Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength

Traditional methods of teaching Hebrew and Greek have not worked well for many students. The classic approach stresses grammar, memorization, and translation. For many students, this is more like solving a math problem than learning a language. This book addresses this problem by presenting new course designs for introductory Hebrew and Greek, based on the living-language approach of The Biblical Language Center near Jerusalem. Classroom activities and homework include obeying basic commands and listening to CDs provided with the course materials. Theological and biblical foundations for the course designs include 1) the motif of authenticity: the most authentic Bible is in its original languages, and the most authentic reader is the whole person (heart, soul, mind and strength) in a particular time and place; 2) the Shema of the Hebrew Bible, and 3) the roles of Jesus as teacher (in his use of heart, soul, mind and strength) and as learner (in his encounter with the Canaanite woman). A computer software component is also incorporated. This book will be useful for teachers and students of biblical languages, including rabbis and pastors who use these languages in their ministry.