Describe your original understanding of biblical Israel before an academic study of the Bible (whether prior to the readings this week or to prior courses/books that describe the historical reconstruc

1. Describe your original understanding of biblical Israel before an academic study of the Bible (whether prior to the readings this week or to prior courses/books that describe the historical reconstructions of early Israel).  How did you envision Israelite origins, and how was your understanding shaped?  As a result of your readings from Conway and Carr (and for this discussion, to a lesser degree Hayes), in what ways is your original idea of the beginnings of Israel affirmed or challenged? In other words, how do current models of the emergence of Israel differ from the more conventional/traditional understanding?
2. Describe your prior understanding of the history of the composition of the Bible.  Then list or describe how, so far, your experience of the Bible is being enriched, broadened, challenged, amended/reworked, re-envisioned.  What new questions about the formation of the Bible have surfaced?
3. How does ‘sacred’ literature function in a community of faith?  And how could non-factual literature still communicate ‘truth’?

Submission Instructions:

• Your initial post should be at least 250-300 words for each discussion post, formatted and cited in the current APA style.
• Provide support for your work from course readings and resources; optional: at least 2 academic sources less than 5 years old.