Fall 2015/Pasadena

OT888/588

Jacobs

OT888/588: CRITICAL APPROACHES TO THE OLD TESTAMENT (6 units: 285 hours). 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-, literary-, redaction, rhetorical, social scientific, and text-criticism.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Upon successful completion of this course, students will have (1) articulated the place of critical methods in the history of Old Testament scholarship; (2) have discussed the critical issues that shape the present interpretation of the Hebrew texts; (3) utilized particular methods in analyzing Old Testament texts; and (4) evaluated the methods when they are employed in commentaries and other modern publications.

COURSE FORMAT: This 6-unit seminar will meet once per week for three-hour sessions for a total of 33 hours of classroom instruction for discussions and presentation plus 7 hours of directed learning activities for a total of 40 instructional hours. Moodle site is included as a part of the course format.

REQUIRED READING: 1500 total number of pages required.

Alter, Robert. The Art of Biblical Narrative. Basic Books, 2011. ISBN: 978-0465022557, Pub. Price $17.99 [236 pp.].

Elliger, K., and W. Rudolph, eds. Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia. German Bible Society, 2006. ISBN: 978-1598561623, Pub. Price $37.95.

Elliott, John H. What is Social-Scientific Criticism? (GBS). Fortress, 1993. ISBN: 978-0800626785, Pub. Price $20.00 [124 pp.].

Habel, Norman. Literary Criticism of the Old Testament. Fortress, 1971. ISBN: 978-0800601768, Pub. Price $14.00 [83 pp.].

Hayes, John (Ed.) and Knight, Douglas A. (Foreword.) Methods of Biblical Interpretation. Abingdon, 2004. ISBN: 978-0687037063, Out of Print [170 pp.].

Knight, Douglas A. Rediscovering the Traditions of Israel. 3d ed. SBL, 2006. ISBN: 978-1589831629, Pub. Price $45.95 [100 pp. assigned]

*McCarter, P. Kyle, Jr. Textual Criticism: Recovering the Text of the Hebrew Bible. (GBS). Augsburg Fortress Publishers, 2001. ISBN: 978-0800604714, Pub. Price $14.00 [87 pp.].

Powell, Mark A. What is Narrative Criticism? (GBS). Fortress, 1991. ISBN: 978-0800604738, Pub. Price $17.00 [105 pp.].

Sanders, James A. Canon and Community: A Guide to Canonical Criticism. (GBS). Wipf and Stock, 2000 (original publication Fortress, 1984). ISBN: 978-1579104344, Pub. Price $14.00 [77 pp.].

Schottroff, Luise, Silvia Schroer, and Marie-Theres Wacker. Feminist Interpretation: The Bible in Women’s Prespective. Fortress, 1998. ISBN: 978-0800629991, Pub. Price, $23.00 [90 pp. assigned]

Steck, Odil Hannes. Old Testament Exegesis: A Guide to Methodology. 2d ed. SBL, 1998. ISBN: 978-0788504655, Pub. Price $19.95 [104 pp.].

Trible, Phyllis. Rhetorical Criticism. (GBS). Fortress, 1994. ISBN: 978-0800627980, Pub. Price $29.00 [150 pp. assigned].

Tucker, Gene M. Form Criticism of the Old Testament. Fortress, 1971. ISBN: 978-0800601775, Pub. Price $14.00 [77 pp.].

Tov, Emanuel. Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible. 3rd ed. (GBS). Fortress, 2011. ISBN: 978-0800696641, Pub. Price $90.00 [100 pp. assigned].

Other books and articles on library reserve.

*Reading of P. Kyle McCarter Jr., Text Criticism, by the first class meeting is required.

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:

  1. Weekly preparation (including reading reports and translation) (30%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-4] [70 hours].

  2. Attendance and participation in the form of presentations (25%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-4] [Instructional time spent in the seminar + 50hr prep].

  3. A term paper (a) For master’s students the term paper is 18-20 pages. (b) For doctoral students the term paper is 25-30 pages (45%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-4] [125 hours].

PREREQUISITES: For master’s level students: OTA, OTBE, OTCE, and written permission of the instructor (144 MDiv); or OT500, OTX, and written permission of the instructor (120 MDiv).

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective.

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.