I decided to write a blog on this topic because I found it surprising and interesting that I would be required to read the Bible for AP summer work. I grew up listening to stories from the Bible and have grown accustomed to hearing my pastor speak about random passages, but I never knew how the dialect of the Bible and the famous stories have translated themselves in many ways into works of literature.

As a pre-AP Lang student, I am responsible for reading the entire chapter of Genesis from the Bible and creating an alphabetized dictionary full of important people, events, and places. I must also read the entire gospel of Luke and retell fifteen of the most significant parables stating their significance. A parable is a short story that has a purpose and moral/lesson.

I’m sure many of you incoming AP Lang students have this odd homework assignment along with me. At first, I was surprised that a public high school would incorporate religion into the Common Core assignments, but my previous English teacher explained to us that we must familiarize ourselves with the biblical stories in order to better understand the allusions referencing subjects such as the Garden of Eden or the historic “Christ” character in many novels. Regardless of the assignment, I’m fascinated by the different approach I have to the Bible now. No longer am I just a Christian reading the Bible, but now I am a “college” student analyzing the stories and parables.

If you too find this AP Lang assignment interesting, feel free to leave a comment expressing your opinion on the work, not the religion 🙂

-Kelsey H., 11th grade