College Course Teaches Students About ‘Queering the Bible’

The College Fix ^ | 12/22/17 | Bethany Torstenson

[marshmallow]

Class ‘destabilizes long held assumptions’ about what’s in the Bible; university refuses to comment

Swarthmore College is offering a course next year that will survey “queer and trans* readings of biblical texts” by using “queer and trans* theoretical approaches,” with faculty staying silent on the specifics of the course material.

“Queering the Bible” is set to launch next fall and will be instructed by Gwynn Kessler, an associate professor of religion, according to Swarthmore’s course catalog.

The course, which is being offered through Swarthmore’s Religion Department, promises to “[introduce] students to the complexity of constructions of sex, gender, and identity in one of the most influential literary works produced in ancient times.”

“By reading the Bible with the methods of queer and trans* theoretical approaches,” the catalog advertises, “this class destabilizes long held assumptions about what the bible–and religion–says about gender and sexuality.”

It appears that the Swarthmore Religion Department will offer no other Bible-centric courses next fall apart from this one. Out of around ten listed courses that explicitly involve Bible study at Swarthmore, “Queering the Bible” appears to be the only one taking place in fall of 2018. Only one other Bible-related course, a class teaching the grammar and vocabulary necessary to read the Old Testament in the original Hebrew, is offered during that time.

Repeated attempts by The College Fix to learn more about the course, and whether or not any additional Bible courses would be offered at Swarthmore next year, were met with silence. Multiple emails to Gwynn Kessler and the Swarthmore Religion Department, as well as phone calls to both, were not returned.

[Tax-chick]

That’s why it was in “quotes.”

[Tax-chick]

In reality, theory and reality are not even in the same ball park.

"You will be made to care," as I tell the older Offspring. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but eventually.

[Russ]

She forgot to add: “And I have a severe mental disorder.”

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

It is sort of like the idea that wars are fought over resources.

It is really the minority reason that they are fought. Mostly they are fought over human submission.

But a war about resources is logical and can be worked out peacefully between people of good will.

A war over submission can not be worked out because one side is going to be totally unreasonable.

And that side is going to include no people of good will.

So in history they are taught about one and not the other.

[Tax-chick]

Excellent points.

[HLPhat]

>>AINT. GONNA. WORK.

Seems to be working pretty well amongst the sheep herd at the Air Farce Academy.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=USAFA+Lesbian

[HLPhat]

>>Mostly they are fought over human submission.

Submission is a significant element of reproductive strategy and behavior.

XX + XX = FAIL

XY + XY = FAIL

XX + XY = Human

Just ask the Cadets who were ordered to submit by the 3 star L.I.F.E.R. standing in front of the 1 Star Lesbian Commandant of the USAFA's Technocratic-Poodle factory how that works.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=USAFA+Fake+hate+crime

The Commanding L.I.F.E.Rs apologize for their FALSE accusation yet?

Then again - Gee whiz - maybe the faked racial epitaph wasn't what "accept diversity or GET OUT" was really about, anyhow.

 

[IrishBrigade]

‘Thousands of corporations are eagerly awaiting an opportunity to hire applicants with this course on their resume.’

based on modern day HR departments, this is no doubt a true statement...

[redcatcherb412]

With her background

I received my Ph.D. in Rabbinics, with a specialization in midrash, from the Jewish Theological Seminary in 2001

Why doesn't she push to 'queer the torah' first, then other religions ?

[UMCRevMom@aol.com]

[UMCRevMom@aol.com]

STUDENTS ARE NOT MIS-LED