Amirneni 2
she displays that women could complete the jobs of men, by earning food and money for herself and Naomi. Also, the bible is an ancient text; it reflects the views of the ancient cultures that have long since refined. The same applies with the chauvinistic theme of the Bible, and in no way represent the views of Judaism or Christianity today. Students learn about the inferior treatment of women from different periods of time in history classes, and similarly the stories of the bible help expand their knowledge of the treatment women throughout history.
The Bible has many themes which teach valuable lessons from faith to loyalty to mercy and redemption. These lessons carry morals that are beneficial to the girls at Ellis.
God demands obedience and faith from the Israelites above all else. A major aspect of biblical faith is to believe God, when he remains unseen. The importance of trusting and believing in God, even though he isn’t always materially present is recurrent throughout the stories of the Old Testament. Noah, Abraham and Moses represent the three main heroes of faith in The Old Testament. Each demonstrates his faith in God by performing seemingly irrational tasks after God has been absent from humankind for an extended period of time. God has not spoken to humans for many generations when Noah obediently builds a large, strange boat in preparation for a monumental flood. Abraham similarly dismisses the idols and gods of his region in favor of a belief that an unseen and unnamed deity will provide a promised land for his descendants. Centuries later, the Moses places his trust in the Unseen God, though reluctant at first and carries out all the tasks that God asks of him. Like Noah and Abraham, Moses develops a faith based on his ability to communicate directly with God.
Another Important theme in the Bible is Loyalty. Loyalty is depicted in the Old Testament in many different forms from loyalty to the people of Israel to loyalty to a family
Amirneni 3
member or neighbor. Heroines, Rahab and Esther both carry out of altruism and courage as they loyally defend the people of Israel. Rahab hides the Israelite spies in her house at the risk of being caught and killed and Esther tactfully talks King Ahasuerus of Persia out of massacring all the Jews living in Persia, at the risk of being dethroned.
The most common theme in the Bible is redemption and forgiveness. God typically responds to human behavior with retributive justice. God punishes the evil and blesses the righteous. The theme of mercy and redemption, which develops throughout the stories, contrasts with this standard of retribution. Redemption appears in two forms in the Old Testament. Sometimes, one person forgives another’s offense and at other times God forgives the people for their mistakes.
When Jacob returns to his homeland after cheating his brother out of his birthright, hatred and vengeance is expected from Esau. Esau, instead, welcomes Jacob with a joyful embrace, and one can assume that he has forgiven Jacob.
As God’s relationship with man grows, so does his mercy for man. His harsh punishments at the start of the Old Testament such as the expulsion of Adam and Eve to the Great flood gradually soften to the point where he forgives an entire colony of people, the Ninevites in the Book of Jonah for their wrongs; “God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil that he had said that he would do unto them; and did it not” (725). He also forgives the Israelites for breaking his commandments by making and worshipping Idols, thanks to Moses’ interference.
The word redemption means to deliver or to restore and the entire story of Israel revolves around redemption in the Old Testament. Moses redeems the Israelites from Egypt, he delivers
Amirneni 4
them safely out of Egypt and into Israel. Characters such as Jalel, David and Samson also restore Israel when invaded by outsiders. Ruth redeems her mother-in-law when they move back to Bethlehem by earning her stay.
The Old Testament is well versed with powerful imagery and beautiful messages. It should be taught from a literacy perspective in the English class, and the religious messages in the text should be left for Religion Classes. The Bible is one of the earliest records of history and just like Greek or Roman mythology it can be taught in English classes in the same fashion.
The Bible should be kept in the 9th Grade English Curriculum at Ellis because it contains important lessons, which can be learned by the students at Ellis. The book deals with themes such as Loyalty, Forgiveness and Redemption. It also includes strong female characters to counter the chauvinistic theme of the Bible. Its literature is beautiful to read and is a good book for English class. People may argue that the Bible is sacred and belongs in a religion class, but the Bible is also a great literature and can be read in English classes the same way as myths and legends from other cultures are read.
Bibliography
King James Bible. New York: Penguin, 1974.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Ms. Dodge for looking over my drafts and helping me improve my essay.
