Dave's Mormon Inquiry

Reading Genesis

The latest entry in the how-to-read-the-Bible genre is How to Read the Bible (HarperOne, 2015) by Harvey Cox, a Harvard divinity prof who has been around since the sixties (his classic The Secular City was published in 1965). The first chapter is devoted to Genesis. He offers some helpful perspectives to go beyond simply plodding though chapter by chapter, verse by verse, trying to follow what is going on or being said. Here are four approaches to shape one's reading.

Teaching Genesis

A new year of LDS seminary is just starting up, and this year's course of study is the Old Testament. The first week of lessons gives some Mormon framing: (1) an introduction to the Old Testament (it "contains images, symbols, and teachings about the Lord Jesus Christ" and "in the Old Testament, Jesus Christ is known as Jehovah"); (2) a review of the Plan of Salvation (essential elements: Creation, the Fall of Adam and Eve, and the Atonement); (3) a module on how to study the scriptures; and (4) a lesson on the Bible (with a timeline starting with Adam at 4000 BC). Then lessons 6-16 cover the LDS Book of Moses, followed quickly by three lessons (19-21) on the LDS Book of Abraham. The material in Genesis 1-5 is never studied directly. The student reading chart includes all of Moses and all of Abraham but omits Genesis 1-5. The early lessons use Moses references almost exclusively.

Updated Old Testament Seminary Scriptures

A couple of years ago, with no public announcement or explanation that I am aware of, CES modified LDS seminary scriptures (aka Scripture Mastery) for all four courses of study. Two years ago I posted a summary of the changes to the Book of Mormon list. Now let's see what changes have been made to the Old Testament list. The LDS Old Testament curriculum includes the Book of Moses and the Book of Abraham, so the list includes three scriptures from those two Pearl of Great Price books. A nicely formatted table showing changes for all four years is available here.