Spring 2015/Pasadena
OT583/883
Hays
OT583/883: ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN HISTORY, LITERATURE, AND CULTURE (4 Units: 160 Hours). Christopher B. Hays.
DESCRIPTION: This course is an introductory survey of ancient Near Eastern history, literature, and culture from prehistoric times to Alexander’s conquest. Civilizations singled out for focus include Sumer, Egypt, Hatti, Babylonia, Assyria, Israel, and Persia. Special attention will be paid to the ways in which surrounding cultures impinged on and influenced Israel and Judah, including detailed comparison of biblical and ANE texts during each class session. In addition to historical events and texts, students will be asked to master basic geographical data, and will be briefly introduced to the languages and writing systems of some of the cultures covered.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students successfully completing the course will have demonstrated (1) broad familiarity with the history, literature, culture, and geography of major ancient Near Eastern civilizations; (2) the ability to articulately compare biblical and ANE texts and the significance of those comparisons for biblical interpretation and theology; and (3) the ability to articulate similarities and connections between the cultures of the ancient world and our own, reflecting a hermeneutic that allows biblical texts to speak with integrity to diverse cultural contexts in the present day.
COURSE FORMAT: This class meets twice weekly for two hour sessions for a total of 40 instructional hours in the classroom for lecture and discussion. The typical meeting will include lecture on an historical period and culture, discussion of specific primary texts that derive from that period and culture, and reflections on broader comparative, hermeneutical, and theological issues raised by the texts. Videos will also be shown during some class periods.
REQUIRED READING: 1,100 pages required.
Curtis, Adrian, ed. Oxford Bible Atlas. Oxford University Press, 4th ed, 2007. ISBN: 978-0199560462, Pub. Price $24.95 [100 pp.].
Hays, Christopher B. Hidden Riches: A Sourcebook for the Comparative Study of the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East. Westminster John Knox, 2014. ISBN: 978-0664237011, Pub. Price $35.00 [300 pp.].
Van de Mieroop, Marc. A History of the Ancient Near East. 2nd ed. Blackwell, 2006. ISBN: 978-1405149112, Pub. Price $47.95 [350 pp.].
______________. A History of Ancient Egypt. Blackwell, 2010. ISBN: 978-1405160711, Pub. Price $47.95 [350 pp.].
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
Reading (1,100 pp.). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1-3]. [75 hours].
Participation in class discussions (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1-3]. [40 hours].
Preparation for class “conversation starter” role (5%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1-3]. [10 hours].
Midterm examination (25%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-3]. [10 hours].
Six-page paper on textual comparison (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-3]. [15 hours].
Final examination (35%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-3]. [10 hours].
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Required for students for the Ancient Context of the Old Testament Emphasis and Ancient Near Eastern Studies Emphasis. Elective for all others.
FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.