Biblical Studies. Old Testament
OT500. Interpretation of the Old Testament
Credit, three hours. (Faculty)
An introduction to the content of the Old Testament in its socio-historical, literary, and theological contexts. Over the course of the semester, the students will survey the critical methods for interpreting the Old Testament within contemporary ecclesial and scholarly contexts.
OT601. Genesis
Credit, three hours. (Faculty)
Study of selected texts in Genesis, using diverse methods and with special attention to literary and theological issues. (OT601CEE when offered as a Contextual Education Elective)
OT602. Exodus
Credit, three hours. (Faculty)
Study of selected texts in Exodus, using diverse methods and with special attention to literary and theological issues.
OT605. Interpreting Deuteronomy
Credit, three hours. Prerequisite: OT501 or equivalent. (Faculty)
An exegetical study of the book of Deuteronomy focusing on the book’s strategies of repetition, revision, and rhetoric. Deuteronomic theology and its pivotal importance in the Old Testament will also be treated.
OT607. Judges
Credit, three hours (Faculty)
Study of the book of Judges.
OT615. The Wisdom Literature
Credit, three hours (Faculty)
Course includes study and interpretation of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and other Hebrew Bible wisdom literature texts.
OT616. Job
Credit, three hours. (Faculty)
Detailed exegetical and hermeneutical explorations of the book of Job, including modern responses to the issues raised by the book.
OT617. Psalms
Credit, three hours. (LeMon)
An exegetical study of the book of Psalms with special attention to the Psalms’ rhetoric and theology and their function as prayer. (OT617CEE when offered as a Contextual Education elective)
OT619. The Book of Ecclesiastes
Credit, three hours. (Faculty)
An exegetical study of the book of Ecclesiastes with special attention to: (1) its placement in the Wisdom Literature and the larger canon of scripture, (2) its theology, and (3) its resonance with contemporary issues and discourses.
OT620. Isaiah
Credit, three hours (Faculty)
Study of selected texts from the book of Isaiah.
OT622. Jeremiah
Credit, three hours. (Wright)
An exegetical study of the book of Jeremiah with special attention to its role as a prophetic text. (OT622CEE when offered as a Contextual Education Elective)
OT630. Hebrew Exegesis
Credit, three hours. Prerequisite: BL511/512 or equivalent. (Faculty)
An introduction to exegesis of the Hebrew Bible using the original language and with reference to selected texts from representative genres. (OT630J. Hebrew Exegesis: Jeremiah [Wright].)
OT633. Ezekiel
Credit, three hours. (Kemp)
An exegetical study of the book of Ezekiel focusing on how the book addresses fundamental theological questions, including the reasons for human suffering and what it means to be in a covenantal relationship with God.
OT634. Through the Museum with the Bible
Credit, three hours. (LeMon)
In this course students encounter artifacts in the Michael C. Carlos Museum and explore how they affect the interpretation of biblical texts and the understanding of the socio-cultural milieu from which the Bible arose.
OT637. The Ten Commandments
Credit, three hours. (Bonfiglio)
This course explores the historical, ethical, and theological dimensions of the Ten Commandments, with special attention to how they are engaged in popular culture and their on-going relevance for the church today. (OT637CEE when offered as a Contextual Education elective)
OT653. Ancient Israel’s Neighbors
Credit, three hours. (Nam)
The subject of this course is the neighbors of ancient Israel: the Philistines, Phoenicians, Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, Arameans, and many others. These peoples were in close contact with ancient Israel and influenced its history, culture, economy, etc. We will study the cultures and histories of these peoples as they appear in biblical and extrabiblical texts, and as they are reflected in the archaeological remains uncovered in recent excavations.
