Course of Study School Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary 2121 Sheridan Road Evanston, IL 60201 Year Two 221 Bible II: Torah and Former Prophets Instructor: G. Brooke Lester brooke.lester@garrett.edu Course Description Preceding canonically through the Pentateuch (Genesis-Deuteronomy) and the Former Prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings), Hebrew Bible II examines the narrative of the ancient Israelites from its origins through the Fall of Jerusalem as detailed in the Hebrew Bible. Particular attention is given to a) the socio-historical context out of which the biblical text most probably emerged, b) select methods and tools of biblical scholarship, and c) the engagement of modern users with the biblical text. Attention is given to the earliest covenants, the Exodus, laws, codes and ritual, the rise of the monarchy, and (in a vein anticipatory of Hebrew Bible IV) specific pre-exilic prophets. Course Objectives This course is designed to introduce some major aspects of the study of the Hebrew Bible. These aspects include: 1. The historical context of the biblical material 2. The methods and tools of biblical scholarship 3. The use of biblical scholarship in modern ministerial settings Student Learning Goals As a result of participating in this course, individuals should be able to: 1. Articulate a history of ancient Israel up to the Fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians (not simply the narrative in the text, but the "history behind the text"). 2. Identify the geographic location of ancient nations and cities relevant for the study of the Hebrew Bible. 221-E 2018 1
3. Discuss various exegetical methods used for the study of the Hebrew Bible. 4. Identify various tools for the study of the Hebrew Bible. 5. Prepare a ministry tool (sermon, age-appropriate study, interactive experience, workshop, etc.). Required Books Coogan, Michael, The Old Testament: A Historical and Literary Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. Fretheim, Terance L., The Pentateuch: Interpreting Biblical Texts Series. Nashville: Abingdon, 1996. Recommended Books Birch, Bruce, Walter Brueggemann, Terence L. Fretheim, and David L. Petersen, A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament: 2nd Edition. Nashville: Abingdon, 2005. Curtis, Adrian, Oxford Bible Atlas New York: Oxford University Press, 2009. Course Requirements 1. Class attendance and participation - Students are expected to attend class on time (online and inresidence) and prepared (all reading and written assignments completed; ready to discuss material). As this is a participatory-intense course students must: 1) come prepared to discuss all assigned material in an informed, intelligent, critical (wrestling with author s views) manner and 2) take an active role in all group work and communal engagement activities. Class discussions and assignments will focus on the textbooks and other readings/resources as assigned by the instructor. During discussions, we will treat one another s ideas with respect. Students are held responsible for readings and material discussed during their absence and should check with a classmate to get an update on missed classroom activities. 2. Homework/Pre-Residential assignments see Homework Instructions and Assignments 3. Tests - There will be two (2) 100-point tests. Tests will cover reading material as well as inclass lectures and assignments. Because these tests will be given at the beginning of class, 221-E 2018 2
students are expected to come to class on time. Students coming to class late (after the test has been distributed) will not be allowed to take the test. There will be no makeup tests. 4. Ministry Tool Presentation - The Ministry Tool Presentation assignment is an opportunity for you to practice using your Hebrew Bible II learnings in a context that represents your vocational environment, and to learn from each other. This project includes two parts: a peer assessment and a presentation. Each student will submit an assessment for each of their colleagues presentations (50% of assignment grade) in addition to presenting their own ministry tool (50% of assignment grade). Choose a passage from the list below and prepare a short in-class (up to 15 minutes) presentation that demonstrates how you might use your Hebrew Bible II learnings beyond this class. Consider presenting a Bible study, sermon, or workshop exercise. 1 Your presentation might explain the elements of your study, model a portion of your sermon, or discuss a particular aspect of your exercise. Gen 16 Judges 19 Exod 32 2 Sam 6 A Word about Citations In addition to the formatting instructions outlined in GETS COS document 2014, special attention will be given to citing sources. If you quote from a printed text, you must use quotation marks and note the source (including pages) in parentheses at the end of each usage. Quotations should never be more than a sentence or two long. Ideas and information should be stated in your own words, not in the words of the authors you have read. For assigned texts, you may abbreviate the titles by using the first letter of each word in the title. For example, if the source is Harper s Bible Dictionary, then use (HBD, p. 34-35). If you refer to books that are not listed on the class reading 1 Students may propose other presentation passages or ideas to the instructor for approval by close of business on Tuesday during the in-residence session. 221-E 2018 3
