Winter 2012/Houston

Winter 2012/Houston
OT534
Dearman

OT534: OLD TESTAMENT THEOLOGY. J. Andrew Dearman.

DESCRIPTION: This course will introduce the student to the discipline of Old Testament theology, including both its central methodological concerns and a selective survey of its subject matter. Methodological issues will be put into relief by comparative studies of classic works in the field, particularly those of Eichrodt and von Rad, in dialogue with selected recent works. Themes to be treated will include God, creation, redemption, promise, covenant, people, land, and the nations. Relationships to the New Testament will be discussed within each topic.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: Biblical theology may be thought of as the disciplined attempt to hear "the whole counsel of Scripture"; its challenge is to let each witness within the canon have its own particular "voice," while listening for the "melody" of the whole. In this way, biblical theology is distinct from both exegesis and systematic theology, and it is critical to both if they are to make their proper contribution to an informed faith.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students completing this course will have demonstrated (1) a basic understanding of the ways in which biblical theology has been defined and situated as a discipline; (2) an ability to articulate and to reflect upon central theological themes of the Old Testament, and to relate them to both the New Testament and to historic Christian theological affirmations; (3) an awareness of how the historical and cultural particularities behind Scripture have shaped its witness; (4) an appreciation of how we may learn from historically and culturally diverse vantage points better to read, use, and obey the theological testimony of the Old Testament; (5) basic skills in interpreting texts, including the ability to use scholarly resources both critically and constructively.

COURSE FORMAT: The course will meet once a week, 6:00-9:30 PM.

REQUIRED READING:

Bible: NRSV, TNIV, CEB.

Terence L. Fretheim, God and World in the Old Testament. A Relational Theology of Creation (Nashville: Abingdon, 2005). ISBN: 978-0687349269. 368 pp. $30.00.

Miller, Patrick D. The Way of the Lord: Essays in Old Testament Theology. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004. ISBN: 978-0802832726. 340 pp. $30.00.

A collection of readings: [a sample]

-- Jon D. Levenson, “Why Jews Are Not Interested in Biblical Theology,” in J. Neusner, B. Levine, E. Frerichs, ed., Jewish Perspectives on Ancient Israel (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1987), pp. 281-307.

-- Katharine D. Sakenfeld, “Stories of Human Loyalty,” in her Faithfulness in Action. Loyalty in Biblical Perspective (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1985), pp. 7-38.

-- Carole R. Fontaine, “Wisdom in Proverbs,” in Leo G. Perdue, Bernard B. Scott, William J. Wiseman, ed., In Search of Wisdom. Essays in Memory of John G. Gammie (Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993), pp. 99-114.

-- Leo G. Perdue, “Old Testament Theology Since Barth’s Epistle to the Romans,” in Leo G. Perdue, Robert Morgan, Benjamin D. Sommer, Biblical Theology. Introducing the Conversation (Nashville: Abingdon, 2009), pp. 55-136.

-- Gerhard von Rad, “Eighth-Century Prophecy,” in Ben Ollenburger, Elmer Martens, Gerhard Hasel, ed., The Flowering of Old Testament Theology (Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1992) pp. 120-144.

-- Walther Eichrodt, “Covenant,” in Ben Ollenburger, Elmer Martens, Gerhard Hasel, ed., The Flowering of Old Testament Theology (Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1992) pp. 58-78.