OT655. This Strange and Sacred Scripture: Wrestling with the Old Testament and All its Oddities
Credit, three hours (Bonfiglio)
For many Christians, the Old Testament can seem strange and even disturbing. How do we make sense of texts that portray God as wrathful? Why does the OT contain so much violence? What do we do with all of the strange laws and rituals? How can we respond to its portrayal of women, foreigners, and strangers? What do we make of topics like purity, holiness, justice, and lament in light of the challenges and realities of ministry today? How can we make sense of all the contradictions and what does it mean to read the OT as Christian Scripture? By addressing these and related questions, the goals of this course are threefold: (1) To help students better understand and explain that which is especially strange and vexing about the Old Testament. (2) To equip students in the practice of theological exegesis – a mode of interpretation that attends closely to how the various theological expressions in the OT can relate to and inform Christian discipleship and the various ministries of the church today. (3) To inspire and encourage curiosity about and love for the Old Testament as Christian Scripture.
OT656. Biblical Metaphors
Credit, three hours. (Bonfiglio)
The Old Testament is replete with images about God and Israel, sin and salvation, exile and restoration. Whether in the form of metaphors or other figurative language, these expressions have the power to stir our theological imagination and to prompt us to understand God, the world, and ourselves in profoundly new ways. Yet, interpreting this language is not easy. For instance, understanding what the prophet Amos means when he says “the LORD roars from Zion” (1:2) not only demands a close analysis of the literary and rhetorical settings of the book of Amos but also awareness of the conceptual background—both verbal and visual—that informs how and why this imagery is used in the first place. Complicating matters further are the numerous hermeneutical considerations that come to bear on how, or even if, this imagery should be appropriated for Christian theology and the various ministries of the church today.
OT659. Texts of Terror: Strategies for Interpreting Troublesome Texts from the Hebrew Bible
Credit, three hours. (Wright)
A course focusing on biblical texts that deeply trouble us, causing us outrage or pain.(OT659CEE when offered as a Contextual Education Elective)
OT660. Preaching Torah
Credit, three hours. Prerequisites: OT501 and P501. (Faculty) (Same as P660.)
The course provides an entrée into the problem and promise of Christian preaching of the Old Testament by focusing on the Torah, or first five books of the Bible. Taking inspiration from the polyvalent nature of the Hebrew word torah (“law, instruction, etc.”), the class attends to the different genres beyond just law that are found in the Pentateuch. Exegetical work on the three large Torah genres (narrative, law, poetry) will be conducted with an eye toward, and eventual fulfillment in, sermon writing and performance. In these ways, the course will attend to both big picture issues (the Pentateuch as a whole, Christian preaching of the Old Testament, the problem of law/ gospel) as well as to more detailed matters (specific books/texts/genres, exegesis, sermon production, etc.).
OT665. The Bible and Poverty
Credit, three hours. (Bonfiglio)
This course examines biblical views on and responses to poverty, including its various causes, dimensions (social, ethical, and theological), forms, and outcomes. Emphasis will be placed on how church leaders can use biblical frameworks not only to diagnose traditional models of benevolence and outreach but also to develop more effective and just poverty solutions.
OT667. Hebrew Bible and Political Theology
Credit, three hours. (Wright)
With its walls razed to ground by Babylon’s armies, Jerusalem joined a long line of ancient vanquished cities. Some recovered from the destruction, others did not. But none responded to political catastrophe by fashioning the kind of elaborate & enduring monument to their own downfall that we find in the Bible. Working through colorful biblical and ancient Near Eastern texts, and drawing on an array of comparative examples, we will study the thoroughgoing manner with which biblical authors responded to defeat by advancing a demotic agenda that places the community at the center.
OT670. The Bible and Care of the Earth
Credit, three hours. (Faculty)
An investigation of the relation between contemporary concerns for environmental ethics and texts from the Bible relevant to those issues. (OT670CEE when offered as a Contextual Education Elective.)
OT675. Faith and Justice in the Prophets
Credit, three hours. (Kemp)
This course focuses on themes of faith and justice within the prophetic books of the Old Testament. (OT675CEE when offered as a Contextual Education Elective.)
OT698. Special Topics in Old Testament
Credit, variable. (Faculty)
Special topic or one-time offering courses led by Candler regular and visiting faculty. Prerequisites may be required and are noted on the course schedule when applicable.
