Undergraduate Course: Studies in Early Jewish Literature (DIVI10121)
Course Outline
| School | School of Divinity |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course progresses roughly chronologically through a selection of early Jewish texts organized around a central theme, which may change from year to year. Possible themes include temple, messiah, heaven, scriptural interpretation, ritual, gentiles, or relations between Jews and Christians. Historically contextualized close reading of these texts will afford students knowledge of both a specific theme in early Jewish literature and a broader understanding of Judaism in antiquity. |
| Course description |
Academic Description
This course provides an encounter with the diversity of early Jewish literature peripheral to the Jewish and Christian canons and texts such as pseudepigrapha, apocrypha, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and apocalypses. This encounter will take the form of close and historically sensitive analysis of a selection of texts arranged around a central theme, such as temple, messiah, heaven, scriptural interpretation, ritual, gentiles, or relations between Jews and Christians. Foundational to our analysis of these texts will be exploration of the manifold ways later texts are both dependent on and innovating from earlier texts, especially those which came to have scriptural status. Early Christian texts may be included in our selection of literature given that many such texts were written by ethnic Jews and were deeply conversant with Jewish literature and cultural traditions. Students will grow in their sensitivity to historical and literary considerations in the comparative study of ancient literature. Moreover, students will gain both a deep understanding of a particular theme across early Jewish literature and a general grasp of Judaism in the Second Temple period and late antiquity.
Sample Outline Content
'Piercing the Veil: Depictions of the Unseen Realm in Early Jewish Literature'. After an introduction, which sets the stage in terms of historical contexts, literary genres, and modes of analysis, we will begin with the foundational visions of Moses at Mount Sinai and Ezekiel at the River Chebar. The course will progress roughly chronologically through biblical and parabiblical texts of the Second Temple period and beyond. We will encounter depictions of the layers of heaven, the divine chariot (or Merkavah), celestial architecture, heavenly beings (friendly and otherwise), messianic figures, angelic liturgy, and human transfiguration. Along the way, we will sustain a persistent line of inquiry into various retrievals of traditional imagery and language along with arresting innovations on those traditions.
Student Learning Experience: There will be a weekly 2-hour seminar, which will comprise interactive lecture and discussion. Seminar meetings will focus on close analysis of ancient texts and critical assessment of scholarly literature. Assessment will be through a mid-semester essay and a final essay in lieu of exam.
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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 | Visiting students should have at least 3 Divinity/Religious Studies courses at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this). We will only consider University/College level courses. |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, 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
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 22,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 1,
Formative Assessment Hours 1,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Placement Study Abroad Hours 172,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
0 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
90 %,
Practical Exam
10 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Presentation 10% «br /»
Mid-semester essay (1500 words) 30% «br /»
Final essay in lieu of exam (3000 words) 60% |
| Feedback |
Students will submit essay plans to course lecturer and receive formative feedback. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Interpret ancient Jewish religious texts with awareness of historical and literary contexts
- Trace, through comparative study, conventionality and innovation around selected idioms, images, and ideas in early Jewish writings
- Give a detailed account of a selected theme in early Jewish literature with attention to its diverse literary representations
- Identify intersections of Jewish and Christian thought and literary production in antiquity
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Reading List
Collins, John J. The Apocalyptic Imagination: An Introduction to Jewish Apocalyptic Literature. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2016.
Collins, John J., ed. The Oxford Handbook of Apocalyptic Literature. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014. Docherty, Susan E. The Jewish Pseudepigrapha an Introduction to the Literature of the Second Temple Period. London: SPCK, 2014.
Grabbe, Lester L. An Introduction to Second Temple Judaism: History and Religion of the Jews in the Time of Nehemiah, the Maccabees, Hillel and Jesus. London: T&T Clark, 2010.
Lim, Timothy H., and John J. Collins, eds. The Oxford Handbook of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.
Vanderkam, James C. An Introduction to Early Judaism. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Curiosity for learning and openness to different perspectives
Ability to think critically and reflectively
Ability to solve problems creatively
Ability to communicate effectively with others, both orally and in writing
Capacity to give a clear and accurate account of a subject, marshal arguments, and engage in respectful debate and dialogue |
| Keywords | Second Temple Judaism,apocalyptic literature,Dead Sea Scrolls,pseudepigrapha,mysticism |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr J-Thomas Hewitt
Tel:
Email: JThomas.Hewitt@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | |
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