Textual Knowledge: Teaching the Bible in Theory and in Practice is a book aimed at anyone who wishes to explore what it means to teach the Bible, one of the foundational texts of Western culture. In this volume the author explores the largest issues involved in Bible teaching: What are our purposes? What are the outcomes that we are looking for? How do we conceptualize the Bible as a subject matter? How do we develop theories of Bible teaching? And how do we move from theory to practice? Looking at a variety of alternative conceptions, Textual Knowledge helps offer clarity about a teacher's goals and practical advice about what it means to attain those goals.
In addition the book explores the relationship between knowledge of Bible and teaching the Bible. What kind of knowledge does the Bible teacher need to have? How must that knowledge of subject matter be structured and conceptualized? How might differing scholarly conceptions of the discipline influence teachers' ways of thinking about the Bible? Drawing upon recent research in the field of general education, the author draw connections to the domain of Bible education.
As a book that embraces both theoretical issues and practical concerns, Textual Knowledge explores matters of central concern to Jewish educators in particular, but is relevant to educators from other religious traditions and for those teaching the Bible in secular institutions such as universities as well. At its heart the author seeks to improve Bible pedagogy-making it deeper, richer, more reflective, and more powerful for students of any age and in any setting.
About
the Author -- Textual Knowledge: Teaching the Bible in Theory and in Practice
Barry W. Holtz ---
Dr. Barry W. Holtz is the Theodore and Florence Baumritter Professor of Jewish
Education at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. A native of Boston and
graduate of Tufts University, Dr. Holtz received his Ph.D. from Brandeis University.
He was, for twelve years, co-director of the Seminary's Melton Research Center,
where he supervised the writing and publication of numerous volumes of the
Melton Graded Curriculum materials for Jewish schools across North America. Dr.
Holtz has published four previous books including Back to the Sources: Reading the
Classic Jewish Texts (Simon and Schuster,1984) and Finding Our Way: Jewish Texts
and the Lives We Lead Today (Schocken Books, 1990). He serves as a consultant
and visiting faculty member for the Mandel Foundation and is a member of the
Board of Directors of the Abraham Joshua Heschel School in New York City.
About
the Author -- Textual Knowledge: Teaching the Bible in Theory and in Practice
Barry W. Holtz ---