Content

There are two principal witnesses to the text of the book of Jeremiah, the Hebrew (Masoretic) and Greek (Septuagint) versions. The NRSV is a translation of the Hebrew version. The unit will first examine a selection of what are regarded as key texts in the book; namely the call narrative in ch. 1; the temple sermons in chs. 7 and 26; the “confessions of Jeremiah,” the “book of consolation” in chs. 30–31 (32–33), the accounts of the fall of Jerusalem in chs. 37–39, and Jeremiah’s forcible exile in Egypt in chs. 40–44. The unit will then explore how these and other “parts” of the book contribute to its overall structure and meaning. The unit will also consider some key themes in the book; namely true and false prophecy, the relationship between prophetic word and sign, and the dual role of the prophet as God’s messenger to the people and intercessor for the people.

Unit code: BA9310C

Unit status: Archived (Major revision)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Elective

Unit discipline: Old Testament

Proposing College: Catholic Theological College

Show when this unit is running

Learning outcomes

1.

Demonstrate a critical grasp of the geo-political, religious, and ideological contexts that produced the Book of Jeremiah;

2.

Clearly state the key themes of the preaching of Jeremiah as presented in the book;

3.

Show evidence of the integration of advanced skills and a range of critical approaches in the interpretation of texts;

4.

Exhibit the ability to reflect on and critically assess secondary literature and other scholarly research on the Book of Jeremiah;

5.

Show evidence of the capacity to reflect theologically on the Book of Jeremiah and to critically assess its relationship to other prophetic literature in the Old Testament;

6.

Demonstrate the capacity to research and critically assess one of a number of debated topics in current scholarly study of the book of Jeremiah.

Unit sequence

BS8001C and BS8002C. For students undertaking the unit for the Master’s award, demonstrated proficiency in the appropriate Biblical language(s).

Pedagogy

Teaching will involve lectures, seminars, tutorials, and class discussion.

Indicative Bibliography

  • Brueggemann, Walter. The Theology of the Book of Jeremiah. Old Testament Theology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2007.
  • Carroll, Robert P. Jeremiah: A Commentary. London: SCM Press, 1986.
  • Holladay, William L. Jeremiah 1 and Jeremiah 2. Edited by Paul D. Hanson. 2 vols. Hermeneia. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1986, 1989.
  • Jones, Douglas R. Jeremiah: Based on the Revised Standard Version. New Century Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1992.
  • Lundbom, Jack R. The Hebrew Prophets: An Introduction. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2010.
  • ———. Jeremiah 1–20; Jeremiah 21–36; Jeremiah 37–52. Anchor Bible 21–21B. New York: Doubleday, 1998–2004.
  • McKane, William. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on Jeremiah. 2 vols. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1986–1996.
  • O’Brien, Mark A.* Discerning the Dynamics of Jeremiah 1–25* (MT). Adelaide: ATF Press, 2017.
  • O* ’Connor, Kathleen M. Jeremiah: Pain and Promise. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2011.
  • Shead, Andrew G. A Mouth Full of Fire: The Word of God in the Words of Jeremiah. New Studies in Biblical Theology. Nottingham: Apollos, 2012.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Essay

4,500-word essay

4500 60.0
Exegesis

2500-word exegesis

2500 40.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by John Capper on 1 Aug, 2019

Unit record last updated: 2023-06-13 16:04:07 +1000