list, then you must give full bibliographic information. The Proper Citations page will give you more information about how to present bibliographic information in your work. Using other people s materials without documentation, whether from a book, journal, teacher, another student, sermon service, or lectionary aid, is unacceptable behavior. Such activity, otherwise known as plagiarism usually means failure for the course with notification sent to the Conference Course of Study Registrar and the Division of Ordained Ministry. Professors will report all instances of plagiarism to the Director of the Course of Study. The Director will arrange for a meeting with the professor and the student, and the student will be given opportunity to explain the situation. The Director in consultation with the professor will make a decision about what action is appropriate for a first instance of plagiarism. Such action could include, rewriting the material, or failure of the course. A brief summary of the meeting will be prepared by the Director and placed in the student s file in the Course of Study Office and kept there until the student completes the Course of Study Curriculum. If a second instance of plagiarism is documented, the student will fail the course and the Director will determine what other consequences may apply. Final grades are calculated as follows: Grading Class attendance and participation, reading of the Hebrew Bible and secondary texts Timely and satisfactory completion of homework/pre-residential assignments 20% 30% Tests 30% Ministry Tool presentation 20% 221-E 2018 4
Grading of pre-course homework/assignments, class participation and Ministry Tool presentations follow the Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary Course of Study Grading Standards: A = Exceeds Expectation for Course of Study B = Expected Quality for Course of Study C = Passing Work but Not of Expected Quality D = Unacceptable Quality (no credit) F = Fail Grading of the multiple choice/short answer tests follows a basic point system: A 94-100 A- 91-93 B+ 87-90 B 84-86 B- 81-83 C+ 77-80 C 74-76 C- 71-73 D 67-70 F 0-66 Keep in mind that most conferences require a letter grade of C or better to pass the course. 221-E 2018 5
Homework Instructions and Assignments General Instructions 1. Read the assigned pages, chapters or essays, or view assigned podcasts take notes and answer the questions completely in your own words, using complete sentences (unless otherwise noted). Do not quote extensively from the texts you read. Digest the ideas and information, and then put them in your own words. 2. Follow word-count limits given for each item of written work. 3. Assignment Preparation and Production a. Produce your written work on 8 ½ x 11 paper, double-spaced with a 1 inch margin all around. Use a 12-point font (either Times New Roman or Calibri). b. On each page of your work, include a header with your name, the course number, and the page number. Begin each homework item on a new page, writing the item number at the beginning of your answer. Do not type the questions before your answers. c. Add a title page for the course which includes a) the name of the course, b) your name, and c) the date of the first day of class. d. Submit all homework pages together. e. The due date for homework is listed on the G-ETS COS main page. NOTE: Assignments turned in after the G-ETS COS due date will receive a 1/3 grade deduction per week (for example, if your work is A level but submitted after the G-ETS COS due date, you will receive an A-, and if it is submitted after one week past the G-ETS COS due date, you will receive a B+, etc.). In any case, all work must be submitted before the residential session begins. f. Make a copy of your material and bring it with you for your use during the in-residence portion of the school. 4. Citations and Plagiarism 221-E 2018 6
