So, since we mention the "work" we do, but you only actually ever see swanky pictures of our social lives and crutches to get us through a harrowing seminary experience, we thought we'd show you some of the fruits of our labors. It is sort of difficult to post large papers or things that would require a lot of context but we have done our best to post what is most accessible and brief. :)
One of our classes was Biblical Interpretation/Intro to English/Greek/Hebrew grammar and our final project was to read a book called "Drama of Scripture", basically an overview of salvation history which unfolds in 6 "Acts" (plus an Intertestamental period). Using this format, we were to develop a teaching program on these 6 acts taught through whatever medium we preferred so it was a creative opportunity for us.
Greg chose to use the German national anthem to set a hymn based on the six acts from the drama book.
“The Drama of Scripture”
words by Gregory Pfeifer,
2010
music by Franz Josef
Haydn, “Austria” 1797
1-Creation
God
created out of nothing
All
things by His spo-ken Word:
Light
and life in heav'n, earth, sky, and sea.
God
called all He made ve-ry good!
Making
ma-n in His own im-ag-e,
God
spoke His first co-ve-nant,
“Be
ye fruit-ful! Mul-ti-ply and fill!
Have
do-min-ion o-ver all I have giv'n!”
2-Fall
of Humankind
God
gave only one com-mand-ment:
“Eat
from this tree and ye shall die.”
They,
forgetting God and choo-sing self
dis-o-beyed
and foll-owed a lie.
Man's
re-la-tion-ship with God was bro-ken
yet
He still would pro-mis-eth:
“From
the woman's seed shall come vic-tor-y
He
sha-ll crush the head of sin a-nd death!”
3-
Kingdom Established in Israel
Is-ra-el,
God's cho-sen kingdom
blessed
to bless the sons of man.
Out
of bon-dage through the wild-er-ness
God
led them to the Pro-mised Land.
Gave
them kings and priests, judges, prophets, Law
through
whom co-ve- nants un-furled.
“I
will be your God. You, my people.
From
you will come the King who will save the world”
4-Redemption
Accomplished by Jesus
Jesus
Christ ful- filled the Co-ve-nants
wri-ting
Law and Bless-ing with-in.
Second
Adam, Hope of Is-ra-el
Conq'ring
King o'er death a-nd sin!
The
In-car-nate Word lived and dies for us
rose
a-gain to reign on High
“God
so loved the world: He gave His own Son
Who-e'er
be-lieves in Him shall have Ne-w Life”
5-The
Church and Jesus' Mission on Earth
God
the Fa-ther sends Sal-va-tion forth.
God
the Son se- cures Re-demp-tion.
God
the Spi-rit leads the Church in Truth
who
Par-ti-ci- pates in His Work.
Ci-ty
on a hill. Light to Nations fill.
Com-mis-sioned
by Christ our King:
“Go
into the world make di-sci-ples
by
Fa-ther, Son, and Holy Ghost bap-tiz-ing!”
6-Return
of the King
Wai-ting
for the King to come a-gain
long-ing
for new earth and new heav'n.
All
things shall be once for all re-deemed
through
the judg-ment of the Lamb.
Part
of one Story from Fall to Glory
Jesus
comes to write the End,
“Lo!
I'm coming soon!” we say when you do,
“Ma-ra-na-tha
come Lord Je-sus! Amen!”
This
Hymn is designed to support a 6-part teaching program, each verse
coinciding with the content of the teaching to introduce the Parish
to the “Drama of Scripture” as a way of situating the narrative
of the Bible in its own context as well as our own context in the
unfolding Story. The hymn tune was chosen as a familiar one, often
associated with “Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken” (1982
Hymnal, Hymn #522), which is a Hymn concerning the Church. The
familiarity with the tune, also used as the music for the German
National Anthem, “Deutschlandlied”, allows for ease of teaching
the new text. Similarly the familiar tune turns the focus away from
learning the music to paying attention to the lyrics. Though
pedagogical in nature, this Hymn, as with all others, ought to
inspire to worship. To help facilitate this worshipful experience,
the lyrics attempt to draw the singer out of self and upward to the
Lord by emphasizing God's work. The hymn tune has
three sections per verse. The first section introduces God's
activity, the middle section briefly relates the impact of the
activity and each verse concludes with God speaking words of covenant
exhortation, except for the last verse where the Church responds to
the final words of Christ as we now await His return, reminding us
that we are within the time frame of that verse and the chapter of
the “Drama” we find ourselves.
