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Seventeen people stayed the whole course, (and are now wondering what to do on Wednesday evenings! ) Together we have covered the whole of the Biblical Literature, from an academic point of view, learning new vocabulary, eg 'theophany', 'theocracy', 'apocalyptic', and 'apocryphal', - all Greek to begin with, while Barbara has struggled with 'amphibology' and 'syncrisis', in order to make it intelligible to all. As a result, Brian has given it a new sub-title for the record,

We have all had our faith challenged by academic insights and knowledge, which is enhanced by every new discovery from the ancient world, particularly, eg of the Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947, which are now being read and studied very carefully. We have learned to be honest with History, and then return to the Biblical texts to discover how the authors of each document explored the theological implications of their own times, asking 'Where is our God in all that is happening around us?', and then wrote what has gradually become 'Scripture'.

We have realised more than the Bible ever suggests, what a devastating effect the destruction of Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple in 70 CE had on the writings of the New Testament. Twenty of its twenty seven books were written as a result of that event, yet it is not even mentioned as such!

We have faced questions that have been uncomfortable, and thought-provoking, but all of us now claim to have stronger, if slightly different faiths now. A growing, and questioning faith, is always a stronger faith!

Each session is also recorded on tape, with all the yarns and good stories in full, warts 'n all, and may be borrowed, or purchased at £1 a session, from Barbara, contact by Email