Christ Church, Greenwich CT
Embracing Jesus’ Scripture: an Overview of the Old Testament
Marble Collegiate Church
Everyday Life in Biblical Israel
The Israelites are in the promised land—what were their lives like there? This class draws on archaeology and anthropology to share information about everyday life in ancient Israel about three thousand years ago. What did a typical house look like? What did people eat? How did people worship? And how much can we actually know? Join us to find out.
Christ Church, Greenwich CT
Women’s Conference on Balance and Perspective
Presenter of two workshops:
Ruth and Naomi -- Women Supporting Each Other to Offer Balance and Perspective
Women, Wisdom, and the Book of Proverbs: Biblical Guidance for Balance and Perspective
Marble Collegiate Church
Deborah: The Hebrew Bible’s Most Powerful Woman
Within the book of Judges, Deborah is the only person called both a prophet and a judge. Further, she acts as a military commander. Then why do we have such little awareness of her story? This class replaces our lack of knowledge with deep appreciation for a remarkable woman who leads Israel to victory.
Christ Church, Greenwich CT
Jewish Jesus and the Women in His Life
This forum will explore Jesus' Jewishness and also discuss Mary, Mary Magdalene, and Mary and Martha, with attention to how portrayals of women vary in different Gospels.
Yale Divinity School
Teaching course – The Bible through Art and Artifact III
This course combines the riches of the biblical text with some of Yale’s greatest treasures. Each day will explore the concept of wonder through academic study and lively conversation about a biblical text. We will then enrich our learning about this theme each day with guided e-visits to one of Yale’s collections, led by world-class experts. Our excursions will virtually take us to the Yale Peabody Museum (the wonder of animals), the Yale Art Gallery (the wonder of the divine/human connection), the Yale Babylonian Collection (the wonder of civilization), back to the Art Gallery (the wonder of creativity), and the Yale British Art Museum (the wonder of earth and sky).
Marble Collegiate Church
10:00 Hour – Grappling with the Bible’s Violence
Within the book of Joshua, God repeatedly tells the Israelites to slaughter the Canaanites—including women, older people, and children. Why? What do we do with passages that are so abhorrent to our modern sensibilities? Usually, we just ignore them—but this class gives us a chance to understand them.
Marble Collegiate Church
10:00 Hour – A Biblical Prostitute and a Disney Princess
As the Israelites finally enter the promised land in the book of Joshua, they are helped by the prostitute Rahab. This class compares the portrayal of Rahab in Joshua 2 with Pocahantas in the Disney movie of the same title. We will explore the similarities in these women’s stories to discover how our perceptions are shaped and guided.
Hebron United Church, Salem, NY
Congregational Program
Adam and Eve Revisited: A New Look at a Familiar Story
Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew (United Methodist) (via Zoom)
United Women in Faith Monthly Meeting
To honor Black History Month, Dr. Julie Faith Parker will lead us in a Bible study that explores the story of Sarah and Hagar through the lens of African interpretation. We will look at Genesis 16 with close attention to translation and interpretation. We will also discuss how this text resounds in relationships among women in the Central African nation of Cameroon. Come to learn about Sarah and Hagar’s fraught living legacy.
Learn more here
Winter Clergy Day
Lead all-day Clergy Event - Feminist Biblical Interpretation, Jesus’ Scriptures, and Your Lenten Sermon
Biblical scholar. Dr. Julie Faith Parker, will lead a two-part participatory clergy day. She will speak about feminist biblical interpretation (morning), including discussion of her book Eve Isn’t Evil, and lead a workshop on preaching on the Old Testament during Lent (afternoon). The common theme is power and energy in making Scripture come alive.
Marble Collegiate Church
10:00 Hour – A Donkey Conversation
Which of the following is NOT in the Bible: a worm that devours a bush, a whale that swallows a person, a camel that flies through the air, and a donkey who chats with a prophet? Only the flying camel doesn’t exist in Scripture! Come to learn about Balaam’s articulate and insightful donkey.
St. Patrick’s Episcopal – Dublin, OH
Dr. Parker will lead an all-day retreat entitled, “Advent Presence.”
This retreat will combine creative Bible study with prayer, reflection, and small group discussion as we discover our connection to key biblical characters in the Advent story. How can Elizabeth, Zechariah, Anna, Mary, and Joseph lead us to deepen our love of the Christ child?
Marble Collegiate Church
10:00 Hour – The Wild Wilderness
Perhaps not surprisingly, the prolonged period for the Israelites in the wilderness can spiral out of control. This class looks at some of the Bible’s lesser-known stories to examine passages that deal with power. Why have we not heard them before? Come to find out.
