Due: Class #38 

You may choose between the two topics below.  Your paper is to be between 3 and 5 double-spaced typed pages. 

1.  Homily:
Determine a congregation of your choice (and indicate same as part of title of the paper); determine an Old Testament passage to be reflected on in the homily (you may choose any literary unit from any book of the Old Testament which we will have studied before the paper is due; you may even choose a passage/unit set out in the Church’s lectionary and take into consideration the New Testament passage with which it is paired, though the focus of your paper is to be primarily on the Old Testament passage.)  The homily is meant to be preached (pay attention to the fact that it is intended to be delivered orally so the sound of language is also a consideration.)  Your goal is to inform and inspire. 

2.  Interpreting the Bible in the Church:
This essay requires that you 1) read carefully the 1993 pastoral document on the interpretation of Scripture in the Church, that you 2) summarize what you believe are the most important points of its content,  and that you 3) comment on the value of the document for guiding the Church in its interpretation of Scripture, that is, that you make an effort to evaluate the document and explain/defend the bases of your evaluation.  [This essay requires that you consider the history of biblical interpretation—the "pre-modern, modern, and post-modern methods"-- though it does not require that you may explicit reference to these methods. I think this will become clear as you read the document.]