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

1. 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

2. 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

3. 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.

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.

1. Class Preparation as measured through Participation - 20%

2. Seminar Presentation - 30%

3. Final Paper - 50%