Summer 2003/Pasadena
Five-week Intensive
OT506
McAlpine

OT506: OLD TESTAMENT EXEGESIS: ISAIAH. Thomas H. McAlpine.


DESCRIPTION:

We will read together the book of Isaiah with particular attention to its organization, theology, and contribution to our faith and practice. We'll devote part of each class session to a portion of the Hebrew text which students will have previously studied.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY:
By the end of the course students will have had opportunity to
  1. develop their proficiency in Hebrew and their commitment to continuing to build this proficiency;

  2. encounter basic issues involved in contemporary study of the Book of Isaiah;

  3. wrestle with the theological witness of the Book of Isaiah within its canonical context; encounter resources for nurturing congregational, spiritual, and missional formation in their local contexts.

COURSE FORMAT: The course will meet twice weekly, four hours per session, for five weeks.

REQUIRED READING:
Elliger, K. and W. Rudolph, eds. Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. 4th ed. American Bible Society, 1990.

Course reader.
See also the Biblical Division bibliography "Linguistic and Exegetical Books Required in the Master of Divinity Program" available in the SOT Academic Advising office.

RECOMMENDED READING:
Commentaries for Hebrew text:
Baltzer, D. Isaiah 40-66. Fortress, 1998.

Blenkinsopp, Joseph. Isaiah 1-39. Doubleday, 2000.

__________. Isaiah 40-55. Doubleday, 2000.

__________. Isaiah 56-66, Doubleday, 2003.

Wildberger, H. Isaiah 1-39. 3 vols. Fortress, 1991, 1997, 2002.
Commentaries for English text:
Brueggemann, W. Isaiah. 2 vols. Westminster John Knox, 1998.

Childs, Brevard S. Isaiah. Westminster John Knox, 2001.

Hanson, Paul D. Isaiah 40-66. John Knox Press, 1995.

Seitz, Christopher. Isaiah 1-39. John Knox Press, 1993.

ASSIGNMENTS:
  1. Preparation for translation and exegetical discussions (Hebrew text), using Childs and a Hebrew-text commentary. 10%

  2. Preparation for and participation in class discussion based on Isaiah, Childs, one Hebrew-text and one English-text commentary in "Recommended Reading," and reflection on relevance of same to your ministry context. 20%

  3. Exegetical paper (12-15 pages) of one of the "servant songs" and its implications for congregational, spiritual, and missional formation in the student's ministry context. 40%

  4. Final examination. 30%

PREREQUISITES: LG502.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets M. Div. core requirement in Old Testament "B" (OTBE).

FINAL EXAMINATION:
Yes. A brief exam during the last regular session of class consists of translation and grammatical analysis of texts previously prepared.