Rave Reviews for Exploring Theology

Dr Jayme Reaves is leading the new Exploring Theology course, successor to Theology, Quest and Questions, which began with in September 2019, on the Hebrew Bible. Student feedback has been glowing – here’s a sample.

What have you most enjoyed about this term of Exploring Theology?

• Learning so much about the ancient Israelite people and their literary styles.
  
• Getting out for some intellectual stimulation.
  
• Getting to know more about who God is and asking questions of the writings in a way I haven’t done before. Exploring what I really believe is a big step forward.
  
• Jayme’s enthusiasm for her subject.
  
• I like the format – some teaching and then time to be a bit more involved with the material in the second half.
  
• Hearing different views and discussing them.
  
• Being with the other students again.
  
• Rethinking past study.
  
• Detailed textual criticism.
  
• Jayme has a gift for making the Hebrew Bible relational, relevant and accessible.
  
• The pace of the lectures was fast but just what you needed at the end of a busy day to stay engaged.
  
• I have grown in knowledge of the Hebrew bible.
  
• Reading and learning about the old testament. Seeing it as a book in its own right, rather than how it relates to Christians.
  
• Looking at the contents from a completely new perspective, as the Hebrew Bible, and finding themes I had never encountered before.
  
• Seeing the OT as firstly a Jewish sacred text and considering what that means for Christians.
  
• The balance between presentation and discussion.
  
• Reading the Hebrew Bible through a Jewish lens, rather than the more common (among us Christians) Jesus lens.
  
• Engaging with Hebrew Bible.
  
• The commonsensical and fun approach to these writings.
  
• Rare chance to look at big picture of Hebrew Bible. Huge surveys + close attention to texts. Jaime’s excitement about scripture.
  
• Without doubt it was looking at the OT from a Jewish perspective, and valuing the Hebrew Bible as a sacred text to be approached fro the perspective of what it meant to followers of the Jewish faith.
  
• The scholarly approach, giving a really good overview of the whole HB, not patronising to us hobbyist theologians! Open enquiry, not hidebound to supporting a particular view point.
  
• Very engaging presentation style from Jayme. The opportunity to engage in discussions with the group without derailing the teaching content.
  
• Getting behind the parts of the Old Testament which I think I know or take for granted.