From the magisterial six-day creation through Adam and Eve, the flood, the sacrifice of Isaac, and the Joseph story, Genesis contains many of the most well-known and beloved passages in the whole Bible. These are texts that have grounded beliefs and shaped faith communities for over two millennia. Where do these stories come from? How do they relate to similar traditions from Israel’s neighboring cultures, and how have they grown over time until reaching the form we now have them in? How have our modern interpretations obscured what the texts might have originally meant? These are some of the questions we will discuss to deepen our understanding of the Book of Genesis in addition to considering what “truths” we might find meaningful to our own lives as UUs.
Please join us for a 7-week exploration of Genesis that will follow the free curriculum provided by the Yale Divinity School. All are welcome to access these resources here and register for a free account. We will supplement with UU specific materials and potentially other ancient Near Eastern creation and flood stories for broader context. Meetings will be held Sundays at 1 p.m. on March 1, March 15, March 29, April 5, April 19, May 3, May 17. Participants are encouraged to attend all meetings, but it is not required. No prior knowledge of Genesis or the Bible required. All are welcome! Feel free to use whichever translation of the Hebrew Bible you prefer. Please sign up here.
