Contents

1. Course Description
2. Course Objectives
3. Required Texts
4. Supplementary Texts
5. Course Evaluation
6. Course Outline & Schedule of Readings
7. Bibliography

Course Description

Survey of the redemptive story in the three major divisions of the Old Testament (the Law/Torah, the Prophets and the Writings), including an orientation to the historical backgrounds, religious context, literary forms, apocryphal dimensions, prophetic elements, matters of canon, text, interpretation and critical issues.

Course Objectives

A major goal in this course is to become familiar with the contours of Old Testament literature in view of Israel’s history and of the literature’s historic reception in Jewish and Christian traditions. The impact of the critical tradition will also be broached. Students should acquire a deeper understanding of key OT passages, an awareness of the types of OT literature and some of the types’ characteristics, and a sensitivity to the various ways biblical texts can be interpreted. They will also practice the skills of reading, recall, analysis, discussion, charitable criticism, and written argument.

Ultimately, the goal is to explore the possibility and desirability of reading the Old Testament as Christian Scripture, in keeping with its function as a vital and abiding witness for the Church.

Required Texts

The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha: NRSV, College Edition

Michael D. Coogan et al., eds.

4th edition. Oxford / New York: Oxford University Press, 2010.

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Students need a Bible in a modern English translation. Many scholars use the NRSV or JPS. A number of other Study Bibles will also do. Paraphrastic translations will not. If you need a new Bible, I recommend this edition of the NRSV with the Apocrypha.

A Survey of the Old Testament

Andrew E. Hill and John H. Walton.

3rd edition. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.

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This recently expanded and redesigned textbook helps readers better understand the Old Testament (and the God it reveals) by exploring the literary, historical, and theological issues behind it and behind each of its books. Helpful maps, photos, timelines, and charts are now in full color.

Supplementary Texts

1. The Oxford Biblical Studies Online provides a rich set of resources, including Bibles, timelines, maps, images, and digitized versions of about ten authoritative reference volumes. Please bookmark and use: http://oxfordbiblicalstudies.com/

2. J. Wellhausen, Prolegomena to the History of Ancient Israel (Edinburgh: A&C Black, 1885). The full text of this historically important work is available at http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/4732. Students are to read the introduction.

Course Evaluation

1. Each week of class will commence with a reading quiz. These are designed to ensure that you have read the assigned material carefully. Quizzes may not be made up in the case of absence, though in special cases they may be taken in advance. The final exam will also hold you responsible for the content they cover. If you miss a quiz, see a classmate.

2. Each class will conclude with a self-guided tutorial, which is a discussion session designed to reinforce major themes and to ensure that everybody actively engages them.
   • In preparation for this, you need to prepare four (4) questions, two from what you have been assigned to read in the Bible, and two from the secondary reading.
   • Students are encouraged to be specific and thoughtful. Try to avoid overly general questions as well as those that can be answered with a short word or sentence. Bring questions to your group that reflect your careful and critical interaction with the reading.
   • Keep your questions together in a presentable way, such as in a thin notebook. The instructor will collect your questions once or twice in the semester, to give you credit for your participation in this important aspect of the course.

3. A midterm paper is due at the start of class on 2 March 2012. Instructions will follow in a separate handout.

4. The final exam will be held during exam week, 11–18 April 2012, as scheduled by the Registrar.

5. The semester’s work will be weighted as follows, though the instructor reserves the right to adjust the balance as necessary:

My attendance policy follows the one set forth in the Academic Calendar (cf. “Classroom Expectations and Guidelines”). Missing more two weeks of class (two sessions of a once-per-week course, or four sessions of a twice-per-week course) results in an automatic reduction of the final grade by one letter. Missing more than four weeks of class results in an automatic F for the course. Students are permitted up to two weeks’ absences for any reason. If you simply miss a class or two, you do not need to email me to tell me about why. Should you find yourself in extenuating circumstances, be prepared to document your case formally for the Academic Standards Committee.

Finally, students are responsible to keep a backup print copy of all assignments. If you haven’t thought about the fact that your hard drive will fail — and know that all drives eventually do — then I urge you take a look at a service like Dropbox.

Course Outline & Schedule of Readings

Please note that this is a tentative schedule. The instructor reserves the right to adjust it as necessary. Also, I request that you not make audio or video recordings of the lectures for any reason. For note-taking purposes and review I will distribute slides, downloadable as PDF, in advance of each lecture.

Bibliography

1. J. L. Kugel, How to Read the Bible: A Guide to Scripture, Then and Now (New York/Toronto: Free Press, 2007). This recent survey is one of the only general introductions to discuss the history of traditional interpretation. [BS 1171.3.K84]
2. Oxford Bibliographies Online, a peer-reviewed bibliography made up of annotated essays by a variety of recognized experts, is a fine place to start looking into many biblical studies topics: http://oxfordbibliographiesonline.com
3. D. R. Bauer, An Annotated Guide to Biblical Resources for Ministry (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 2003). A useful starting place for research into a book of the Bible, or for building your own exegetical library. [Ref Z 7770.B38]
4. M. Daniel Carroll R., Hélène Dallaire, and Richard S. Hess have compiled a very fine “Annotated Old Testament Bibliography – 2009,” hosted online at: http://denverseminary.edu/article/annotated-old-testament-bibliography-2009/
5. B. S. Childs, Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1992). This magisterial discussion of the entire Christian Bible, OT and NT, attends both to its discrete books and parts as well as to overarching themes. [BS 543.C453]

A word of caution: much as I value the internet as a resource, it can be a trap for the unwary student, particularly in biblical studies. Please think twice before citing a source found on the open web.

One more thing. Because research shows multitasking inhibits learning (see here and here), all laptops, tablets, and smart phones are not allowed in lectures. If I happen upon you surfing, facebooking, tweeting, texting, etc., I will either gently remind you of the policy, or else dramatically eject you from the room. Work to discipline your use of gadgets in tutorial sessions, too.