There is one character in the Bible that modern audiences often ignore – the Land. But the land has many secrets to tell us if we learn to listen. It challenges our assumptions and prompts fascinating questions about the Kingdom of God.
In this course we will learn to see the diversity in the biblical landscape and examine its impact on the people who lived there. The type of soil and the amount of rain determined who were shepherds and who were farmers. The texture of the landscape determined where roads were built and thus who had access to international wealth and who was nestled in the protection of the hills. The psalmist and the prophets wrote about important theological concepts using images taken from the natural environment. Do we have the right images in our heads?
Through marking maps, viewing pictures, and reading text, the biblical stories read as independent theological bubbles become anchored into a real place. This allows us to relate to the characters in the narrative as real people who made difficult life decisions, and we will see the longevity of God’s story interwoven with his people.