Summer 2014/Israel

OT576

Hays/Thompson

OT576: TRAVEL COURSE: EXPERIENCING THE LAND OF THE BIBLE (4 Units: 120 hours).
Christopher B. Hays and Marianne M. Thompson.

DESCRIPTION: This course is intended to introduce students to Middle Eastern sites that form the background of the events recounted in the Bible, from the archaeological remains of the Davidic kingdom to the sites of Jesus’ ministry.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students completing this course successfully will have demonstrated (1) knowledge of biblical history and geography; (2) the ability to articulate the significance these items, as well as archaeology, for understanding the Bible; and (3) the capacity to describe how their encounter with the lands of the Bible has changed them.

COURSE FORMAT: Online meetings prior to departure will present introductory and overview information. The course will take place in Israel over the course of two weeks during the summer quarter.

REQUIRED READING:

Coogan, Michael D. The Oxford History of the Biblical World. Oxford University Press, 2001. ISBN: 978-0195139372, Pub. Price $19.95 [508 pp.].

Cline, Eric H. Biblical Archaeology: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-0195342635, Pub. Price $11.95 [133 pp.].

Fisk, Bruce N., A Hitchhiker’s Guide to Jesus: Reading the Gospels on the Ground. Baker Academic, 2011. ISBN: 978-0801036064, Pub. Price $23.00 [288 pp.]

The Bible (TNIV, CEB, or NRSV).

Note: These books will cover all of the material on the quiz. There will be no assessment of reading until the quiz, which is taken after the travel portion. However, students would benefit greatly from reading these before the travel begins.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

  1. Participation in group activities and discussions during the trip (30%).

  2. Response paper, reflecting on travel, reading, guest lectures, and group discussions (6 pages) (25%).

  3. Research project related to a site visited during the trip from an archaeological or historical perspective (8 pages) (25%).

  4. Quiz on geography and history of the Holy Land (20%).

PREREQUISITES: Participation in Summer Program in Israel (June 22–July 6, 2014). History quiz to be taken online by the end of the summer quarter.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective in MDiv and MA. Counts as an ANE course in MAT-ANE Studies.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.


NOTE: This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. Textbook prices are set by publishers and are subject to change.

For your convenience, order these texts online through the Archives Bookshop.