Society of Biblical Literature Meeting
“Taste and See”: Multisensory Pedagogical Practices to Enliven Online Teaching
Effective teaching involves learners as discovering participants instead of passive listeners. When students undertake activities based in bodily experiences, they are ipso facto engaged. But how can students use multiple senses—beyond seeing and hearing—while staring at the (often stultifying) Zoom screen? This talk shares and demonstrates techniques that draw on sensory learning, with an emphasis on taste and touch, to lift students’ energy and foster comprehension. Attendees will have the role of students who try their hand at simple cuneiform, squeeze sticky lizards, and munch on manna (among other activities) to increase understanding and retention of biblical texts. I will show how, with the commitment that teachers who attend this session already have, the Zoom space can be transformed into a stimulating, memorable, fun classroom.
Learn more here
St. Timothy Lutheran Church
Guest preacher and subsequent presentation on Children in the Bible
Dr. Parker will preach at the morning worship then explain childist biblical interpretation and reveal its powerful potential for the life of the church.
Jewish Theological Seminary – NYC
Guest lecturer for Dr. Yael Landman’s course, Children of the Bible.
Dr. Parker will offer an interactive lecture that first explains the history of childist biblical interpretation, and then applies this lens to the story of the Israelite slave girl in 2 Kings 5:1-14. The conclusion offers startling parallels between this child from the Bible and slave girls around the world today.
Marble Collegiate Church
10:00 Hour – We’re Free – Now What?
Remember that line in the musical Hamilton when King George sings, “You're on your own
Awesome, wow! Do you have a clue what happens now?” The freed Israelites are like the colonists—about to create something new—and needing a clue. Today’s class looks at the book of Leviticus and how it seeks to shape the Israelite community at this formative time in their history. Come to discover its laws, ethics, and influence on Jesus.
Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew (United Methodist) (via Zoom)
“Magnified Mary”
Dr. Parker will offer a presentation on Mary Magdalene for the church’s Women in Faith group. The only thing most people know about Mary Magdalene is that she’s a prostitute. But NOWHERE in the Gospels does the text make this claim. So why is this the way we think about her? Come to find out.
Learn more here
Christ Church, Greenwich CT
Book Talk on Eve Isn’t Evil
Join us to discover the Bible’s power to enrich our feminist and theological self-understanding. Eve Isn’t Evil invites readers to engage biblical texts with both mind and heart, combining academic knowledge with personal and sometimes humorous stories. In this book Julie Faith Parker questions common assumptions about the Bible, especially regarding women. After an overview of the book and a brief reading that relates to her teaching in Sing Sing prison, we will engage in questions and conversation.
Refreshments and light bites will be served. All are welcome.
Marble Collegiate Church
10:00 Hour – The Ten [?] Commandments and the Golden Calf
How many of the commandments can you name? And how many were there? This class looks at what the commandments mean and how they first came to the Israelites (hint: not on stone tablets). We’ll also discuss the story of the golden calf and discover its appalling conclusion.
Providence Presbyterian Church – Gum Spring, VA (via Zoom)
Getting to Know Jesus’ Scriptures: An Overview of the Old Testament
Many Christians are unfamiliar with the Old Testament – and have a hard time understanding its tremendous riches. In this talk, Dr. Parker will combine images with simple academic information answering the questions – Who wrote the OT? When? Where? How? Why? This talk offers a comprehensive and easily comprehensible overview to Jesus’ sacred scriptures.
First United Methodist Church of Babylon – Babylon, NY (via Zoom)
Book Discussion of Eve Isn’t Evil
Learn more
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church – Philadelphia, PA (via Zoom)
Book Discussion of Eve Isn’t Evil
https://www.saintmarksphiladelphia.org
Marble Collegiate Church
10:00 Hour – Exodus: Movement of Jah People
What happened when the Israelite slaves left Egypt to find freedom in the promised land? Is it even possible to know? This class looks at the textual accounts of the exodus and compares them with archeological evidence. We’ll also listen to the Bob Marley song with the title above and discuss the enduring power of the exodus story to inspire resilience and offer hope.
Free – all welcome.
Marble Collegiate Church
10:00 Hour – "Persuasion and Pestilence"
Moses asks Pharaoh to let his people go; is it any surprise that Pharaoh says “no!”? This class looks at the series of plagues and how they relate to Egyptian culture. We will investigate how much power Pharaoh has in this story—even over his own mind.
