Winter 2011/Pasadena
OT886/586
Smith-Christopher
OT886/586: READING EXILE: THEIRS AND OURS. Daniel Smith-Christopher.
DESCRIPTION: This CATS seminar, open to a limited number of masters' students,
will be a focused seminar on the historical events of 6th century BCE in Hebrew
History, focusing on the events of the Babylonian conquests of Judah in 597/587
BCE, the Persian conquests of Babylon beginning 539 BCE, and a survey of
Biblical literature that can be reasonably dated to the 6th and 5th centuries
BCE.
SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: Why is it important to think about the
Babylonian Exile as a historical and theological event of significance? Not
only to understand some of the social aspects of the people who gave us
Scripture (which always deepens our appreciation of Scripture), but also to be
reminded of the existential and social realities of many peoples with whom we
are called to minister in the modern world. To understand something about exile
is, at the same time, to gain profound insights into the history of
African-American, Native-American, and Asian-American peoples--and therefore be
informed of the deeper Biblical significance of our call as the people of Jesus
to have compassion and understanding for all peoples, especially those who have
suffered. Finally, if we are (in the words of God as reported in Jeremiah 29)
called upon to "Seek the peace of the city where I have sent you," then perhaps
one of the most provocative metaphors for the Church in the modern world is
precisely to be a people living in Babylon, with all the challenges that such a
calling to be "in the world" involves (Cf. 1 Peter).
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Having successfully completed this seminar, students will
have demonstrated
- familiarity with important examples of (Old Testament) Biblical literature
that illuminate the events of Mesopotamian and Persian relations with Judean
territories, focusing on conquest, occupation, and/or exile of Judeans in the
6th and 5th centuries BCE, and
- the ability to think creatively about the biblical literature associated
with these events by means of examining comparative (and usually much more
recent) historical events, as well as contemporary modes of interpretation
(e.g. especially postcolonial analysis and social science interpretation), and
thereby
- the ability to think creatively about the potential implications of these
historical and textual studies for contemporary Christian "Biblical Theology."
Biblical Theology is here generally conceived of as thinking theologically with
Scripture as in some sense normative for contemporary Christian faith and
practice.
COURSE FORMAT: The course will meet once weekly for three-hour sessions for
discussion and lecture.
REQUIRED READING:
- Albertz, Rainer. Israel in Exile: The History and Literature of
the Sixth Century B.C.E. Trans. Green. Atlanta: Society of Biblical
Literature, 2003. ISBN-10: 1589830555; ISBN-13: 978-1589830554. Publisher
price: $49.95.
- Lipschits, Oded. The Fall and Rise of Jerusalem. Winona Lake:
Eisenbrauns, 2005. ISBN-10: 1575060957; ISBN-13: 978-1575060958. Publisher
price: $59.50.
- Sugirtharajah, R. S. Postcolonial Criticism and Biblical
Interpretation. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. ISBN-10: 0198752695;
ISBN-13: 978-0198752691. Publisher price: $40.00.
- Smith-Christopher, Daniel. A Biblical Theology of Exile.
Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 2002. ISBN-13: 978-0800632243. Publisher price:
$21.00.
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT: Specific requirements for MA and PhD students will
be explained on the syllabus.
- Class Preparation as measured through Participation - 20%
- Seminar Presentation - 30%
- Final Paper - 50%
PREREQUISITES: For masters students: permission of instructor; 3.5 GPA; must
have completed two of three OTA, OTB, or OTC requirements.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective.
This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (posted November 9, 2010)