Jesus read His Bible in Hebrew — You can, too!
Learning the original language has long been the preferred way for Bible scholars to study and understand the Scriptures, but learning Hebrew has often been regarded as a dreaded undertaking with a goal of simply learning for literacy.
Not so for Biblical and Religious Studies Professor Brian Schultz who teaches his Hebrew courses using living language methods. Creative and exciting classes help his students learn at a faster pace and with improved understanding. Already, his methods have resulted in an increased interest in learning Hebrew among both undergraduate and seminary students.
What is Living Biblical Hebrew?
Living Biblical Hebrew is a curriculum that goes beyond teaching you how to decode and translate biblical Hebrew. It aims at making the language "living" inside of you so that you can read the Bible fluently without needing to translate it.
Is Living Biblical Hebrew hard?
Amazingly, it is both easy and fun, and fits all learning styles. Like all new skills, it takes time and practice, but anyone can do it.
How is Living Biblical Hebrew different than other biblical Hebrew courses?
Other ancient language courses teach the language by having you learn its grammar rules and memorize vocabulary lists. "Living Biblical Hebrew" enables you to use biblical Hebrew correctly right from day one—even before you learn the grammar and internalize the vocabulary through context and repeated usage.
Who can take Living Biblical Hebrew?
Anyone interested in deepening their understanding of the Bible regardless of their major, as well as anyone interested in languages or needing to meet their language requirement may take Living Biblical Hebrew.
When should I take Living Biblical Hebrew?
As early as you can, ideally in your freshmen year, plan to take Living Biblical Hebrew. The sooner you take it, the easier it will be to fit advanced biblical Hebrew courses into your schedule should you want to. Furthermore, you will have more opportunity to use your biblical Hebrew in subsequent Bible, theology, ethics, and/or Christian ministry classes. The more you use it, the more proficient you become, even if you are no longer taking biblical Hebrew. And as a bonus, the earlier you begin, the more often you will be able to join the Hebrew lunches, Hebrew retreats and Hebrew Bible studies.
I'm not a biblical studies major. Can I wait to take biblical Hebrew until after I have fulfilled my major requirements?
You can, of course, but the sooner you start, the further you can go, since language learning takes both time and practice. Additionally, there is an intrinsic social aspect to language-learning, in that it happens best in community. For most students, the college environment provides the best setting for fostering language growth they will ever encounter. Thus, while additional classes can often be taken at a later time, the benefits of the college community, so critical for efficient language learning, is lost with each passing year.
How do I register?
Register for HEB 115: Hebrew I. It is offered yearly, every fall and is the prerequisite for every subsequent Hebrew class. The class is open to all. Come join the fun!
For more information, contact Brian Schultz at [email protected] or 559-453-7107.