Free – all welcome.
American Church in Paris – Paris, France
Dr. Parker will preach at the morning worship service on the creation of the first woman in Genesis 2.
Free and open to the public. Learn more here.
American Church in Paris – Paris, France
In this presentation, Dr. Julie Faith Parker will upend assumptions about the Bible’s first couple. First Dr. Parker will offer an overview of her most recent book, Eve Isn’t Evil, which Publisher’s Weekly describes as “smart and impressive.” Sharing research from the title chapter, she will show that interpretation has largely overtaken the biblical text in our common understanding of this creation story. Close attention to Genesis 3 then reveals startling elements in the original Hebrew that are lost in English translation. Combining academic information and personal stories with PowerPoint, video, and lively discussion, this conversation promises to change how you think about Eve and Adam—and, by extension, yourself.
Learn more here
Hebron United Church, Salem, NY
Hebron and Salem: Our Biblical Heritage
Unlike other towns in the region, Hebron and Salem are mentioned in the Bible. Where are they located? What is their significance? Old Testament scholar Julie Faith Parker will share a talk accompanied by a PowerPoint presentation that explores our connection to these biblical places
Free and all are welcome.
Lakeside Chatauqua – Lakeside, Ohio
Lakeside is excited to welcome Rev. Dr. Julie Faith Parker, Visiting Scholar at Union Theological Seminary in New York, as Preacher of the Week Aug. 4-8. This week’s preacher is supported by the Hottenroth Family.
Parker will lead the 10:30 a.m. Chautauqua Community Worship Service on Sunday, Aug. 4 in Hoover Auditorium.
Michael Shirtz and guest artists will provide musical leadership during the service, while the liturgy will be led by Rev. Dr. Charles Yoost, Senior Director of Religious Life & Pastoral Care. Worship music for the 2024 summer season is supported by James E. Beardsley and Doris F. Beardsley.
Following the opening prayer, children (ages 5-11) will proceed to Bradley Temple for Children’s Church with Chip Richter. There will be a message by Richter, songs, crafts, lemonade and cookies to share. Preschoolers are welcome if accompanied by an adult.
Parker is the author or editor of eight books, including the 2023 released Eve Isn’t Evil, which intertwines academic information about the Bible with personal stories.
An ordained minister in The United Methodist Church, Parker worked as a congregational pastor then as a campus minister prior to doctoral studies.
She holds a PhD in Old Testament/Hebrew Bible from Yale University and has been a professor of biblical studies at multiple institutions, including General Theological Seminary (New York), Trinity Lutheran Seminary (Columbus, Ohio), and New York Theological Seminary, where she taught inside Sing Sing prison (Ossining, New York).
Parker is married to Rev. Dr. Bill Crawford, a Presbyterian Church (USA) pastor, and they are proud parents of two grown children, Graham and Mari.
Marble Collegiate Church
10:00 Hour – Scriptural Revelations – Joseph: Beyond the Technicolor Dreamcoat
Did you ever consider that Joseph might be on the spectrum? His mind works differently from those of his brothers and he has extraordinary abilities, but socially he has a hard time cluing in. Who sells Joseph? Who rescues him? And what does it take for him to forgive his brothers (eventually!) after his rise to power? Come to this final session in our Scriptural Revelations series for this year, as we discover surprising elements in this story that we think we know so well.
Free – all welcome.
Yale Divinity School (Online)
Teacher for Yale Summer Study
The Joy of Text: Reading the Bible with Liberating Lenses
Don’t we just pick up the Bible and read it? What are various ways of interpreting the text and why do these methods matter? With attention to texts of the Hebrew Bible, this class offers an introductory sampling of different approaches in biblical studies, reading with feminist, disability, African, queer, and childist lenses. Course elements will include film, art, and poetry, as we engage the Bible creatively. No previous knowledge of the Bible or these approaches is needed for this course–just an open mind and curiosity to discover how Scripture is vibrantly and vitally connected to our lives today.
Recommended text: Eve Isn’t Evil: Feminist Readings of the Bible to Upend Our Assumptions (for those who prefer not to purchase this book, pdfs of needed chapters will be provided). A few articles will also be distributed in advance. The Bible readings that are the focus of each day will be in the syllabus.
Cost: $400 (Yale certificate course)
Register here.
Marble Church Women’s Retreat, Litchfield, CT
Speaker at Women’s Retreat, held at Wisdom House
Theme: “Stories of Women Who Navigated the Waters of Change”
For information about registration, please go here.