Anna Chronism

Anna Chronism is perhaps my favorite student.

Yesterday, a girl called my office to ask about my Bible as Literature class in the fall. I explained that we take a historical perspective, discuss textual problems--that got a quick question, as in what do I mean by "textual problems." I explained that it had to do with authorship, origins, sources. She was afraid, she said, it might involve philosophy. In fact, her pastor had told her recently that Job and Moses lived at the same time. She seemed satisfied with my description of the course, but I'm not sure how she reacted when I illustrated the historical approach by separating Moses and Job by seven or eight centuries. Moses was a twelfth or thirteenth century BCE figure, the book of Job probably written in the fifth or sixth century. I added that, indeed, they might both be fictional characters. She said she would see me in the fall and hung up, rather quickly, I thought. I wonder what conversation she will be having with her pastor.

In another case, not biblically related, I had an ex-father-in-law who asked if Julius Caeser and Shakespeare didn't live about the same time. What do you say to your father in law? I believe I said, mildly, that Caesar was somewhat earlier.

Ah, Anna, you are one of the Princesses of Reason.