ELCA NEWS SERVICE
December 21, 2005
Winter 2005 Mosaic Television on 'Introducing The Old Testament'
05-244-JB
CHICAGO (ELCA) -- A video presentation about the Old Testament, its
authors and history, is available to congregations of the Evangelical
Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). "Introducing the Old Testament" -- the
winter 2005 release of Mosaic Television -- was recorded in Israel, the
West Bank and Egypt, and features interviews with Old Testament scholars.
Mosaic Television is the quarterly video program produced by ELCA
Communication Services. It is intended for educational use in a variety
of congregational settings including Sunday school classes, adult forums,
youth groups, women's and men's groups, new member classes, congregational
council, committee and other organizational meetings.
"The Old Testament tells the story of God at work in the lives of
individuals," the program states. "Well-known characters include Adam and
Eve, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Moses, David, Ruth, Esther, Deborah and many
others. The Old Testament also tells the wider story of the Nation of
Israel."
"'Old Testament' is a Christian name. In ancient times they really
didn't have a standard name for the Bible," said Dr. James L. Kugel, who
appears in the program. "They called it the holy writings, sacred books.
And I guess nowadays among most Jews it is common to call the Bible either
the Bible or specifically the Hebrew Bible to distinguish it from the New
Testament." Kugel is Harry Starr Professor of Classical, Modern Jewish,
and Hebrew Literature, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass., and professor
of Bible, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
"I think the central message of the Old Testament is that God is with
us." said Dr. Esther M. Menn, associate professor, Old Testament, Lutheran
School of Theology at Chicago. "What inspires me about the Old Testament
is that we have witnesses from diverse authors, from different times,
different cultural situations, all attesting to God's working in history
and in human communities and in the lives of individuals."
Who wrote the Old Testament is not completely known. "Old Testament
or Hebrew Bible, the overwhelming majority is anonymous on its own terms,"
said the Rev. Brooks Schramm, associate professor, Old Testament, Lutheran
Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (Pa.). "Both Christian and Jewish
tradition have ascribed authorship to all the books of the Old Testament.
But those attestations are relatively late. So the more interesting
question is, for me, is not who wrote the bible, but rather when it was
written."
The program highlights the diversity of the Old Testament, which one
speaker said it part of its "beauty."
"Sometimes I try to imagine how many writers actually contributed to
those 39 books," said the Rev. Peter W. Marty, host of "Grace Matters,"
the radio ministry of the ELCA, and senior pastor, St. Paul Lutheran
Church, Davenport, Iowa. "And I can't know, and you can't know. But the
very diversity of that which was shaped by later editors who found their
own way to make sense of it in religious community, the very diversity of
that is a part if its draw."
"Introducing the Old Testament" can be viewed for free on the Web.
It is also available in VHS and DVD formats. Some ELCA colleges and
universities carry Mosaic Television on local cable channels.
Each issue of Mosaic Television includes a user's guide with a
synopsis of each segment and discussion questions. Annual subscriptions
are available through ELCA Communication Services.
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Specific information about Mosaic Television subscriptions and the
content of each issue is available on the Web at
http://www.elca.org/mosaic or by contacting ELCA Communication Services by
phone at 1-800-638-3522, ext. 6009.
Editors: Digital photographs that accompany "Introducing the Old
Testament" can be requested by e-mail at [log in to unmask] or by phone
1-800-638-3522, ext. 6009.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog
