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Reading Guide to Armstrong's Jerusalem

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Rel 289 A. Porter Reading Guide for Armstrong’s Jerusalem This reading guide lists important dates for each chapter of Armstrong’s book. It also provides some definations for some unfamiliar terms (if you would like to suggest additions to these terms, please email me the term and I will be happy to add it). Finally, part of your journel assignment is to describe your responses to Armstrong’s arguments and ideas. To help you with this, I have provided some study questions. The ones with an asterick (*) you are required to address in your journal. The ones without astericks you may write about or you can write about something else. Many of these questions ask you to reflect on your own religious tradition. If you have been raised without any religious tradition, you can answer these questions by describing what is important in your personal world- view. Introduction History: Terms/Names: God / the Sacred Myth Scholars of religion, “myth” is not “false” (as in, “the idea that pigs can fly is a myth”). Notice how Armstrong defines the term here, because she will use this defination throughout the book. Symbol Like myth, scholars don’t see symbols as “only” symbols. Notice how Armstrong defines this term, too. Questions: * Do you agree with Armstrong’s assertion that religion always employs mythic language when discussing the divine? What examples of this sort of language can you think of from your own tradition? What are some symbols that are important in your religious tradition? Rel 289 A. Porter Reading Guide for Armstrong’s Jerusalem Chapter 1: Zion History: 3200-2300 Ophel Hill had some settlement, demonstrated by pottery 1900 “Rushalimum” mentioned in Egyptian texts Archaeological evidence of city walls 1300s Settlement of Hurrians / Canaanites in Jerusalem 1200s Hill country most abandoned. Jebusites may have settled in Jerusalem. 1100s Sea peoples inhabited coastal plains. Hill country settled by “Israelites.” Terms/Names: El, Baal, Yam, Mot = Canaanite deities Marduk, Tiamat = Mesopotamian deities Hurrians (= Hivites / Horites in Bible) - Aryans who settled in Canaan in XV BCE Jebus name of Jerusalem when David conquered it; inhabited by Jebusites Ophel hill S of Temple Mount. Oldest part of inhabited Jerusalem. Ugarit Coastal city (near border of modern Turkey and Syria) where Canaanite documents have been found. Questions: What does KA mean by “sacred geography”? What determines what features of the world are “sacred”? Be sure you can describe the characters of and differences between El and Ba’al. “At this date, all cities were regarded as holy places” (p. 7). Why was this? How do people today regard cities differently? What accounts for these changes? * “The goal of the religious quest has always been an experience, not a message” (p. 9). Do you agree with this statement? Why or why not? Are there messages your tradition emphasizes? Are they effective if not rooted in a religious experience? Rel 289 A. Porter Reading Guide for Armstrong’s Jerusalem Chapter 2: Israel History: 1207 Egyptian text mention hapiru and defeat of “Israel” 1200? Traditional date of “conquest” but little archaeological data to support biblical account 1030(?)-1000 Reign of King Saul 1000-960(?) Reign of King David 1000-900 Date for J (Yahwist) and E (Elohist) strands of the Torah 630-550 Date for D (Deuteronomy) strand of the Torah (and the books of Joshua, Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings) 600-500 Date for P (Priestly) strand of the Torah Terms/Names: Merneptah Pharoah who erected a stele (stone monument) commemorating his victory over hapiru and “Israel” hapiru Class of people in Canaanite society; seem to be outcasts who lived on fringes of society Torah First five books of the Bible (Gen, Exod, Lev, Num, Deut). Also called “Pentateuch” or “Five books of Moses” because Moses was traditionally regarded as the author of all five books. J Oldest source in Torah. Uses divine name (Yhwh = Yahweh), describes God with human characteristics (anthropomorphically). Probably written in Judah (S kingdom). E Second source in Torah. Refers to God with the generic term “god” (=“el” or “elohim”). God more remote, interacts with humans via dreams and visions. Probably written in Israel (N kingdom). D Third source in Torah. Emphasizes distinctive ideas of Deuteronomistic school: Yhwh to be worshipped only in Temple in Jerusalem; emphasis on worshipping only Yhwh; reject Canaanite influences. Written in Judah, but with influence from refugees from Israel. P Newest source in Torah. Emphasizes issues important to priests (ritual purity, sacrifices, etc.) and orderliness (genealogies, specific times and dates). God described as spirit or wind -- very remote and without physical manifestation. monotheism Belief that only one deity exists. No other deities exist (from Gk: mono = one, theos = god) henotheism Belief that although many gods exists only