***WEDNESDAYS FROM 7-8PM VIA ZOOM BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 4th ***
Email holyfamilysantafe@gmail.com to register and receive the Zoom link
Click here to access the Study Guide
THE PSALMS IN ISRAEL’S WORSHIP
The Psalms have been at the heart of the worship and devotions of the people of God for three thousand years. This course provides a survey of the background, structure, and contents of the Psalter. We will examine the psalms as they were used in worship in Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem. We will study selected Psalms in detail to understand their literary form and theological content. And we will discuss how the Psalms have managed to remain fresh and inspiring for so long, while other hymns have faded into the mists of history. Finally, we will look at the crucial role the psalms played in early Christianity’s understanding of the crucifixion of Jesus. This is an introduction and no prior background in the Psalms or in biblical studies is required. If you cannot attend all sessions, please feel welcome to attend those you can.
The Intent of this study is to examine the Psalter in its proper context in the worship of ancient Israel as conducted in Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem. To do this we will use the commentary on the Psalms by Robert Alter, who will also provide us with an introduction to Hebrew language and poetry and a fresh translation of the Psalms selected for our study. We will depend upon Walter Brueggemann, once again, to interpret Israel’s public worship for us. Arthur Herbert’s classic study of worship in Israel will help us to understand the major festivals and life events that inspired the Psalms. While we cannot study every Psalm, we shall try to cover all the major types of psalms.
Our instructor for these sessions will be the Reverend Dr. Kenneth Kochbeck.
What can you expect from this course:
The course will be conducted virtually over Zoom video.
Each session will be one hour long, beginning and ending with prayer.
The study guide will be distributed to the registered students before the first session.
The course will begin with an overview of the Psalms as Hebrew poetry.The subsequent sessions will proceed through the study guide selected Psalms and the study material and discussing them.
There will not be any homework because we will read the Psalms and the study guide together in the class sessions.
The course is scheduled to begin on September 4, and we will continue weekly until we have completed the study guide.
While it is not strictly necessary to attend every session, the introductory sessions are foundational, and students should make every effort to be present for the first session.
On Wednesday September 4 at 7:00 p.m. we will begin Session 1 of our study of the Psalms. Everyone is welcome to join us! No prior background in biblical studies is required.
Our Instructor: The Reverend Dr. Kenneth Kochbeck holds Bachelor and Masters degrees from Washington University and Masters and Doctoral degrees from Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis. Following a parish ministry, he has been active for the last 35 years in the teaching of the Bible and Christian theological topics in church and seminar settings, across denominations, including serving as adjunct faculty at Eden Theological Seminary. He is deeply committed to the teaching ministry as fundamental to the proclamation of the gospel.
In 1970 he married Olivia Ilagan, who is a music theorist, pianist, and artist. She was born in the Philippine Islands and grew up in St. Louis. She holds a B.M. in Music Education and a M.S. in Counselor Education, and an M.M. Music Theory. The Kochbecks have been married for 51 years and have one son, David. In 2017 they retired to Santa Fe, NM.