Who are we? Why are we here? How did we get in such a mess, and what should we do about it? These questions are the perennial questions of humanity in writing, philosophy, song… And they are the questions that underlying much of the Old Testament. In the wonderful, colourful stories and teaching of the Old Testament, we find a picture of humanity at times messy and broken. And at times luminous and inspiring. But most of all, humanity is cherished and loved by a God who chooses to walk with them, and transform their brokenness into a reflection of his glory.
This course will explore how the Old Testament speaks of humanity through story and poetry. The portrait of humanity is realistic, and engages multiple questions for today: identity, ethnicity, gender, family breakdown, violence in all its forms, economic justice, political wranglings, relating to creation, and living with vulnerability, pain and death. Yet through it all, the human person’s call remains clear – to walk in the world as God’s cherished covenantal partner.