Our Worshipful Wednesday Lenten Series began on March 1st and seeks to examine the theme of “wilderness” in a range of Old and New Testament texts. Three of the lessons will be taught by Professor Emerita at Maryville College, Dr. Peggy Cowan, who will teach from the Old Testament, and Pastors Mark and Meredith will teach from the New Testament. See class descriptions in the text below.
Dr. Peggy Cowan grew up in Bristol, Virginia and earned her B.A. in Religion from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College. She holds a Master of Arts in Theology from St. Mary’s University of San Antonio, Texas and a Ph.D. in Hebrew Bible from Vanderbilt University. She taught for twenty-two years at Maryville College before retiring in 2012. A lifelong Presbyterian, she is currently a member of New Providence in Maryville. She is married to Dr. John Cowan, and they have two grown sons and four grandchildren.
Wilderness in the Old Testament - Class Description
Lenten Bible Study
The four sessions will seek to examine the theme of “wilderness” in a range of Old and New Testament texts. We will begin with some definitions and images of wilderness.
Session 1 – Pentateuch: People, God, and Identity (March 1st)
After the Book of Genesis, the Pentateuch tells the story of Israel’s formation as a people outside of the land of Canaan in areas considered “wilderness.” We will look at several texts from the Book of Exodus to see how the Israelites’ “wilderness experiences” contributed to their sense of identity and understanding of their God. From Moses’ encounter with God in the burning bush to the final scene at Mt. Sinai when God’s character is defined by faithful love and forgiveness, the wilderness provides a context for creating a covenant community.
Session 2 – Genesis and Former Prophets: Wilderness and Nation (March 8th)
In the so-called “historical” books of Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings, the covenant community becomes a nation tied to a particular land. Distinct from wilderness areas outside of Canaan, the land promised to Israel’s ancestors was described as a land “flowing with milk and honey.” This session will examine stories that demonstrate the importance to the nation of Israel/Judah of living in a land very different from wilderness.
March 15th - NO Worshipful Wednesday because of Spring Break
Session 3 - Mark and Meredith with continue the theme of “Wilderness” using passages from the New Testament. (March 22nd)
Session 4 – Prophets and Writings: Wilderness Imagery in texts of Judgment and Salvation (March 29th)
If living in the “land flowing with mild and honey” is important for the development of the nation, return to wilderness, i.e. loss or destruction of the land, is a consequence of national failure. Prophetic voices that proclaim judgment and those that announce salvation draw on the image of wilderness to convey their messages to the people. We will consider some of these texts and, if time allows, a few from the Psalms or other writings that illustrate the power of “wilderness” to represent the complexity of the covenant community’s relationship with its God.
This series will begin meeting March 1st and will go for four weeks. We will not meet on March 15th for Spring Break.