What is the relationship of the story told in Exodus to the patriarchal story that precedes it in Genesis?
What does it mean to talk about the “book” of Exodus? Does using language that suggests it is a standalone story affect the way we read it in relation to the other ‘books’ of the Pentateuch?
Why do scholars identify multiple source documents in Exodus? What is the value of recognizing these sources? Does this evidence suggest that Exodus may be more fact or more myth?
Applying the Text:
What does it mean for those who treat Exodus as scripture for this story to be a myth? Does our engagement with the text change?
Dr. Baden suggests that we read the story of Exodus as an origin story, in contrast to the origin story of Genesis. How does it change to read the first two books of the Bible as a continuous narrative compared to two different explanations of the origins of the nation of Israel?
What role should the archaeological record play in the life of a faith community today, if any? Does studying this kind of information influence the way one worships or studies scripture?