and Film for a while now-it's such a large, and in my mind, underdeveloped side of teaching the Bible that it really needs some serious consideration. One thing that I’ve learned from giving second level in-services and teaching in a teacher training college for primary school teachers is that teachers are much more able to use multimedia in the classroom (times have moved on from no one being able to work the video machine in my day) but they’re not being given enough resources to use them.
In part of my workshop with the School Chaplains’ Association of Ireland in November 2009, I talked about the three ways you can use films in discussing biblical themes in the classroom. Have a look them in the selection of the PowerPoint slides I used during the workshop.
I’ll start with the easiest which is Films that Retell Biblical Stories:
Some of most ♥ loved ♥ and some you might not have thought of using-for example only one of the participants in the workshop had used Life of Brian (and he got a gold star for being brave!
Exodus transposes the events of the biblical tale to Margate of a dystopian future in which a Pharaoh dictatorial leader has declared war upon society's 'undesirables'. Drug abusers, refugees, criminals and the homeless are all considered equally worthless and entered into a restricted ghetto where they cannot leave. When Moses learns he was adopted by Pharaoh and is actually the son of an asylum seeker, he shuns his life of privilege to lead the ghetto's inhabitants in a revolt against his father.
An excellent film that was first shown on Channel 4. It shows how the biblical text is not only relevant today but in the future (the treatment of the Israelites in Egypt, compared to the treatment of asylum seekers today and in the future). The “parting of waters” scene is useful to start debate-where is God featured (if at all) in the scene? Does the water actually have redemptive, cleansing qualities rather than just being used for harm?
The Prince of Egypt (1999, U Cert)
The film was nominated for 2 Oscars in 1999 and won the Oscar for Best Music, Original Song. The lyrics for the song ("When You Believe" sung by the formidable duo of Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey (which is sung at the end of the film in full) contains a section sung by a child in Hebrew-these are verses 1, 11 and 13 from Chapter 15 of the Book of Exodus.
And if you think the song sounds familiar, it was sung by the winner of the “X Factor” on ITV1, Leon Jackson. And no, the Hebrew wasn’t included on that release!
The film is a good overview of the Exodus event in general but also can be used as an exercise on comparing the biblical text and the film’s interpretation of it. Chapter 25 of the DVD on the parting of the Red Sea is especially useful. Firstly to get a sense of the magnitude of the event but also to see how it compares to Exodus 15 (The Song at the Sea). The Director’s commentary on the scene is useful here.
Yes, Ben Affleck is the voice of Joseph (don’t let that put you off!). This “sequel” to The Prince of Egypt tells the story of the Joseph from the book of Exodus. There’s not a lot to debate here but for weaker groups who have difficulty in grasping the context of the biblical stories it is an excellent tool. Also helpful if you want to avoid anything about Technicolor dreamcoats. (if you cannot resist the sing-along!)
This in an excellently produced and directed film released in 2006 that retells the Nativity to the point of the flight to Egypt. In general it is a good all round film which helps students understand that the stable wasn’t Ye Olden Times Holiday Inn and a more realistic portrait of the characters. I’ve successfully used it to debate the Catholic view of Mary (The actress playing her, Keisha Castle-Hughes, is never seen without full make-up and a serene smile) and I use it with the class discussion included in my presentation on Advent. One word of warning-make sure you use this DVD in a room you can darken easily-most key scenes take place in darkness and it’s sometimes hard to make sure everyone can see what’s going on!
There are very good high-res stills from the movie for download
A motion picture destined to offend nearly two thirds of the civilized world. And severely annoy the other third.
But it’s funny. And that has to be a good thing! The excellent depiction of the Sermon on the Mount (DVD Chapter 3) is a good starting point for the great discussion of “Is everything in the Bible true then?” Maybe Jesus really did say “blessed are the cheesemakers”! It is an excellent example of how oral traditions have passed on the “words” of Jesus and how the biblical text may have a shifted idea of what Jesus said. Check out the clip below but be warned about rather un-biblical language.
One of my former students in Maynooth posted this video by Barat and Bereta on my Facebook page. Haven't seen it in a while and it made me laugh, then made me weep a little when he said he was going to show it to his students :) It has over 2.3 million hits on YouTube with several "copy cats" and brings back fond memories of watching the Reduced Shakespeare Company perform The Bible: The Complete Word of God (abridged) in London, so much so I've ordered the CD. (See a review of the show here) My Wisdom Lit students also received the link for this as a "goodbye and thank you" present for the last 12 weeks!
Bible dudes is a fun website that is actually very informative (Something I hope that my own blog manages to achieve!) It describes itself as
a totally awesome, entertaining, and informative website devoted to teaching the most influential book ever written — as well as the completely amazing discipline of biblical studies.
You can tut all you want but the site is actually written by two US university lecturers who should know better, Michael M. Homan from Xavier (check out his blog) and Jeffrey C. Geoghegan from Boston College Few will admit to having heard of these two before but they are the co-authors who wrote The Bible for Dummies-don't pretend you haven't at least had a peak!
More Bible websites should describe themselves as "totally awesome" in my opinion! The site has five main sections, Bible, Biblical Studies, Tanak, Apocrypha and New Testament. The biblical studies section is particularly good-with a good overview of the main critical approaches to the biblical text, such as source, redaction and form criticism, as well as archeological finds that relate to the Bible. The graphics for these are all cartoons rather than colour photographs for example the Siloam inscription below:
The site also offers a translation of the various inscriptions that it depicts.
The site doesn't offer a whole deal of new or academic information on the subjects it treats, but it does make you laugh and gives an excellent overview of the topics it features. For example, Mr T (the cartoon on the right is from the site too) teaches us about the Book of Genesis ("I pity the fool who doesn't know about Genesis!"). The Apocryphal literature fares a little better and the New Testament was under construction as this review was written. Keep an eye on their blog for more up-to-date information on the heady and exciting world of biblical studies! And make sure to try the quiz and get into the Hall of Fame-you get a rather "awesome" badge to display too!
With special thanks to the Bible Dudes for generously allowing me to use the images above! And no, they didn't give me the quiz answers beforehand!
With the big day coming up on Wednesday I thought a few links to some resources for St Patrick's Day wouldn't go amiss. And not a green pint among them.
For general resources, if you can avert your eyes from the video of corned beef and cabbage (a video? Does anyone actually eat corned beef?) the History channel's website is a good place to look for videos on celebrations around the world.
Prayers and Hymns:
There are lots of prayers associated with our Patron saint, the most well known of which is St Patrick's Breastplate. Beliefnet incorporates this into a beautiful guided meditation. My guilty pleasure is belting out (loudness over tunefulness) the hymn "Hail Glorious St Patrick" at Mass on St Patrick's Day-these three seem to do it better though:
Purely humourous but to brighten up your day check out this mock up of God's very own Facebook page, created by Andrew B.-and as I've been telling my student's for years, God has a great sense of humour :)
Click on the two pictures picture below for a better look and be warned some of the humour may be a little crude for the delicate amongst us:
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