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Free Greek Course

Discussion in '2003 Archive' started by Ransom, Mar 5, 2003.

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  1. Ransom

    Ransom Active Member

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    This is a question I posed in another forum, in the context of a thread in which a number of people were (in my opinion) overly critical of formal instruction in Greek or Hebrew.

    Suppose you had an opportunity to take a Bible college or seminary-level course in koine Greek from a reputable accredited institution. Let's assume that you meet the necessary academic prerequisites (e.g. a high-school diploma or undergraduate degree, as the case may be). Also, money is not an issue (either the tuition fee is within your means or paid for you).

    However, the course consists of one three-hour evening class per week for ten weeks, and there will be homework and a final exam involved.

    Do you accept the opportunity?
     
    #1 Ransom, Mar 5, 2003
  2. Deacon

    Deacon Well-Known Member
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    That's a no-brainer! I love the evening hours and would jump at the opportunity!
    Ten, three hour classes doesn't seem like very much.
     
    #2 Deacon, Mar 5, 2003
  3. Dr. Bob

    Dr. Bob Administrator
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    That is what I taught here in "intro to Greek for English Bible readers". In 30 hours we were able to simply help them work with the myriad of tools that are available.

    Not enough time for even a cursory intro to Greek language itself.

    Typical of basic Greek for pastors in a ifb bible college would be

    8 credits grammar (about 120 class hours)
    6 credits syntax (about 90 class hours)
    6-12 credits exegesis

    This would give a pastoral major the greek minor which would be a credable program.

    3 hours, 10 weeks (30 hours) is = 2 credits. Not much at all . . but a START!
     
    #3 Dr. Bob, Mar 5, 2003
  4. Wisdom Seeker

    Wisdom Seeker New Member

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    In theory "Yes" in aplication "No" I have children and other responsibilities that would prohibit an evening course of this length especially. Shoot, my youngest is going to Kindergarten in the fall... I could take a day course. The things we mom's have to consider.

    Laurenda ;)
     
    #4 Wisdom Seeker, Mar 5, 2003
  5. Ransom

    Ransom Active Member

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    Dr. Bob Griffin said:

    3 hours, 10 weeks (30 hours) is = 2 credits. Not much at all . . but a START!

    I figured as much, but I based the length of the course on two things:

    1. a university term at my alma mater was 3 hours/week for 12 weeks, and I covered a fair amount of ground in the two courses I took in Old English.

    2. My church will be offering seminary courses through an extension program, and 10 weeks is the length of the course.

    I suspect that three one-hour lectures per week is also more effective than one three-hour lecture.

    Laurenda, I assume you were the one person who has voted "no" at this time? Too bad you had a good practical reason for turning the opportunity down; I would have liked to see the rationale of a dissenter who wasn't burdened with that kind of everyday responsibility.
     
    #5 Ransom, Mar 6, 2003
  6. Wisdom Seeker

    Wisdom Seeker New Member

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    Ransom, I voted "yes" because I like to be optomistic that if I have a will....somehow there will be a way. [​IMG]

    Laurenda
     
    #6 Wisdom Seeker, Mar 6, 2003
  7. stubbornkelly

    stubbornkelly New Member

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    I also voted "yes." But then, I'm the girl that was envious of her friend at Harvard who took 6 semesters of Sanskrit. :eek: Unfortunately, I don't have much of an aptitude for languages, but I'd still love the practical coursework.
     
    #7 stubbornkelly, Mar 6, 2003
  8. TomVols

    TomVols New Member

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    Kelly, I'm right there with ya on the aptitude for languages. However, even though the work I've done has been with a lot of blood, sweat and tears, it's been profitable and immensely helpful.
     
    #8 TomVols, Mar 7, 2003
  9. Sherrie

    Sherrie New Member

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    I voted yes. I think it would be fun, and hey, its free.

    Sherrie
     
    #9 Sherrie, Mar 7, 2003
  10. kman

    kman New Member

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    Are there any good "do it yourself at home" greek courses available? How about something for more advanced Greek students?

    -kman
     
    #10 kman, Mar 7, 2003
  11. Forever settled in heaven

    Forever settled in heaven New Member

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    for more advanced students, i'd recommend translator-training books. the old classics r Beekman n Callow's Translating the Word of God n Nida n Taber's The Theory n Practice of Translation. not only will u learn to put ur Greek into real practice n avoid fallacies like illegitimate totality transfer in etymology, but also principles under which all languages operate n interact, English included!

    find some of the more recent resources at: http://www.post1.com/home/amarillo/heresy.htm#Linguist
     
    #11 Forever settled in heaven, Mar 7, 2003
  12. Bartholomew

    Bartholomew New Member

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    NO!

