Key Terms: special revelation, literal sense, signified, signifier, tragicomedy, covenant, mediated presence, context, quadriga, PaRDeS

Learning Targets:

  1. Explain the distinctive practices of Ancient Israel in communal worship and Scripture reading. Learners will describe how the Israelites gathered weekly to pray and hear Scripture, and how these practices sustained their identity and relationship with God—even during times of exile and dispersion.

  2. Distinguish between special revelation and general revelation in Christian theology. Learners will be able to define “special revelation” as God’s communication through Scripture, contrast it with conscience or general revelation, and explain the importance of the literal sense (sensus literalis) for understanding the Bible’s message.

  3. Identify the skills and qualities required for responsible biblical interpretation. Learners will list and explain the exegetical skills, language proficiency, awareness of tradition, use of reason, and spiritual discernment needed to interpret Scripture, and discuss why not everyone is called to be a teacher.

  4. Summarize the structure and shared heritage of the biblical canon across Christian traditions. Learners will compare how Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant traditions approach the biblical canon, recognize the significance of the 66 canonical books, and appreciate the value of focusing on this shared heritage.

  5. Analyze the narrative framework and interpretive methods of Scripture. Learners will outline the Bible’s “big story” (Creation, Fall, Redemption, Re-creation), describe interpretive approaches such as the Quadriga and PaRDeS, and discuss how context, slow reading, and spiritual practices like Lectio Divina deepen understanding and personal encounter with God.

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