a. All citations should follow The Chicago Manual of Style (MLS) parenthetical citation format. 2 If you quote from a printed text, you must use note the source (including pages) in parentheses at the end of each usage. Quotations should never be more than a sentence or two long. Ideas and information should be stated in your own words, not in the words of the authors you read. b. Plagiarism - using other people s materials without documentation (i.e., from a book, a journal, a teacher, another student, a sermon service, or a lectionary aid), is unacceptable behavior. Incidents of plagiarism will result in failure of the course with notification sent to the Conference Course of Study Registrar and the Division of Ordained Ministry. c. Professors will report all instances of plagiarism to the Director of The Course of Study. The Director will arrange a meeting with the professor and the student, and the student will be given an opportunity to explain the situation. The Director, in consultation with the professor, will make a decision about what action is appropriate for a first instance of plagiarism. Such action could include rewriting the material or failure of the course. A brief summary of the meeting will be prepared by the Director and placed in the student s file in the Course of Study Office and kept there until the students completes the Course of Study curriculum. If a second instance of plagiarism is documented, the student will fail the course and the Director will determine what other consequences may apply. 2 If you are not familiar with MLS format, consult Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses and Dissertations (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1993), 175-179. 221-E 2018 7
Assignments Ø Most of the assignments include specific reading instructions. However, feel free to read beyond the prescribed sections. Use other required books, tables of contents, indices, and bibliographic information to increase your understanding of the material. Ø Most assigned biblical passages are of a manageable length. Familiarizing yourself with the biblical material will greatly enhance your understanding of the textbooks and will help you retain more of the content. Ø For the Time and Space assignments involving maps, timelines or charts, simply write the items longhand. Write directly on the attached maps, scan your work into PDF documents, and include the PDFs when you submit your written work. Pre-Residential Online Assignments complete these assignments and submit them by the due date for homework as listed on the G-ETS COS main page. 1. Unit 1 What is the Bible? Activity: Watch two-part podcast, Introduction to the Tanak" (Moodle site) Homework: Complete the Self-Inventory (Moodle site), offering about 3-5 sentences per question. 2. Unit 2 The World of the Ancient Near East Activity: Watch two podcasts, The Hebrew Bible in its Ancient Near Eastern Setting, lectures 2 and 3 in Christine Hayes podcast series (Moodle site) Homework: (Cosmic and National Origins) Read Coogan chapters 1-3 (Creations, The Formation of the Pentateuch, and Primeval History), Fretheim pages 19-38, Genesis 1-4, and Enuma Elish (PDF, Moodle site) a. Coogan explains the Documentary Hypothesis in chapter 2. Who is credited with the Documentary Hypothesis, and what are the four sources of the model? For each of the 221-E 2018 8
four sources/writer(s), list the following: name of the Divine used by the source/writer(s), characteristic(s) of the Divine highlighted by the source/writer(s), probable geographic location (i.e., northern or southern) of the source/writer(s), and any other information that distinguishes the source/writer(s). (500-750 words) b. Describe how Fretheim talks about author-centered, text-centered, and reader-centered approaches to the Bible. On what does each focus? What does Fretheim find uniquely promising about each of these three approaches? What does he see as their respective limitations? Be specific. (500-750 words) 3. Unit 3 Exegetical Methods Activity: Watch podcast, Dr. Kim Russaw's Exegetical Methods Overview (Moodle site) Homework: Take notes, including your own questions, and bring these into the residential sessions. 4. Unit 4 Family and Social Units Activity: Watch podcast, Family and Social Units Homework: Read Coogan chapters 5-7 (The Ancestors of Israel, Escape from Egypt, and From Egypt to Sinai), Exodus 1-40 and Weems, The Hebrew Women are Not Like the Egyptian Women: The Ideology of Race, Gender, and Sexual Reproduction in Exodus 1 a. The Exodus is one of ancient Israel s foundation stories. The story of moving from Egypt to an empty and promised land flowing with milk and honey has become an important component of the formation of a distinctly Israelite identity. Think about how the Exodus narrative is "true" and how it is mythic then reflect upon the following rendering of a U.S. foundation story: The rise of the U.S. over the last few centuries is attributable to the continuing legacy of the faith, tenacity, and hard work of the Pilgrims who survived the first winter at Plymouth. These fundamental principles, taken from our founding fathers, along with the indomitable desire for freedom from British tyranny were 221-E 2018 9
