Approaching Old Testament Poetry 1

A huge proportion of the Old Testament is made up of poetry, whether in wisdom literature, prophecy or even occasionally within the historical narratives. Yet too often, we treat biblical poetry as if it was just another form of more propositional revelation (such as the epistles). The danger is that we trample on its evocative imagery and profound emotional impact. The Psalms in particular are much loved and appreciated for their honesty and realism, but even the power of the more familiar psalms gets missed without an attention to detail and nuance. These two sessions look at some of the unique contributions made to the Bible by poetry and consider how they impact the way in which we should teach poetry.