INTRODUCTION TO THE OLD TESTAMENT 1 DRAFT Online Syllabus 2013

Transcription

1 1 INTRODUCTION TO THE OLD TESTAMENT 1 DRAFT Online Syllabus 2013 I. Course Details Instructors: Heather Weir, Marion Taylor heather.weir@utoronto.ca m.taylor@utoronto.ca Course dates: Monday, May 6 Friday, June 28, 2013 Portal Access: to log in II. Learning Goals By the end of the course, students will be able to: 1. identify and outline the structure and contents of Old Testament books (Genesis- Kings) 2. list and use exegetical resources 3. identify historical and current issues in Old Testament scholarship 4. understand how knowledge of the biblical world influences one s reading of Old Testament. III. Required Texts The textbook for the class is: William Sanford LaSor, David Allan Hubbard and Frederic William Bush, Old Testament Survey: The Message, Form and Background of the Old Testament. Second Edition (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996). A modern translation of the Old Testament is also required. A refreshing Jewish translation is Tanakh: The New JPS Translation According to the Traditional Hebrew Text (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1985). Other good modern translations include the New Revised Standard Version and Today s New International Version. IV. Recommended Books For help with inductive studies, Oletta Wald, The Joy of Discovery in Bible Study. For help in building your OT library see John Goldingay, Old Testament Commentary Survey: 1991 Edition (Theological Students Fellowship, 1991), or from a more conservative slant see Tremper Longman III, Old Testament Commentary Survey (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1991). If you can find one still in print, Brevard S. Childs, Old Testament

2 2 Books for Pastor and Teachers (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1977) is a very useful book. Charles Spurgeon s Commenting and Commentaries: A Reference Guide to Book Buying for Pastors, Students, and Christian Workers (reprint ed.; Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1988) is also worth having. A good introduction to the various critical methodologies used in both Old and New Testament studies is To Each Its Own Meaning: An Introduction to Biblical Criticisms and their Application (ed. Stephen R. Haynes and Steven L. McKenzie; Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 1993). V. Outline of Lectures and Required Readings Week of Textbook Chapters Bible Readings (for discussion) Assignment due on Friday at 24:00h May 6, , 1, 48 N/A Genesis Inductive Study May 13, , 3, 4 Genesis, Exodus May 20, , 6, 7 Leviticus, Numbers May 27, , 9, 10 Deuteronomy, Joshua Judges Inductive Study June 3, , 38 Ruth, 1 Samuel June 10, , 13 2 Samuel, 1&2 Kings June 17, 2013 Final paper work week June 24, 2013 Final paper work week Final paper VI. Requirements and Evaluation Students are expected to log into the course website regularly. Each week there will be lectures to read, and a discussion of the material in the lectures and readings (both from the textbook, and the biblical text). Further instructions for the online discussions will be provided. Note that the discussions use an asynchronous bulletin board format. Please Note: Because of the course organization, the inductive study of Genesis is due at the end of the first week. You need to begin this work as soon as possible. See the instructions for inductive studies below. This due date will not change with revisions of the course syllabus. Assignments and Marks: 1) Class Participation (weekly discussions and final paper process) 20% 2) Inductive Study on Genesis (due Friday, May 10, 2013, 24:00 h) 20% 3) Inductive Study on Judges (due Friday, May 31, 2013, 24:00 h) 25% 4) Final Paper (due Friday, June 28, 2013, 24:00 h) 35%

3 3 VII. Policy on Assignment Due Dates and Extensions Assignment due dates are fixed as noted above. Extensions must be sought before the due date and will only be given in exceptional circumstances. Basic Degree students are expected to complete all course work by the end of the term in which they are registered. Under exceptional circumstances, with the written permission of the instructor, students may request an extension (SDF = standing deferred ) beyond the term. An extension, when offered, will have a mutually agreed upon deadline that does not extend beyond the conclusion of the following term. An SDF must be requested no later than two weeks before the completion of the term in which the course is taken. The request form is available on the college website or from the Registrar s office. One percentage point per day will be deducted on the course grade if an extension has not been requested by the stated deadline. VIII. Inductive Study Use the following headings to organise your paper. Be sure that the amount of space devoted to each section reflects its value. For example, if you state the theme of the book in only two sentences, you cannot expect 25 marks. Table of contents (10%) This section could also be called an outline. Divide the book into sections with appropriate titles; please include the scripture references to indicate where each section and sub-section begins and ends. The divisions and their titles are graded considering their appropriateness, conciseness and to a lesser extent creativity. (N.B. Don t be constrained by the traditional chapter divisions; remember that they are a late addition to the text and may not always be helpful in outlining the structure of a biblical book). Analysis of the book s structure (35%) Expand and justify your table of contents. How did you come up with your structure? What are the major sections of the book? How are these sections subdivided? Are the sections of a different literary style (poetry, biographical or sermonic material)? Be sure to defend your assessment of the book s structure. Theme of the book (25%) What is the one central message or theme of the book? How is this theme developed? Be sure that you don t confuse the theme of the book with sub-themes or motifs. Be sure to support your assessment of the theme with evidence from the biblical text.

4 4 General observations and theological insights (20%) What are some of the more prominent theological emphases of the book? How are they developed? How do these emphases related to other books in the Bible? Ideas for preaching or teaching & questions for further study (5%) How would you preach or teach this book? Provide a very brief but specific description of an idea for preaching or teaching. Be sure to indicate your intended audience (adult congregation, Sunday school, etc). You must also include a list of questions for your own further study that emerge from your paper. Essentials to remember: Grammar, spelling, and style will account for 5% of your grade. Be sure to proof-read your paper carefully before handing it in! Do not use secondary resources (annotated Bible, commentaries etc.). You may use an atlas or dictionary for place names or puzzling terms, but make sure to cite them properly. Papers should be typed and between 7 and 10 pages (not including the title page or bibliography for approved kinds of references). Papers should be double spaced with margins of no less than 1 inch; use a 12 pt font. IX. Final Paper, due at the end of the course, July 26, 2010 For the final paper, choose ONE of the following options: A. Thematic Paper In this assignment discuss how the call of Abram in Genesis 12:1-3 is pivotal to Genesis 2 Kings. Your paper should consist of four sections. In the first section discuss Genesis 12:1-3 and outline the Lord s promises to Abram. In the second section discuss how the passage relates to the rest of Genesis (both before and after the passage). In the third section, discuss how the passage relates to Exodus-Deuteronomy. In the fourth section, discuss how the passage relates to Joshua-2 Kings. The primary purpose of this assignment is to ensure that you have a grasp on Genesis 2 Kings as a whole. It is to your benefit to keep the thematic paper in mind as you go through the course, and make notes as you read. As with the inductive studies, you are not permitted to consult secondary literature. The paper is to be between eight and ten pages double-spaced. B. The Bible and Contemporary Literature Read a contemporary novel selected from the list below. Write a paper that examines how the novel draws on and interprets a biblical story or theme from Genesis 2 Kings. Note that different novels in the list draw from different texts. This assignment allows

5 5 you to study a particular biblical text in more detail, as well as examine a contemporary interpretation of that text. The paper should be between eight and ten pages doublespaced. If you choose this option you must discuss your paper with the instructor. Book List: The Handmaid s Tale, Margaret Atwood The Year of the Flood, Margaret Atwood The Red Tent, Anita Diamant The Chrysalids, John Wyndham