Introduction to Scripture for Religious Educators (BS8661Y)

Postgraduate, 18.0 points

Content

This unit introduces teachers to the Scriptures by focussing on particular sections of the First (Old) and Second (New) Testaments and how these are interpreted within the Catholic tradition. It provides an overview of the relationship between Scripture and Revelation and principles and methods of biblical interpretation. This unit studies:

  • overview of key eras in Israelite history
  • overview of Old Testament literature
  • the Genesis Creation stories
  • duplicate narratives and presentations in Genesis
  • the social, political, and religious context of first-century CE Judaism
  • the formation of the Gospels
  • the infancy Narratives
  • the Gospel of Mark

Unit code: BS8661Y

Unit status: Approved (New unit)

Points: 18.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Foundational

Unit discipline: Biblical Studies

Delivery Mode: Intensive

Proposing College: Yarra Theological Union

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Learning outcomes

1.

Demonstrate some of the ways Genesis presents revelations about the divine/human relationship
2.

Explain how the Gospels present different 'portraits' of Jesus
3.

Identify methods of interpretation and engage in basic literary analysis of texts
4.

Explain why Scripture was written, and is read, in particular social, political and religious contexts
5.

Recognise and describe the role of Scripture as witness to God’s revelation for members of the Jewish and Christian faiths
6.

Apply learnings to critically assess the appropriate uses of scripture in religious education

Unit sequence

First Unit in GCTRE

Pedagogy

A dialogical approach, encouraging student participation and questioning, using lecturer input, videos, text analysis and revisioning exercises.

Indicative Bibliography

  • Boadt, Lawrence, Daniel J. Harrington & Richard J. Clifford. Reading the Old Testament: An Introduction. Revised 2nd ed. Mahwah, NJ: 2012.
  • Boring, Eugene. An Introduction to the New Testament: History, Literature, Theology. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 2012.
  • Charpentier, Etienne, How to Read the Old Testament. London: SCM Press, 1982.
  • Collins, John J. Introduction to the Hebrew Bible. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 2004 (or 2nd. ed., (2014).
  • Coloe, Mary L. A Friendly Guide to the Birth of Jesus. Mulgrave: Garratt Publishing, 2017.
  • Moloney, Francis J. The Gospel of Mark: a Commentary. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2002.
  • - - - A Friendly Guide to Mark's Gospel. Mulgrave: Garratt Publishing, 2012.
  • Perkins, Pheme. Reading the New Testament. Revised and updated 3rd ed. New York: Paulist Press, 2012.
  • Rhoads, David, Joanna Dewey & Donald Michie. Mark as Story: Introduction to the Narrative of a Gospel. 2nd ed. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 1999.
  • Scullion, John J. Genesis: a Commentary for Students, Teachers and Preachers. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1992.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Exegetical Essay 2000 45.0
Essay 2000 45.0
Personal & Professional Evaluation 500 10.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Maggie Kappelhoff on 27 Aug, 2021

Unit record last updated: 2021-08-27 14:41:01 +1000