The Backyard Professor

Abraham A Hebrew Suffering Servant as Mesopotamian and Babylonian Ritual King Substitute on the Egyptian Lion Couch

The story of Abraham the Hebrew, told using Mesopotamian and Egyptian religious ideas and ideologies is rather an odd affair don’t you think? That is, if our assumption is that the ancient Hebrews would never stoop so as to actually borrow from pagan religious themes and practices. How could they, since they actually had the revelation of YHWH, the very word from the very God himself? Why worry about what the pagans did in order for the Hebrews to express their own religious convictions, testimonies, rituals, practices, politics, etc.?

No Scripture is of Private Interpretation, Except Paul?

While the scriptures do teach that we are not to personally interpret them according to our own understanding, we have a most interesting view of the Apostle Paul’s conversion, and how his own experience changed the way he understood scripture.

2 Peter 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. The Greek adjective idios (private) is what pertains to an individual in whatever circumstances one finds oneself. It’s in contrast to what is public property or belongs to another.

Alan Segal (Paul the Convert, Yale University Press, 1990) discusses how Paul’s changing from his Pharisaic Judaism to Christianity because of his conversion experience actually changed his understanding of the scriptures, but also what they meant, and how he then taught them differently according to his own private interpretation. It’s rather ironic.

Simplfying Nibley Podcasts: Abraham, Imhotep, Amenhotep and Patriarchal Greatness in Egypt

Continuing my Simplifying Nibley podcast series, I explore Nibley's materials on the great Egyptian mortals Amenhotep and Imhotep, and how they compare to Israel's great Patriarch Abraham.

Download simplifying_hugh_nibley_continued01.mp3

Baptist Preacher of Heartissues for LDS does his religion proud

Todd Wood, a local Baptist Preacher here in Idaho is the finest example of what is good in Baptist religion in general. He is truly agreeable and willing to learn. He is perfectly reasonable and willing to disagree with Mormonism. He is perfectly reasonable and willing to teach we Mormons a thing or two as well when we read the Bible differently than he does. He is a gentleman, scholar, and all around terrific neighbor. Our neighborhood is a better place with him in it. Here is his website sharing his feelings, thoughts, ideas, likes, and dislikes about our recent FAIR Conference in Sandy Utah. I also attended, and I find Todd's notes to be accurate, interesting, and enlightening.

http://heartissuesforlds.wordpress.com/

Zohar Shekhinah, the Heavenly Mother & Bride of God

The Heavenly Mother Shechinah: The Bride of God

By Kerry A. Shirts

Daniel C. Matt’s notes in the Pritzker edition of the Zohar (he has 3 volumes, [ca 2004 - 2006] out so far, slated for 10) has shown one thing fully and unmistakably, and that is that the Shekhinah is the most fundamental and important concept, with an almost universally applicable symbolism from everything to the Ark of the Covenant, to the sea, rivers, buildings, space, time, people, events, and deity(s).

Were the rabbis making up for having something lost? That is one idea which crossed my mind. It is incredible how interesting, extensive, and in-depth the Shekhinah’s symbolisms are, and how often she is mentioned and connected with the rabbis commentaries.

Podcast: Reviewing Dever's Mother Goddess in Ancient Israel

Here is my description and analysis of the FARMS Review of William G. Dever's book Did God Have a Wife?

Download review_of_dever_mother_goddess.mp3

The Excitement and Fun of the FAIR Conference

Here is my view of this year's (2007) FAIR Conference.

Download fair_conference.mp3