DESCRIPTION: The Former Prophets and Latter Prophets in the Old Testament
canon, i.e., the historical books from Joshua to Kings and the prophetic books
from Isaiah to Malachi, will be studied via selected readings from the New
Revised Standard Version text of the Bible. Historical, theological, literary,
and canonical perspectives will be considered.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: This course will enable students (1) to know better this
crucial part of the Old Testament, (2) to understand its literary features and
(3) the historical and/or cultural situations in which it was written, and (4)
to develop ability in interpreting the Bible.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: While the preacher brings God's Word to the people,
the seminary teacher has the prior task of bringing ministerial students to the
Bible, in which the revelation of the being and will of God is anchored in
ancient history, literature, and culture. From this study in the Old Testament
will emerge its recurring agenda of human need or perplexity and divine
response, and also issues of spirituality as God's people or individual
servants wrestled with problems of living and either found or resisted divine
grace.
COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet for two-hour sessions twice a week for
lectures and discussion.
REQUIRED READING: