Summer 2014/Sacramento

OT567

Loepp

OT567: JUDGES (English Text) (4 Units: 120 hours). Dale Loepp.

DESCRIPTION: As a text framed between conquest and monarchy, the book of Judges represents an important transitional period in the Israelite narrative. The stories of Judges are intriguing and timeless, encompassing a wide assortment of heroes and heroines, villains and victims—plus many characters that are difficult to classify. This course will closely examine Judges in its place within the canon of the Bible (particularly as part of the Former Prophets), within a broader understanding of ancient Israelite culture, and as Christian scripture. We will also utilize Judges as a target text for modeling different approaches for reading and interpreting the Bible—bringing to light themes of culture, power and covenant loyalty to Yahweh within a troubled environment of oppression, war, confusion and failure.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: After completing this course, participants will be able to: 1) recount the general narrative trajectory of the Deuteronomistic History and the role of the book of Judges within this longer narrative; 2) describe the overall literary structure of the book of Judges and of individual accounts within Judges; 3) explain the differences in perspective and approach among literary, social-scientific, feminist, and postcolonial readings of the Bible; 4) explain how the stories in Judges can inform contemporary ministry contexts; and 5) demonstrate understanding of a specific approach to reading the Bible by reflecting on these texts exegetically and theologically (both verbally and in writing), based on a participant-selected pericope.

COURSE FORMAT: This course is scheduled as a two week intensive, meeting for three hours a night, for a total of 30 contact hours. The course will include a combination of lecture, class discussion and small-group interaction. Participants should expect to spend an additional four to six hours per class session to complete the reading and writing assignments.

REQUIRED READING: Approximately 30 pages of biblical text (excluding notes) plus 870 pages of outside readings and class handouts, totaling 900 pages.

The English text of Judges (NRSV, CEB, or TNIV).

Ryan, Roger. Judges. Readings: A New Biblical Commentary. Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2007. ISBN: 978-1906055240, Pub. Price $25.00 [pp. 1-168 assigned]

Webb, Barry G. The Book of Judges. New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2012. ISBN: 978-0802826282, Pub. Price $50.00 [pp. 4-8; 53-59; 67-509 assigned]

Yee, Gale A., editor. Judges & Method: New Approaches in Biblical Studies. Second Edition. Fortress Press, 2007. ISBN: 978-0800638580, Pub. Price $27.00 (pp. 1-114, 161-182 assigned)

To Be Posted On-line:

Dundas, Alan. “The Hero Pattern and the Life of Jesus” in Otto Rank, Fitzroy Richard Somerset Raglan and Alan Dundes.  In Quest of the Hero.  Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1990 (179-193).  ISBN 978-0691020624.

Meyers, Carol. “The Family in Early Israel.” In Leo Perdue, ed., Families in Ancient Israel. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1997 (1-41). ISBN 978-0664255671.

Trible, Phyllis. Texts of Terror: Literary-Feminists Readings of Biblical Narratives. Overtures to Biblical Theology. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1984 (65-117). ISBN 978-0800615376.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Alter, Robert. Ancient Israel: The Former Prophets: Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings: A Translation With Commentary. W.W. Norton & Company, 2014. ISBN: 978-0393348767, Pub. Price $21.95 [pp. 105-219]

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. Six two-page prompt-driven response papers that address questions posed by the biblical text and outside readings (25%).
2. In-class mid-term exam (20%).
3. 3,000 word exegesis paper, due by the end of the quarter (30%).
4. Final oral presentation on biblical exegesis research (25%).

*Since a substantial amount of material will be covered in each class meeting, each unexcused absence (missing all or a significant part of a class without prior consent of the instructor) will result in a 5% reduction in the participant’s overall course grade. Course participants will be able to compensate for excused absences by completing additional writing assignments. Also, up to 3% of the overall course grade may be deducted at the judgment of the instructor for each class session where a course participant is not prepared to discuss the salient points of the assigned readings.

PREREQUISITES: None

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets the MA program requirements for OT book study (OTBK).

FINAL EXAMINATION: See above for in-class presentation of the text selected for exegesis.