Fall 2011/Pasadena
OT888/588
Jacobs

OT888/588: CRITICAL APPROACHES TO THE OLD TESTAMENT. Mignon R. Jacobs.

DESCRIPTION: This seminar is intended for PhD and ThM students and is open to a limited number of master's level students. Its primary goal is to develop understanding and use of various methodological approaches to Old Testament texts. Among the approaches that the seminar will include are canon, form-, historical-, ideological-, literary-, redaction, and text-criticism.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: The seminar enables students to use critical approaches in their research, writing, and other academic work and to recognize and distinguish the methods when employed in commentaries and other modern publications. Such skills enable informed evaluation of the use of exegetical results as the basis of theological and hermeneutical reflections.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able (1) to understand the place of critical methods in the history of Old Testament scholarship; (2) to discuss the critical issues that shape the present interpretation of the Hebrew texts; (3) to use particular methods in analyzing Old Testament texts; and (4) to recognize the methods when they are employed in commentaries and other modern publications.

COURSE FORMAT: This seminar will meet once weekly in a three-hour session for discussions and presentation (including the week of final exams). This course includes Moodle as part of its design.

REQUIRED READING:

: Alter, Robert. The Art of Biblical Narrative. Basic Books, 1981. ISBN: 9780465000557 ($11.55).; Elliott, John H. What is Social-Scientific Criticism. GBS. Fortress, 1993. ISBN: 9780800626785 ($20.00).; Habel, Norman. Literary Criticism of the Old Testament. Fortress, 1971. ISBN: 9780800601768 ($14.00).; Hayes, John (Ed.) and Knight, Douglas A. (Foreword.) Methods of Biblical Interpretation. Abingdon, 2004. ISBN: 9780687037063 ($26.00).

Knight, Douglas A. Rediscovering the Traditions of Israel. 3d ed. SBL, 2006. ISBN: 9789004137653 ($45.00).

: *McCarter, P. Kyle, Jr. Text Criticism: Recovering the Text of the Hebrew Bible. GBS. Fortress, 1986. ISBN: 9780800604714 ($14.00).; Powell, Mark A. What is Narrative Criticism. GBS. Fortress, 1991. ISBN: 9780800604738 ($17.00).; Sanders, James A. Canon and Community: A Guide to Canonical Criticism. GBS (original publication Fortress, 1984). Wipf and Stock, 2000. 9781579104344 ($11.20).; Schottroff, Luise, Silvia Schroer, and Marie-Theres Wacker. Feminist Interpretation: The Bible in Women's Prespective. Fortress, 1998. ISBN: 9780800629991 ($23.00).

Steck, Odil Hannes. Old Testament Exegesis: A Guide to Methodology. 2d ed. Scholars Press, 1998. ISBN: 0788501739 ($19.95).

: Trible, Phyllis. Rhetorical Criticism. GBS. Fortress, 1994. ISBN: 9780800627980 ($23.00).; Tucker, Gene M. Form Criticism of the Old Testament. Fortress, 1971. ISBN: 9780800601775 ($14.00).; Tov, Emanuel. Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible. 2d ed. GBS. Fortress, 2001. ISBN: 9780800634292 ($55.00).; Other books and articles on library reserve.

RECOMMENDED READING: Available on the course syllabus reading list.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT: Weekly preparation is a required part of this seminar. For all students, the final grade will be based on the weekly preparation (including reading reports and translation) (30%), attendance and participation in the form of presentations (25%), and a term paper (45%). (a) For master's students the term paper is 18-20 pages. (b) For doctoral students the term paper is 25-30 pages, due according to the terms specified in the CATS program.
*Reading of P. Kyle McCarter Jr., Text Criticism, by the first class meeting is required.

PREREQUISITES: For master's level students: OTA, OTBE, OTCE, and written permission of the instructor.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective.

This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (July 2011)