Then and Now
How should we evaluate teaching in institutions of higher education? Despite the deep relevance of this question today, the truth is that we are only beginning to have that discussion and in many places, fitfully at best. A couple of years ago I … [Continue reading] about How to Evaluate University Teaching
...in 1793. For a research project (to be revealed in time) I have been looking at The Laws of Rhode-Island College (later renamed Brown University). It begins: No person shall be admitted into this College, unless upon examination by the … [Continue reading] about How to Get Into Brown University…
I recently published a short piece on the Sadducees in Bible Odyssey. It was fun to do, if for no other reason than it gave me an opportunity to stake out my (controversial) position on the origin of the Sadducees and Pharisees. One thing about … [Continue reading] about Pope Francis on the Sadducees
We are just wrapping up my undergraduate course at Brown University entitled "How the Bible Became Holy." I have earlier posted a syllabus for this course, which can be found here. This was the third time I taught the course and was far larger than … [Continue reading] about Canonizing Scripture: Historical Simulation
I will be giving four talks in Baltimore on April 1-2 on the holiness of the Bible. I am grateful to the Hoffberger Foundation for Torah Study and the consortium of Baltimore area synagogues for the opportunity to do this. The details are located … [Continue reading] about Speaking in Baltimore