one deity should be worshipped (from Gk: hen = one, theos = god) polytheism Belief that many gods exist (from Gk: poly = many, theos = god) Ark of the Covenant: Container that Bible says held the tablets Moses brought down from Mt. Sinai with the 10 Commandments on them. (This is the Ark from Raiders of the Lost Ark.) bemot “high place” where Canaanites & Israelites people worshipped matzevot a stone or pillar set up to mark a sacred location; a place where people worshipped theophany appearance or manifestion of the divine or a deity to a human Questions: How does KA explain the difference between the biblical account of the conquest and the data from the archaeologists? How did the Israelites worship Yhwh (their god) during the wilderness period? * The stories of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs (in Genesis) and the Conquest (in Joshua) can be understood as national myths -- stories that teach (or reveal) values or ideas important to the Israelite authors. What values does KA perceive in these stories? What are some American national myths? What do they say about American values? How many Americans do you think subscribe to these myths? Rel 289 A. Porter Reading Guide for Armstrong’s Jerusalem Chapter 3: City of David History: 1000-960(?) Reign of King David 990(?) Israelite conquest of Jebus -> City of David / Jerusalem 960-922 Reign of King Solomon Construction of Jerusalem Temple Terms/Names: Absalom David’s eldest son (at the time) who attempted a coup d’etat, to take over the throne from his father. Absalom died in the coup attempt. Adonijah David’s eldest son when he was dying. Adonijah was killed on Solomon’s orders. Bathsheba Jebusite(?) woman who had an affair with David, who killed her husband, Uriah, when she became pregnant. The child of the affair died. Solomon was her second son. Devir Temple: Holy of Holies (innermost chamber of the temple, see diagram, p. 49) Hekhal Temple: Hall inside temple (connected Ulam to the Devir, see diagram, p. 49) hesed Hebrew: loving kindness mishpat Hebrew: judgment Nathan Jebusite(?) prophet who advised David shalom Hebrew: peace Sheba Israelite leader who led a second revolt against David’s rule Tyre Phoenician city on the coast of the Mediterranean. Craftsmen from Tyre built the Temple for Solomon. tzedek Hebrew: righteousness or justice Ulam Temple: Entrance to temple structure (see diagram, p. 49) Zadok Jebusite(?) priest who officiated at David’s new cultic site for Yhwh Questions: How did David treat Jebus and its inhabitants after he captured the city? How did Israelite worship change after David moved the Ark into Jerusalem? How did it change after Solomon built the Temple? * Armstrong says of the Jerusalem Temple that “sanctity was inseparable from the pursuit of . ‘social justice.’” What does she mean by “social justice?” Do you agree that social justice must accompany sanctity? What is your tradition’s attitude towards social justice? How is it manifested or acted upon by your tradition? Rel 289 A. Porter Reading Guide for Armstrong’s Jerusalem Chapter 4: City of Judah History: 922 Death of Solomon and division of kingdom in to N (Israel) and S (Judah) 862 Assyrian Empire expanded W and both Israel and Damascus became client states (paying tribute annually to the Assyrians) 800-750 Assyrian Empire weakened and Judah flourished, Jerusalem became much larger. 722 Samaria destroyed by Assyrians; Israel destroyed (10 “lost” tribes). Some refugees fled to Jerusalem, bringing religious ideas from the North. Jeru grew in size. 640-622 Reign of King Josiah 612 Nineveh (capital of Assyria) destroyed; Assyrian empire completely destroyed by Babylonians by 609 597 First Babylonian siege of Jerusalem and first deportation of Jerusalem elites to Babylon. 586 Second Babylonian siege. Destruction of Jerusalem Terms/Names: aliyah Hebrew: “ascent.” Term used to refer to pilgrimage to the Temple, when people had to go up (ascend) to the Temple mountain. Bethel Ancient cultic site in Israel. One of Israel’s two royal sanctuaries. Goyim Hebrew: “nations” = gentiles Hezekiah King of Judah. Famous for reforming the Jerusalem cult. Revolted against Assyria. Josiah King of Judah, son of Manasseh. Assyria on decline, so Josiah began to expand Judah’s boundaries. He also reformed the Jerusalem cult. “Best King ever (besides, perhaps, David” according to biblical authors. Manasseh King of Judah, son of Hezekiah. Loyal vassal of Assyria. Hated by biblical authors. Sukkot Hebrew: “Booths.” Fall festival celebrated by living in little huts. Originally an agricultural festival (people may have lived in huts during harvest so that they didn’t have to go from their homes to their fields). Questions: What sort of mythological language did the Judahites use to describe Yhwh? What were the goals of the Deuteronomic school? KA argues that “idolatry” is legitimate (p. 75). Do you find her argument persuasive? Why or why not? * What does KA mean by saying the Temple was a “fetish” (p.
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