Summer 2007/Pasadema
Five-week Intensive: July 23-August 24
OT504
Smoak
OT504: WRITINGS. Jeremy D. Smoak.
DESCRIPTION: This course is an overview of the third section of the Hebrew
Bible, including the Psalms, the Wisdom literature (Job, Proverbs, and
Ecclesiastes), the Festival books (Ruth, Song of Songs, Lamentations, and
Esther), the book of Daniel, and the historical books of Chronicles, Ezra, and
Nehemiah. The course will emphasize the theological, historical, and social
background of these biblical texts as well as how they relate to the other two
sections of the Hebrew Bible (Pentateuch and Prophets).
LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the end of the quarter students should be able to
- differentiate between and describe the various types of literature found in
the Writings section of the Hebrew Bible;
- describe the major theological themes contained in the Writings;
- articulate how contemporary approaches to biblical literature informs an
understanding of the Writings;
- articulate how the theological traditions in the Writings relate to the
other two sections of the Hebrew canon;
- demonstrate an increased ability to work with academic resources used for
exegetical work in Old Testament studies.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: The Writings section of the Hebrew canon forms a rich
and diverse testimony to the interaction between God and His people during the
biblical period, especially the later period of Israel's history. This Writings
provide a rich mosaic of insights into the life and faith of the ancient
Israelite and early Jewish communities, such as their worship practices,
intellectual traditions, and their interactions with surrounding cultures. As a
result, this section of the canon offers the modern church important
theological perspectives on the relationship between God's Word and His
community.
COURSE FORMAT: This course will meet twice weekly for four-hour sessions.
Class sessions will be devoted to a combination of lecture presentation and
structured class discussions.
REQUIRED READING:
- Writings section of the Hebrew canon in an English version of the
student's choice.
- Brueggemann, Walter. The Psalms and the Life of Faith. Minneapolis:
Fortress, 1995.
- Brown, William P. Character in Crisis: A Fresh Approach to the Wisdom
Literature of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1996.
- Course Reader.
- Other books on reserve in the library.
RECOMMENDED READING:
- Gutiérrez, Gustavo. On Job: God-Talk and the Suffering of
the Innocent. Maryknoll: Orbis, 1987.
- Sakenfeld, K. D. Just Wives? Stories of Power and Survival in the Old
Testament and Today. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2003.
ASSIGNMENTS: The evaluation for this course will be determined by the
following: weekly attendance and participation in class sessions (10%), a
midterm (30%), a final exam (30%), and an exegetical paper (30%).
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in Old Testament "C"
(OTC).
FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.