    I've got enough to do. Just think - the time I spent learnig Greek I could be spending praying and reading my English Bible. Now tell me this: will I ever know Greek better than the people who translated my AV (or for that matter, the NKJV, NASB or NIV)? Will I? If not, I can't see the point. Why would God want me floundering around in a long-dead language? I always found foreign languages difficult at school. God is well able to preserve his words in the vernacular. You MVers so often accuse KJVOs of being like the Vulgate-onlyists of the Middle Ages, and yet it is you who seem to advocate we all put down what we're doing and go and learn a dead language, presumably so we can know what the Bible "really" says. And if that's not the reason, what's the point in doing it?! Let the people who are interested and able in Greek go and study it. The rest of us can go and do what will be useful in our lives.
     
    #12 Bartholomew, Mar 7, 2003
  13. The Harvest

    The Harvest New Member

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    an extremely loud ditto!

    also, ransom, there is no such thing as a "reputable accredited institution". accredited = compromise on what you teach. therefore any accredited school cannot be reputable in a positive sense.
     
    #13 The Harvest, Mar 7, 2003
  14. Wisdom Seeker

    Wisdom Seeker New Member

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    Well, I don't know about that... Acreditted schools are held accountable to meet certain criteria. They can't drop below that line. While non accreditted schools are accountable to no-one. Can they be good? sure. Can they be bad...you betcha.

    I forgot to mention... I have a difficult time with languages too. The only reason why I know spanish to the degree I do is because I'm a native California and the language is spoken everywhere...you pretty much pick it up from the time your born here. But I tried to take French in College...and had to drop out because I just wasn't getting it.

    Laurenda
     
    #14 Wisdom Seeker, Mar 7, 2003
  15. Bartholomew

    Bartholomew New Member

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    an extremely loud ditto!

    also, ransom, there is no such thing as a "reputable accredited institution". accredited = compromise on what you teach. therefore any accredited school cannot be reputable in a positive sense.     </font>[/QUOTE]Hi Harvest! [​IMG] Well, I'm glad three of us have voted "no!" [​IMG]
     
    #15 Bartholomew, Mar 7, 2003
  16. Ransom

    Ransom Active Member

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    The Harvest said:

    also, ransom, there is no such thing as a "reputable accredited institution".

    Tell me, do you ever post anything without disinformation?
     
    #16 Ransom, Mar 7, 2003
  17. Ransom

    Ransom Active Member

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    Bartholomew said:

    I've got enough to do. Just think - the time I spent learnig Greek I could be spending praying and reading my English Bible.

    Do you consider yourself holier than the fifty-odd men who brought you the King James Bible, who did take the time to become learned in not only Biblical Greek, but the more difficult Hebrew language?

    Now tell me this: will I ever know Greek better than the people who translated my AV (or for that matter, the NKJV, NASB or NIV)? Will I? If not, I can't see the point. Why would God want me floundering around in a long-dead language? I always found foreign languages difficult at school.

    In other words: "I could never attain the skills of x, therefore there is no point in even trying."

    Quite frankly, this is a cop-out.

    God is well able to preserve his words in the vernacular.

    It's a good thing that the KJV translators didn't have your attitude towards the words God inspired, otherwise you wouldn't have your Bible in the vernacular, and you would still have to rely on the priests (who were often as illiterate as their parishioners) to tell you what it said.

    You MVers so often accuse KJVOs of being like the Vulgate-onlyists of the Middle Ages

    Yep. Thank you for proving the accusation true. Those who say that KJV-onlyists (and fundies in general) are anti-intellectual have just got their smoking gun.
     
    #17 Ransom, Mar 7, 2003
  18. Scott J

    Scott J Active Member
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    Once again, Pastor Larry, PTW, Dr Bob, and I are fundamentalists. KJVO's are by definition NOT fundamentalists. They have clearly departed from the fundamentals of the Bible to satisfy itching ears.
     
    #18 Scott J, Mar 7, 2003
  19. Scott J

    Scott J Active Member
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    OK. So what do you say to the person who says, "NO, I have enough to do without learning 400 year old English idioms, diction, and syntax. The time I spent learning how to understand the language of the KJV, I could be praying and reading my Bible in today's vernacular?"
     
    #19 Scott J, Mar 7, 2003
  20. MissAbbyIFBaptist

    MissAbbyIFBaptist <img src=/3374.jpg>

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    I think it would be fun. I LOVE languages! Although I'm trying to learn Spanish fluently, I still ain't quite the hang of English! [​IMG] [​IMG]
    In all seriousness, yes I would like to. I think it would give a better understanding of my Bible. If you understand what the original language says, it might be easyier to get the meaning of what it's actualy saying in english.
    ~Abby [​IMG]
     
    #20 MissAbbyIFBaptist, Mar 7, 2003
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