Winter 2016/Fuller Online
OT583
Riley
OT583: ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN HISTORY, LITERATURE, AND CULTURE (4 Units: 160 Hours). Jason A. Riley.
DESCRIPTION: This course is an introductory survey of ancient Near Eastern (ANE) 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 as part of each week’s learning modules. 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 compare biblical and ANE texts in a careful and critical manner and to articulate 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 course will be conducted online on a ten-week schedule aligned with Fuller’s academic calendar for a total of 40 instructional hours. Students are required to interact with the material, with each other, and with the instructor regularly through online discussions, readings, and other assignments that promote active learning.
REQUIRED READING: 1,200 pages required.
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 $45.00 [300 pp.].
Van de Mieroop, Marc. A History of Ancient Egypt. Blackwell, 2010. ISBN: 978-1405160711, Pub. Price $53.95 [350 pp.].
Van de Mieroop, Marc. A History of the Ancient Near East. 3rd ed. Blackwell, 2015. ISBN: 978-1118718162, Pub. Price $44.95 [350 pp.].
Online Course Packet and Websites to Interactive Material. [200 pp.]
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:
Reading (1,200 pp.). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1-3.] [80 hours].
Interaction with online material. [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1-3.] [12.5 hours].
Participation in online discussions (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1-3.] [20 hours].
Weekly quizzes (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1-3.] [2.5 hours].
Short Assignments (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-3.] [20 hours].
Six-page paper on textual comparison (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-3.] [15 hours].
Final examination, open book (20%). [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.