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There was a time when I thought we might have to end BH. Indeed, that nearly happened.

But I don't want it to end as I think it could be a really valuable resource. My question is - what can I do to help?

Specifically: I have a good Bible knowledge but not of the original (Hebrew, Greek) texts. So I can ask questions (and I'm up to 22 at time of writing) but I don't think I know enough to offer much beyond the occasion answer.

Any suggestions?

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  • Don't be afraid to keep asking questions. The reality is that there is a diversity of knowledge here (and in the academy) such that nobody is an expert at everything, but together we're able to pool our knowledge bases and arrive at a good answer. This is where I believe is the greatest difference between BH.SE (and other such humanities-oriented SE) and the programming roots of SE/SO ... but I digress. Keep asking.
  • Read. If you don't know what to read - ask (though that may be something that has to be done indirectly. One of the great untapped resources here, I believe, is that of literary reviews. Seeing as how BH.SE seems to be more of an academic exercise, reviews of scholarly journals, commentaries, monographs, etc. should be discussed and recommended (perhaps only initially through "chat?"). Feel free to ping me or jump into the chat room and ask for recommendations.
  • Keep answering. I've enjoyed many of your answers and you have some valuable insights. Find your area of strength and passion and learn what you can about it. Then ... answer away.
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  • Sorry, I forgot to thank you for your (whole answer but especially) third bullet - very kind.
    – Reinstate Monica - Goodbye SE
    Oct 23, 2012 at 20:47
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In addition to swasheck's answer, I also suggest:

  • Read (or listen) to the Bible on a regular basis. My grandmother read the Bible once a year for almost her entire life and yet she still found something new each time.

  • Listen to a sermon (or homily or derasha or talk on the Bible). Not only will you generate questions, you'll also learn how to answer them with authority.

  • Link to the site.

  • Invite people you know to participate. (I'm somewhat negligent in this. My big problem is that the people I most respect when it comes to Bible interpretation are the least likely to get how the site should operate.)

  • Scour the internet for questions to ask. I sometimes hold my nose and look a "skeptics" site for valid criticisms of the Bible. Most of the time, I find completely junky interpretations, but occasionally, I'll find interesting questions of interpretation.

  • Participate in Christianity.SE and/or Judaism.SE. I think cross-over questions are a great way to understand the full meaning of a text.

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    @Monica: When you come across this sort of thing please ask! I have a hard time imagining you giving true offense. The more likely problem is that such questions risk being moved to Christianity.SE and I know you would prefer not to have your name attached over there. FYI: Wikipedia has a good overview of the "almah" controversy. But I think there's room for a question about Isaiah 7:14 if someone were to dig deeper into the scholarship.
    – Jon 'links in bio' Ericson
    May 3, 2012 at 22:32

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