Summer 2018/Pasadena

OT500

Sun

OT500: OLD TESTAMENT INTRODUCTION (4 Units: 160 hours). Chloe T. Sun.

---

DESCRIPTION: This course orients students to the literature of the Old Testament in its various literary, historical, and theological contexts and to Old Testament interpretation in service of Christian practice. The books of Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, 2 Samuel, Job, Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Daniel will be the focus of study.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students who successfully complete this course will have demonstrated that they: (1) have a basic grasp of the contents of Israel’s Scriptures, history, and geography; (2) can use interpretive approaches that explore both the literary features of the Old Testament and the historical and cultural contexts in which it came into being; (3) can assess hermeneutical issues arising from the diverse contexts of contemporary readers; (4) can relate the Old Testament as Scripture to Christian theology, mission, and discipleship; and (5) have used this knowledge and these abilities to interpret some key Old Testament texts.

COURSE FORMAT: This class meets daily as a two week intensive for four hour sessions for a total of 36 hours of classroom instruction for lecture and discussion plus 4 hours of directed learning activities for a total of 40 instructional hours.

REQUIRED READING: 1196 pages required.

Genesis; Exodus; Deuteronomy; 2 Samuel; Job; Psalms 42-106; Isaiah 1-14, 40-53, 63-66; Jeremiah 1-36; Daniel in the NRS, TNIV or CEB [250 pages assigned].

Arnold, Bill T. Introduction to the Old Testament. Cambridge University Press, 2014. ISBN: 978-0521705479, Pub. Price $59.99 [400 pages assigned].

Hays, Christopher B. Hidden Riches: A Sourcebook for the Comparative Study of the Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near East. Westminster John Knox, 2014. ISBN: 978-0664237011, Pub. Price $45.00 [80 pages assigned] (Also available in the Fuller library as an eBook).

Schlimm, Matthew Richard. This Strange and Sacred Scripture: Wrestling with Old Testament and Its Oddities. Baker Academic, 2015. ISBN: 978-0801039799, Pub. Price $22.99 [208 pages assigned].

eReserves: [258 pages required]

Ademiluka, Sola. “The Use of Therapeutic Psalms In Inculturating Christianity in Africa.” African Ecclesiastical Review 37/4 (1995) 221-227 [7 pages]

Chan, Michael G. “Isaiah 65-66 and the Genesis of Reorienting Speech” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 72/3 (2010) 445-463 [19 pages]

Chia, Philip. “On Naming the Subject: Postcolonial Reading of Daniel 1.” In R. S. Sugirtharajah (ed.). The Postcolonial Biblical Reader. Blackwell, 2006. Pp. 171-85 [15 pages]

Clements, Ronald E. “The Messianic Hope in the Old Testament,” JSOT, 43 (1989): 3-19 [17 pages]

Ham, T. C. “The Gentle Voice of God in Job 38” JBL 132, #3 (2013) 527-541 [15 pages]

Johnston, Philip S. and David G. Firth. Interpreting the Psalms: Issues and Approaches. IVP Academic, 2005. ISBN: 978-0830828333, Pub. Price $30.00 [50 pages assigned].

Kalimi, Isaac. “Go. I Beg You, Take Your Beloved Son and Slain Him!” The Binding of Isaac in Rabbinic Literature and Thought.” The Review of Rabbinic Judaism 13 no. 1 (2010): 1-29 [29 pages].

Kepnes, Steven. “Job and Post-Holocaust Theology”. In T. Linafelt (ed.), Strange Fire. New York University Press, 2000. ISBN: 978-0814751664, Pub. Price $27.00 [pp. 252-66, 14 pages assigned].

Levenson, Jon, “Abusing Abraham: Traditions, Religious Histories, and Modern Interpretations.” Judaism 47/3 (1998) 259-277 [19 pages]

McCarthy, Dennis. “II Samuel 7 and the Structure of the Deuteronomistic History.” Journal of Biblical Literature 84/2 (1965) 131-138 [8 pages]

O’Connor, Kathleen M. “Teaching Jeremiah” Perspectives in Religious Studies 36/3 (2009) 273-287 [15 pages]

Reid, Stephen Breck. “Patriotism and Loyalty: The Foundation of a Quest for Black Liberation,” pp. 53-81 in his Experience and Tradition. A Primer in Black Biblical Hermeneutics (Abingdon, 1990) [31 pages]

Trible, Phyllis. “Depatriarchalizing in Biblical Interpretation.” (1973). Journal of the American Academy of Religion 12 (1973) 30-48 [19 pages]

RECOMMENDED READING:

Anderson, Bernhard W. with Steven Bishop. Out of the Depths: The Psalms Speak for Us Today. Westminster John Knox, 2000. ISBN: 978-0664258320, Pub. Price $30.00.

Brown, William P. Wisdom’s Wonder: Character, Creation and Crisis. Eerdmans, 2014. ISBN: 978-0802867933, Pub. Price $25.00.

Gowan, Donald E. Theology of the Prophetic Books: The Death and Resurrection of Israel. Westminster John Knox, 1998. ISBN: 978-0664256890, Pub. Price $30.00.

Gutierrez, Gustavo. On Job: God-Talk and the Suffering of the Innocent. Orbis Books, 1987. ISBN: 978-0883445525, Pub. Price $18.00.

Mann, Thomas. The Book of Torah. 2nd edition. Wipf and Stock, 2013. ISBN: 978-1610978958, Pub. Price $29.00.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. 1,196 pages of required reading. Students need to indicate the number of pages read, and a brief summary or a question on each book or article that demonstrates engagement with the required reading. (25%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3, 4, 5] [80 hours].
2. Successful completion of one quiz on the scripture reading, history and geographical setting of ancient Israel (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1 and 2.] [4 hours].
3. Two 500-word reflections responding to 2 assigned reading (Take-home, open book) (25%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3, 4, 5] [10 hours for preparation and writing].
4. Interpretive assignment (2500-3500 words). Students will write an interpretive paper on a Selected Biblical Passage [this is the “interpretive assignment” that serves as the signature assignment for the course]. The assignment will provide a close reading of the text, its context, and make use of the required readings. (40%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #2, 3, 4, and 5]. [30 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets a core requirement in the 120 MDiv, 80 MAT, 80 MATM, and 80 MAICS Programs (Fall 2015). Meets the OTC requirement in the 144 MDiv. Option to meet requirement in the MAT Program (Winter 2010) and a core requirement for the MATM, MAICS, and MACL Programs (Winter 2010).

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.