In terms of overall sales, the Bible is the most owned book in households around the world, which makes it a great book to study as a literary tool. This is the focus of English class, the Bible as Literature.
The Bible as Literature class was available in the course catalog when Bruce Peppard, professor of English, decided to resurrect the class.
“The class had not been taught in ten to fifteen years, so it was time to revise the class,” Peppard said.
For the past eight years, the Bible as Literature class has offered students the chance to read the Bible from a literary standpoint instead of a religious standpoint.
“I don’t want to know about their (students) religions because we are looking at the Bible as literature,” Peppard said.
Focusing more on literary themes than pure religion separates the Bible as Literature class from any kind of philosophy class as the class covers topics such as prophecy, wisdom, apocalyptic themes, historical themes, narrative themes and gospels.
Though the Bible is not taught in high schools, Peppard finds that the Bible is important in understanding the ideals that are present in our culture.
“The Bible is the absolute core component of Western culture. It has affected art, law, history and literature,” Peppard said.
The class studies the Bible as well as other text from that era and with 27 students, the class is interesting despite some students being apprehensive about discussing the Bible.
Peppard said the class was reserved at first but after a while students are more forthcoming because of the religious aspects of the class.
“It has taken the class a while to feel comfortable to speak their opinions because religion is such a sensitive subject. But now the class is able to have more in-depth discussions because we have gotten past the point of being offended,” Brittany Heinz, English major, and Bible as Literature class student, said.
Heinz said there have been no personal conflicts between students over religion and Peppard added that students will choose to interpret the Bible the way they want to interpret it.
“People see what they want to see, but my emphasis is on analyzing the text,” Peppard said.
Heinz decided to take the class not only because it was transferable as a foreign language, but also because the class was generally interesting since the Bible has influenced many writers and poets such as Shakespeare.
“The elephant in the room is the religion (aspect),” Peppard said.
Peppard said he enjoys teaching the class because every semester not only does the class learn something new, but so does he.
The class curriculum contains numerous reading assignments and essays.
Peppard added that while learning other religious text such as the Qur’an would be interesting, those ideals fall more into philosophy , but the idea of religion literature class is interesting.
“Separating literary genres separates us from philosophy class,” Peppard said.
Many argue that the Bible has no place in the classroom, but it presents the students with some epic stories and literary characters and heroes, and that makes the Bible an ideal book to study.
