Prophetic Voices: Hear the Word of the Lord! (BA9309B)

Postgraduate, 24.0 points

Content

This unit explores the nature of prophecy in Israel and Judah mainly during the eighth-century BCE. The theological themes of selected prophets will be considered, with particular attention to social justice and institutional reform. Drawing upon selected passages mainly from Amos and Hosea supplemented by Isaiah, we will seek to discern how these voices contribute to our engagement with contemporary concerns.

Unit code: BA9309B

Unit status: Approved (New unit)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Elective

Unit discipline: Old Testament

Proposing College: Eva Burrows College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Appraise the extent to which historical, political, and social frameworks contribute to the formulation of the message of the eighth-century prophets.
2.

Evaluate the impact of the major theological themes arising within the relevant prophetic materials.
3.

Exegete and interpret selected texts, referencing methodological considerations.
4.

Compare and contrast selected prophets’ responses to the religious and socio-cultural contexts of eighth-century Israel.
5.

Evaluate the contemporary mandate to social action with respect to the message of the eighth century prophets.

Unit sequence

24 points Old Testament (BA)

Pedagogy

Guided readings, completion of workbooks (including learning materials, questions, learning tasks, video and audio content), attendance and participation at scheduled virtual (online) classrooms.

Indicative Bibliography

  • Gossai, Hemchand. Social Critique by Israel's Eighth-Century Prophets. Eugene: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2013.
  • Blenkinsopp, Joseph. A History of Prophecy in Israel. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2009.
  • Chaney, Marvin L. Peasants, Prophets, & Political Economy: The Hebrew Bible in Social Perspective. Eugene, Oregon: Cascade Books, 2017.
  • Dempsey, Carol. The Prophets: A Liberation-Critical Reading. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2000.
  • Dijkstra, Meindert, and Bob Becking. On Reading Prophetic Texts: Gender-Specific and Related Studies in Memory of Fokkelien Van Dijk-Hemmes. Biblical Interpretation, 18. Leiden: Brill, 1996
  • Hays, J. Daniel. The Message of the Prophets: A Survey of the Prophetic and Apocalyptic Books of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2010
  • Leclerc, Thomas, L. Introduction to the Prophets: Their Stories, Saying, and Scrolls. Mahwah, N.J.: Paulist, 2008.
  • Lundbom, Jack. The Hebrew Prophets: an introduction. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2010.
  • Nissinen, Martti. "Prophecy as Construct, Ancient and Modern. " In “Thus Speaks Ishtar of Arbela”: Prophecy in Israel, Assyria, and Egypt in the Neo-Assyrian Period, edited by Robert P. Gordon and Hans Barstad, 11-36. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 2013.
  • Nogalski, James. Introduction to the Hebrew Prophets. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2018.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)

Variant 1

Audio recording or Podcast 1700 25.0
Peer Evaluation 600 10.0
Exegetical Essay 1900 25.0
Essay 2800 40.0

Variant 2

Seminar or Tutorial 1600 25.0
Exegetical Essay 2200 30.0
Portfolio 3200 45.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 16 Aug, 2023

Unit record last updated: 2023-08-16 10:47:02 +1000