Postgraduate Course: The Dark Lord: God and Violence in the Hebrew Bible (PG) (DIVI11067)
Course Outline
| School | School of Divinity |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | There are several texts in the Hebrew Bible that trouble the understandings of God and challenge the modern exegete. This God attacks his chosen ones, he demands child sacrifice and genocide, and he inflicts misery and violence on his people. So, how can we conceive of a God who is macho, cruel, ruthless, and even indulges in ethnic cleansing? This course will examine such texts and wrestle with possible ways of interpretations. |
| Course description |
Academic Description: The Hebrew Bible contains number of texts that trouble the conventional Jewish and Christian understandings of God and challenge the reader of the Hebrew Bible. This God attacks his chosen ones from behind, he demands child sacrifice and genocide, and he inflicts misery and violence on his people. This course aims to integrate these seemingly incongruous texts in a differentiated understanding of the Hebrew Bible and its image of God. A historical critical reading contextualizes the texts as theological expressions in their time and integrates them into an image of God that is not always comprehensive and comfortable.
Due to the topic of the course, there are some (textual) depictions of violence that participants might find upsetting.
Outline Content:
Each week will focus on a set primary text accompanied by two or more secondary readings. The session in week 1 will provide an introductory session, while the last session will consist of a debate that summarizes the course content.
Student Learning Experience:
Students will be taught in a weekly mix of seminar and lecture. In the lecture session, the course teacher will introduce the biblical texts, combining close readings with interactive elements. The seminar sessions will feature student-led discussions that focus on the theological problems. The course will be taught using a flipped classroom approach, so that the lecture will always introduce the biblical texts of the following week. This structure will allow the students to prepare the seminars with confidence.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2024/25, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 11,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 11,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 1,
Revision Session Hours 1,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
172 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
90% research essay (4000 words), LO 1, 2, 3
10% lead in-seminar discussion, LO 2, 4 |
| Feedback |
Oral feedback in class, written feedback on seminar lead and essay, formative feedback on essay plan. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Critically analyse texts from the Hebrew Bible and discuss their implications for the conception of the deity.
- Understand, critique and evaluate scholarly views on divine violence.
- Communicate complex problems in a clear, effective, and persuasive format.
- Offer a critical exegesis of biblical passages and on this basis engage in cross-discipline discourse.
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Reading List
Course Reader:
Römer, Thomas. The Dark God: Cruelty, Sex, and Violence in the Old Testament. New York: Paulist Press, 2013.
General Resources on Hebrew Bible:
Barton, John/Muddiman, J. The Oxford Bible Commentary. Oxford: OUP, 2007.
Coogan, Michael D. The Old Testament: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: OUP, 2008.
Gertz, Jan Christian. The T&T Clark Handbook of the Old Testament: An Introduction to the Literature, Religion and History of the Old Testament. London: T&T Clark, 2012.
General Resources on Bible and Violence:
Avalos, Hector. Fighting Words: The Origins of Religious Violence. Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 2005.
Carroll R., M. Daniel/Wilgus, J., (Ed.). Wrestling with the Violence of God: Soundings in the Old Testament. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2015.
Crenshaw, James L. A Whirlpool of Torment. Israelite Traditions of God as an Oppressive Presence. Atlanta: SBL 2008 (Fortress 1984).
Dell, Katharine. (Ed.). Ethical and Unethical in the Old Testament: God and Humans in Dialogue. London: T&T Clark/Continuum, 2010.
Seibert, Eric. Disturbing Divine Behaviour: Troubling Old Testament Images of God. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2009.
Zehnder, M./Hallvard, H. (Ed.). Encountering Violence in the Bible. The Bible in the Modern World 55. Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2013. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
¿ Curiosity for learning and openness to different perspectives.
¿ Finely-tuned skills in translation, analysis and interpretation of biblical texts.
¿ Ability to communicate effectively with others, both orally and in writing.
¿ The capacity to give a clear and accurate account of a subject, marshal arguments, and engage in respectful debate and dialogue |
| Keywords | Hebrew Bible,theology,violence,Old Testament theology |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Peter Atkins
Tel:
Email: peter.atkins@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Andre Johnson Hall E Vasconcelos
Tel:
Email: ajohnso9@ed.ac.uk |
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