I have just downloaded and started using the study template beta--only the character study one so far. Interested if others have used it, what you like and don't like. Any tips on getting the most out of it?
So far, I like the concept of having many of the scriptures related to that character grouped together, as well as other resources for study.
In the questions to be answered section, I find some of them overlap a bit. That probably is unavoidable, but a glaring one to me is question #1: "what can we learn about ____________'s life from these passage?" I spent quite a bit doing that, and then noticed the next several question ask MORE about "their life."
Mainly, I have two suggestions: 1) The ability to customize our own questions. 2) short of that, add a question in there about how this person fits into the overall story of redemption/promise. I remember a professor lamenting how often we reduce Biblical people to character studies, and admonitions to "be like them." Not that that is all bad, but that we often fail to see how God used them in the redemption plan: eg, Abraham--Father of Promise, Rahab--her aid in fulfilling the conquest of the land, but also her surprising role in the lineage of the Promised One, etc. They were key players in a larger story that we all benefit from . . . and the "lay people" often aren't shown that side of things. Off of that, I guess you could add a third question: what do we learn about God by studying this character? Currently there is a "how is their relationship with God" question, but I do think that does not necessarily get at the character of God, although it could.
Lastly, after answering all these questions, I wonder what I can do with that text. It would be nice to be manipulatible, like into a lesson plan or something. Hmmmmm, wonder if Logos would ever partner with NavPress and integrate the lesson maker within Logos . . . .
