I am approaching the end of the Hebrew Bible, and will probably finish this week. I'm interested in whether readers think the whole Bible Blog was a frivolous project or a serious one? (I guess that's a weird question for the author to ask, but I'm curious.)

I would refer to the majority of your articles as frivolous if not for consideration of the huge task of which you undertook - people spend an entire lifetime reading, studying, comparing, and analyzing, the Hebrew Scriptures – and to expect anything more than a quick run at each section in this type of a format for its intended purposes would certainly seem unreasonable. Given your time constraints – I think you did quite well. In that light, I believe the project was unusually successful in that it actively achieved healthy discussion and debate, and I believe I could reasonably state, that everyone went away learning something. I don’t see how a project which results in people learning something, even a small amount of something, could not be evaluated as successful. Thank you for your efforts.

My perspective on the Bible (and this the blog) is that of someone raised in a conservative protestant tradition who has become agnostic over the years. I have not done systematic study of either testament for more than forty years.

Your approach of 'intelligent and engaged layman with a Jewish perspective' created a useful context. I've enjoyed both the original articles and the notes that arose from them in the Fray.

I'm not sure if that perspective would be valuable in blogging the New Testament. It may need someone who is a 'cultural Christian' as you were/are a 'cultural Jew.'

Aren't just about all Americans "culturally Christian"? US Jews are certainly exposed to Christian beliefs in far greater depth than US Christians are exposed to Judaism.

I thought the project was excellent (although I'll admit I've fallen behind in the last month or so and need to catch up).

The blogging concept was interesting because you were reading it sequentially rather than analyzing as a whole. You did make many references back to earlier post but because of the nature of the project - not forward. This gave us a fresh perspective and an unbiased approach.

Critics say (said) that you didnt take in to consideration context and centuries of scholarly analysis. I for one am glad you didnt.
Seems to me a book purported to be the inspired word of God should stand on its own.

I think it was great. It was an interesting perspective to have it blogged by someone with only a cursory knowledge of the material -- and then to let the fraysters weigh in with the academic background, or the various theological interpretations of the material.

I would love to see someone do the same with the Qur'an, Book of Mormon and the New Testament.

I read them all. I enjoyed them all. I even missed them when they were a touch slow in coming. (It's easy for the one who is reading to think they should show up each week. Probably not that easy for the person reading and blogging.) Thank you for the series.

FromTheEast:

My perspective on the Bible (and this the blog) is that of someone raised in a conservative protestant tradition who has become agnostic over the years. I have not done systematic study of either testament for more than forty years.

Your approach of 'intelligent and engaged layman with a Jewish perspective' created a useful context. I've enjoyed both the original articles and the notes that arose from them in the Fray.

I'm not sure if that perspective would be valuable in blogging the New Testament. It may need someone who is a 'cultural Christian' as you were/are a 'cultural Jew.'

That is my thought as well -- similarly if one were to do other scriptures such as the Qur'an or the Book of Mormon. It is the perspective of being a cultural insider, yet not devout (or expert in the material) that made this approach special, IMHO

FromTheEast:

I'm not sure if that perspective would be valuable in blogging the New Testament. It may need someone who is a 'cultural Christian' as you were/are a 'cultural Jew.'

That's exactly my hesitation about taking on the NT. I think the project needs someone who is at least a little bit inside it, which I couldn't be for the NT.

I think you gained some (needed) seriousness as you went along.

Thanks very much for the blog.

I didn't think so.

Are you even going to bother with the Xtian bible? I am sure their knickers are in a twist for all the things they think were omitted.

For any Jew to become culturally or otherwise xtian would require them to acknowledge the xtian demi-deity. We just don't care or give a damn about fictional characters.

Absolutely not. Your entries were religiously (pardon the pun) followed by me! I found your questions, conclusions and willingness to defer refreshing. I also think that the ability you have to sum things up as well as reflect on your own life or current events very rare. Also the headlines are pretty engaging! :)

So kind of you to speak for all Jews.

Hoping you will go for the New Testament