Undergraduate Course: Patriarchs, Prophets and Poets: History, Theology and Literature of the Hebrew Bible (DIVI08034)
Course Outline
| School | School of Divinity |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The course introduces students to the academic study of the Hebrew Bible. It will explore the history of Ancient Israel in the context of the ancient West Asian environment and analyse its literature and theology against this historic background. Students will examine the biblical text more closely, and different methodological approaches are introduced that enable them to apply and develop their skills. The course considers shared themes as well as contemporary issues that allow students to progress to specialised biblical studies courses in their further study. |
| Course description |
Academic Description:
The course introduces students to the academic study of the Hebrew Bible. It will explore the history of Ancient Israel in the context of the ancient West Asian environment and analyse its literature and theology against this historic background. Students will examine the biblical text more closely, and different methodological approaches are introduced that enable them to apply and develop their skills. The course considers shared themes as well as contemporary issues that allow students to progress to specialised biblical studies courses in their further study.
Outline Content:
In each week, the course focuses on a different literary composition of the Hebrew Bible and investigates important characters and themes. The outline follows the sequence of the books in their canonical order. Topics covered include Why study the Hebrew Bible and How; Patriarchs and Exodus; Prophets and Their Books, Sages and Their Writings, and The Hebrew Bible and Contemporary Issues.
Student Learning Experience Information:
The course has a programme of three one-hour weekly lectures plus a one-hour tutorial. There will be interactive elements to the lectures that introduce key concepts and key texts. Using the flipped classroom model, parts of the lectures may be provided in form of pre-recorded videos that can later be used for revision. In addition, students will participate in a weekly tutorial, in which they deepen their exegetical skills and discuss particular biblical texts with key issues arising. An essay blog allows students to reflect on their learning and ¿test out¿ their ideas for the course essay; substantial feedback will enable them to develop a clear thesis and write their essay with confidence. Through these, as well as the final exam, students will demonstrate their achievement of the learning outcomes.
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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 |
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 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 33,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
Revision Session Hours 1,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
152 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
50 %,
Coursework
50 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
10% essay blog (ca. 500 words)
40% course essay (1500 words)
50% final exam |
| Feedback |
Students will receive regular oral feedback in class. Furthermore, the written feedback on their essay blog will feedforward to the course essay. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- develop and apply skills to analyse biblical texts in their historical context
- identify and discuss key themes in the Hebrew Bible
- understand and critique seminal contributions to the field
- engage in academic argumentation about the Hebrew Bible
- demonstrate an ability to identify key terms and their meanings
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Reading List
Collins, John. A Short Introduction to the Hebrew Bible. Third Edition. Fortress Press, 2018.
Richelle, Matthieu. Interpreting Israel¿s Scriptures. A Practical Guide to the Exegesis of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. Hendricks Academics, 2022.
Matthews, Victor H./Moyer, James C. The Old Testament: Text and Context. Baker Academic, 2012.
Further Reading
Baden, Joel/Stackert, Jeffrey. The Oxford Handbook of the Pentateuch. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2021.
Barton, John, The Hebrew Bible: A Critical Companion. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2016.
Kynes, Will. The Oxford Handbook of Wisdom and the Bible. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2021.
Matthews, Victor H. The Hebrew Prophets and Their Social World. Baker Academics, 2012.
Scholz, Susanne. Introducing the Women¿s Bible. London: Bloomsbury, 2017.
Sharp, Carolyn. The Oxford Handbook of the Prophets. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016.
Yee, Gale A (ed.). The Hebrew Bible: Feminist and Intersectional Perspectives. Fortress Press, 2018.
Zvi Brettler, Marc. How to Read the Bible. Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 2005. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
- empathy and imaginative insight, with a tolerance of diverse positions
- ability to gather, evaluate and synthesise different types of information
- writing skills, including clear expression and citing relevant evidence
- ability to engage critically with the meaning of scriptural materials and recognise that meanings may be multiple |
| Keywords | Hebrew Bible,Pentateuch,Prophets,Writings,Ancient Israel,Literature |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Anja Klein
Tel: (0131 6)50 8960
Email: Anja.Klein@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | |
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