Exploring the Old Testament (BA8001C)

Postgraduate, 24.0 points

Content

This unit explores the world of the Old Testament and demonstrates its enduring relevance. It provides insights into the diverse historical, cultural, social, and literary contexts of Old Testament literature. Through the study of selected biblical passages, students engage with various methods of interpretation, integrate perspectives of faith and reason, and discover pastoral and educational applications of these ancient texts for today. The unit also examines thematic and theological links between the Old and New Testaments.

Unit code: BA8001C

Unit status: Approved (Major revision)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Foundational

Unit discipline: Old Testament

Proposing College: Catholic Theological College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Identify the literary structure of the Old Testament, its narrative story line, key persons, institutions, events, and theological concepts.
2.

Use biblical introductions, dictionaries, and commentaries to analyse theological concepts, persons, and events related to the Old Testament.
3.

Examine secondary academic literature in the field of Old Testament studies.

4.

Critically investigate Old Testament theological concepts and their relevance to contemporary society and the church.
5.

Undertake advanced exegesis of Old Testament texts using appropriate methodology and secondary literature.

Pedagogy

Classes consist of interactive lectures, reading and analysing biblical texts, as well as discussions and seminars (in each case, presented in modes appropriate for face-to-face, online, or intensive learning contexts).

Indicative Bibliography

  • Barton, John, and Julia Bowden. The Original Story: God, Israel and the World. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2005.
  • Bergant, Dianne. Scripture: History and Interpretation. Engaging Theology: Catholic Perspectives. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2008.
  • Carr, David M. An Introduction to the Old Testament: Sacred Texts and Imperial Contexts of the Hebrew Bible. Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2010.
  • Clifford, Hywel C., Douglas S. Earl, Ryan O’Dowd, and Lena-Sofia Tiemeyer, eds. Companion to the Old Testament: Introduction, Interpretation, Application. London: SCM, 2016.
  • Collins, John J. Introduction to the Hebrew Bible. 3rd ed. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2018.
  • Collins, John J., Gina Hens-Piazza, Barbara Reid, and Donald Senior, eds. The Jerome Biblical Commentary for the Twenty-First Century. 3rd ed. London: T&T Clark, 2022.
  • Harrington, Daniel J. How Do Catholics Read the Bible? Come and See Series. Lanham: Sheed & Ward, 2005.
  • Jacobson, Rolf A., and Michael J. Chan. Introducing the Old Testament: A Historical, Literary, and Theological Survey. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2023.
  • Sumney, Jerry L. The Bible: An Introduction. 3rd ed. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2021.
  • Vatican Council II. Dei Verbum. Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation. 18 November 1965. In Vatican II: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents, edited by A. Flannery. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1980.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Short Answer Responses

online responses of about 50 words in each teaching week except the first and last

 500 10.0
Case Study 1000 20.0
Book Review 2000 30.0
Exegetical Essay 3000 40.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 26 Jun, 2024

Unit record last updated: 2024-06-26 14:18:08 +1000