Fall 2011/Pasadena
OT888/588
Jacobs
OT888/588: CRITICAL APPROACHES TO THE OLD TESTAMENT. Mignon R. Jacobs.
DESCRIPTION: This seminar is intended for PhD and ThM students and is open to
a limited number of master's level students. Its primary goal is to develop
understanding and use of various methodological approaches to Old Testament
texts. Among the approaches that the seminar will include are canon, form-,
historical-, ideological-, literary-, redaction, and text-criticism.
SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: The seminar enables students to use
critical approaches in their research, writing, and other academic work and to
recognize and distinguish the methods when employed in commentaries and other
modern publications. Such skills enable informed evaluation of the use of
exegetical results as the basis of theological and hermeneutical
reflections.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon successful completion of this course, students will be
able (1) to understand the place of critical methods in the history of Old
Testament scholarship; (2) to discuss the critical issues that shape the
present interpretation of the Hebrew texts; (3) to use particular methods in
analyzing Old Testament texts; and (4) to recognize the methods when they are
employed in commentaries and other modern publications.
COURSE FORMAT: This seminar will meet once weekly in a three-hour session for
discussions and presentation (including the week of final exams). This course
includes Moodle as part of its design.
REQUIRED READING:
- Alter, Robert. The Art of Biblical Narrative. Basic Books,
1981. ISBN: 9780465000557 ($11.55).
- Elliott, John H. What is Social-Scientific Criticism. GBS. Fortress,
1993. ISBN: 9780800626785 ($20.00).
- Habel, Norman. Literary Criticism of the Old Testament. Fortress,
1971. ISBN: 9780800601768 ($14.00).
- Hayes, John (Ed.) and Knight, Douglas A. (Foreword.) Methods of Biblical
Interpretation. Abingdon, 2004. ISBN: 9780687037063
($26.00).
Knight, Douglas A. Rediscovering the Traditions of Israel.
3d ed. SBL, 2006. ISBN: 9789004137653 ($45.00).
- *McCarter, P. Kyle, Jr. Text Criticism: Recovering the Text of
the Hebrew Bible. GBS. Fortress, 1986. ISBN: 9780800604714 ($14.00).
- Powell, Mark A. What is Narrative Criticism. GBS. Fortress, 1991.
ISBN: 9780800604738 ($17.00).
- Sanders, James A. Canon and Community: A Guide to Canonical
Criticism. GBS (original publication Fortress, 1984). Wipf and Stock, 2000.
9781579104344 ($11.20).
- Schottroff, Luise, Silvia Schroer, and Marie-Theres Wacker. Feminist
Interpretation: The Bible in Women's Prespective. Fortress, 1998.
ISBN: 9780800629991 ($23.00).
Steck, Odil Hannes. Old Testament
Exegesis: A Guide to Methodology. 2d ed. Scholars Press, 1998. ISBN:
0788501739 ($19.95).
- Trible, Phyllis. Rhetorical Criticism. GBS. Fortress, 1994.
ISBN: 9780800627980 ($23.00).
- Tucker, Gene M. Form Criticism of the Old Testament. Fortress, 1971.
ISBN: 9780800601775 ($14.00).
- Tov, Emanuel. Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible. 2d ed. GBS.
Fortress, 2001. ISBN: 9780800634292 ($55.00).
- Other books and articles on library reserve.
RECOMMENDED READING: Available on the course syllabus reading list.
ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT: Weekly preparation is a required part of this
seminar. For all students, the final grade will be based on the weekly
preparation (including reading reports and translation) (30%), attendance and
participation in the form of presentations (25%), and a term paper (45%). (a)
For master's students the term paper is 18-20 pages. (b) For doctoral students
the term paper is 25-30 pages, due according to the terms specified in the CATS
program.
*Reading of P. Kyle McCarter Jr., Text Criticism, by the
first class meeting is required.
PREREQUISITES: For master's level students: OTA, OTBE, OTCE, and written
permission of the instructor.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective.
This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (July 2011)