Justice in the Old Testament (BA1011S)

Content

This is an introductory unit to the Hebrew Bible, with a particular focus on reading the texts through a broad theme of justice. The unit will explore the relationship between justice and other theological themes such as righteousness, peace, liberation, law and inclusion. Notions of the justice of YHWH, and justice in the world will be examined, including issues of injustice and suffering. Historical, cultural and literary contexts of the Hebrew Bible will be explored in the light of the theme of justice. Modern exegetical approaches to the biblical text will be incorporated and evaluated.

Learning outcomes

Pedagogy

Face-to-face intensive consisting of lectures and seminars with forums and readings online

Indicative Bibliography

• Birch, Bruce C. Let justice roll down: The Old Testament, ethics and Christian life. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1991. (recommended for purchase)
• Carr, David M. Holy Resilience: The Bible’s Traumatic Origins. New Haven, CN: Yale University Press, 2014.
• Coomber, Matthew J. M. Bible and Justice: Ancient Texts, Modern Challenges. London: Equinox, 2011.
• Fretheim, Terence E. God and the World in the Old Testament: A Relational Theology of Creation. Nashville: Abingdon, 2005.
• Houston, Walter. Contending for Justice: Ideologies and Theologies of Social Justice in the Old Testament, London: T&T Clark, 2009.
• Pope-Levison, Priscilla and John R. Levison. eds. Return to Babel: Global perspectives on the Bible. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 1999.
• Malchow, Bruce V. Social Justice in the Hebrew Bible. Collegeville, MN: The Order of St. Benedict, 1996.
• Newsom, Carol A., Sharon H. Ringe and Jacqueline E. Lapsley, eds. Women’s Bible Commentary. 3rd ed. Revised and updated. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2012.
• O’Brien, Mark. Restoring Right Relationship: The Bible on Divine Righteousness. Hindmarsh: ATF Press, 2014.
• Patte, Daniel. ed. Global Bible Commentary. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2004.
• Segovia, Fernando F., and Mary Ann Tolbert, eds. Reading From This Place: Social Location and Biblical Interpretation in Global Perspective, Vol. 2, Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1995.
• Sugirtharajah, R. S. ed. Voices from the margin: Interpreting the Bible in the third world. 3rd ed. Revised and expanded. New York: Orbis Books, 2006.
• Weinfeld, Moshe. Social Justice in Ancient Israel and in the Ancient Near East. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1995.
• West, Gerald O. The Academy of the Poor: Towards a Dialogical Reading of the Bible. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Pr, 1999.
• West, Gerald O. ed. Reading Other-Wise: Socially Engaged Biblical Scholars Reading With Their Local Communities. Leiden ; Boston: Brill, 2007.
• Wright, Christopher J. H. Old Testament Ethics for the People of God. Leicester: IVP, 2004.

Assessment