Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
Elie Wiesel, plucked from the ashes of the Holocaust, became a Nobel Peace laureate, an activist on behalf of the oppressed, a teacher, an award-winning novelist, and a renowned humanist. He moved easily among world leaders but was equally at home among the disenfranchised. Following his Nobel Prize, Wiesel established the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity; one of their early initiatives was the founding of the Elie Wiesel Ethics Essay Contest. The reflections in this volume come from judges of the contest. They share their personal and professional experiences working with and learning from Wiesel, providing a glimpse of the person behind the public figure. At a time when the future seems ominous and chaotic at best, these reflections hold on to the promise of an ethically and morally robust possibility. The students whose essays prompt this sense of hope are remarkable for their insight and dedication. The messages embedded in the judges' reflections mirror Wiesel's convictions about the importance of friendship, the need to interrogate (without abandoning) God, and the power of remembrance in order to fight indifference.
Synopsis
Description: The living Word of God has the power to penetrate and change readers and audiences. As the Holy Spirit illumines understanding and empowers speaking, we can improve our oral reading through approach, attitude and technique. Ethical responsibilities, community experience of reading as worship, and individual reader orientation are all addressed throughout the book. Focused on understanding the biblical text leading to impacting both the person who reads and the audience, 'Oral Interpretation of the Bible' takes a rhetorical approach to the reading experience. This holistic method addresses hermeneutic practice, process and theory as well as communication procedure, philosophy and technique. Each chapter is followed by exercises to facilitate application of the material increasing the artistic performance of the Bible. The appendixes give helpful worksheets and exercises to sharpen the skills and broaden the applications of the text. A unique scoring system will assist those who use it to analyze, understand and orally interpret any passage with grace and power. About the Contributor(s): Daniel R. Berger is Professor and Chair of Communication at Simpson University, Redding, California. He earned his BS in pastoral ministries from Western Baptist College in 1978, his MDiv from North American Baptist Seminary in 1981, and his PhD in rhetoric from the University of Oregon in 1990. He is an ordained minister and has been a pastor of several churches and taught at several colleges and universities.