One of LLI’s most popular instructors is Julie Black Harder, MD, MA. Julie presents biblical studies classes through the eyes of a biblical scholar. Her LLI students study what the original authors were saying to their original audiences.
Julie was raised Roman Catholic and earned a biology degree at the University of Notre Dame, where she was required to take theology courses. She became fascinated by theology and ended up taking most of her electives in that field. Then she went on to medical school and became a pediatrician. In midlife, Julie earned a master’s degree in theology (concentration in biblical studies) from Wartburg Seminary, after which she taught for a while in the Religious Studies department at St. Norbert College. She also started offering weekly classes at her church, Union Congregational United Church of Christ.
Recently I asked Julie about her experience with LLI. Here’s what she told me:
How did you become involved in LLI?
After I retired from teaching at St. Norbert College, even though I was still teaching at Union Church, I missed spending so much time in the classroom, and so I reached out to LLI to see if what I had to offer would be of interest.
What do you enjoy about teaching LLI classes?
I love teaching adults because everyone in the room is there by choice, so the interest and engagement are high. Adults also have a lifetime of experience to bring to their learning and to the discussion. My area of expertise and interest is a scholarly approach to the Bible. Many LLI participants have only ever been exposed to the Bible through the lens of their own religion’s doctrine. It’s fun to see the “aha!” moments on their faces when they learn facts they never knew and experience an evidence-based approach to the Bible.
What insights do you want LLI students to gain from your classes?
I want my students to understand how scholars approach biblical analysis. The primary goal of the biblical scholar is to discover what the original authors were saying to their original audiences. To accomplish that, scholars use a variety of tools such as studying the historical context of a passage and analyzing the connotations of the original Hebrew or Greek words. Collectively, this approach is called “the historical-critical method.” Once I’ve acquainted my students with this approach, we then go on to apply it to specific biblical passages. Often students have been told by religious authorities, “This is what this passage means,” or, “This is what Jesus was like,” etc. They’ve never had the chance or the tools to make those determinations on their own. In contrast, I want them to set aside any pre-conceived notions of what a biblical text means—to stop reading the passage through the lens of religious belief. Rather, we focus on understanding what the original author was trying to say. My hope is that students can then be better equipped to decide whether and how that original message is relevant to their own lives, including their faith lives.
Julie’s demonstrated knowledge and enthusiasm for her topics encourage high class attendance and participation. Many students are inspired to seek additional information once her class has concluded.
Here are comments from students who attended Julie’s most recent class, “Jesus’s Parables Through the Scholar’s Lens”:
Dave Garthwaite: Her classes are always well prepared. Her PowerPoint presentations are superb. She doesn’t demand you change your mind or your faith. She carefully points out high probability and editorial paste. She possesses a good voice and obvious teaching experience. I’ve taken other classes she presented and will look for what’s next.
Robert Kirschling: Having grown up taking things at “face value,” I did that with these parables. Now, with the approach of a metaphor, these same parables become open-ended.
Steve Lenz: I regularly attend a Bible study at my church. We discuss the parables of Jesus and what they mean to us personally. Julie’s course offered an entirely new perspective, based on how the original audience of that time would have reacted. What images would they have seen? What meanings did the words of the “historical Jesus” have to His listeners? Is that the same message I hear? Julie did an excellent job of breaking down the parables from the scholar’s point of view. Her handouts, slides and use of the dry erase board gave us some great information which I can continue to reference in my future Bible studies.
Don: Julie is a knowledgeable and talented person who obviously enjoys teaching scripture. In advance of the class, she provided an outstanding 18-page handout that was used during the class and could be retained as a permanent reference. She has a great PowerPoint deck that highlights the key points regarding each parable. She maintains control of the class when/if an attendee wants to deal with other matters. The class is presented from a “scholar’s perspective” and is non-denominational so everyone can learn. Since the parables are open-ended, we are forced to think about the meaning, and Julie presented various insights and potential lessons that I hadn’t thought of. This is a participative class if you wish to get involved. I found the class to be very informative and worthwhile.
Laurie Laurent-Nyland: Julia is not only knowledgeable, but she is an excellent teacher. She has taken a huge topic and, in a well-organized way, has managed to stay on track and teach us how to think like an historical scholar when looking at parables. Using the method of answering four questions gives us a framework as we read. I enjoyed finding new meanings in the parables and confirming how Jesus was really a strong proponent of women. It gave us new insight into these stories. I strongly recommend this class to everyone, regardless of their religious background. I enjoyed it very much.
If Julie’s classes pique your interest, please contact the LLI Office or refer to the Fall 2025 Course Catalog for her latest course offering.
—By Sue Gerber-Hipwell, LLI Member