inscribed upon this New World in the founding documents of our Republic. And so with courage, integrity and personal industry, this land can be the land of opportunity for all. How is this rendering true and not so true? Answer the following questions: How do foundational stories shape the way we think about ourselves as a society? Why are foundational stories important? What is the cost of disrupting such a story? (500-750 words) b. Weems makes some strong claims in, The Hebrew Women are Not Like the Egyptian Women... Summarize Weems critique of previous reading strategies, and her understanding of the three Egyptian ideologies that the midwives challenge when they confront the Pharaoh. (500-750 words) 5. Unit 5 - The Law Homework: View the podcast "Law," as well as Part B of "Deuteronomy and the Deuteronomistic History" (that is, the lecture on Deuteronomy: see Moodle site). Read Coogan chapters 8-11 (Law and Ritual, Ritual and Holiness, In the Wilderness, and The End of the Journey to the Promised Land), review Exodus 20-23, and read Leviticus 17-26 and Deuteronomy 12-26. a. The laws of Leviticus 18 outlining forbidden sexual relations belong to a larger block of cultic prohibitions known as the Holiness Code (Lev 17-26). Consider Leviticus 18 within its larger socio-literary context. Think about who the implied speaker in this passage, who (in detail) the intended audience appears to be, and what segment of Israel s population (i.e., rich, poor, bureaucrats, scribes, priests, prophets, shepherds, slaves, men, women, urbanites, rural dwellers) benefits from the code and what segment suffers? Answer the following questions: What is the attitude toward human sexuality in Leviticus 18? Are all the prohibitions found in Leviticus 17-26 relevant today? If not, what makes some more relevant than others? (250-375 words) 221-E 2018 10
b. What is the relationship of the book of Deuteronomy to the preceding four books of the Pentateuch? What is its relationship to the books that follow? What are the core messages of the book of Deuteronomy? (250-375 words) 6. Unit 6 - The Monarchy Homework: View the two-part podcast "Royal Theology" (Moodle site). Read Coogan chapters 14-16 (The Establishment of the Monarchy, The Reign of David, and The Reign of Solomon)), 1 Samuel 1 Kings a. What are the promises of the Royal Ideology and how does it describe God s relationship to David and to Jerusalem/Zion? How does the Royal Ideology imagine God s relationship to the gods of the nations (see 2 Sa 7). (250-375 words) b. The Deuteronomistic Historian ascribes one paradigmatic sin to Solomon (1 Kings 11:5-13), but the previous chapters (1 Kings 3-10) present a genuinely mixed picture of Solomon s tenure. What are the most positive portrayals of Solomon s reign? What are some of the most negative portrayals of Solomon s reign? (250-375 words) 7. Unit 7 Divided Monarchies Homework: Watch Part A of the two-part podcast, Deuteronomy and the Deuteronomistic History" (that is, the lecture on the Deuteronomistic History: see Moodle site). Read Coogan chapters 17-21 (The Divided Kingdoms of Israel and Judah from the Late Tenth to the Early Eighth Centuries BCE, The Northern Kingdom of Israel in the Eighth Century BCE, The Kingdom of Judah in the Eighth and Early Seventh Centuries BCE, Judah in the Seventh Century BCE: The End of Assyrian Domination, and The Fall of Jerusalem), and 2 Kings. a. The Deuteronomistic History represents the fall of the northern kingdom Israel as divine punishment for how "they" (from a southern Judean perspective) failed to embody Israel's coventants with the God of Israel (2 Kings 17:7-23); the Deuteronomistic History then also represents the fall of the southern kingdom Judah as 221-E 2018 11
divine punishment for how "we" (from that same Judean perspective) also failed to embody those covenants (1 Kings 21:10-25:21). What are the "paradigmatic sins" of the northern and southern kingdoms, from the perspective of the Deuteronomistic History? What, in your view, are the "paradigmatic sin or sins" of the United States of America? In your understanding, what covenant(s) did/do these sin(s) violate? What do you understand to be the enduring consequences of that/those sin(s)? How do you assess them theologically (that is, in terms of God's ways with people and with the natural world)? Where is God's role in that/those paradigmatic sin(s) and in their enduring consequences? Answer each of these questions with specific, comparative reference to the details of 2 Kings (750-1125 words). Additional Pre-Residential Assignments Time and Space Knowledge of the social and historical context of the Hebrew Bible is important for preaching and teaching. Create timelines and maps for your future use. i. Timeline A: Periods of Empire in the Ancient Near East Many powerful empires dominated ancient Israel. Place the name of each empire (along with the approximate dates of its hegemony) on a timeline entitled Empires of the Ancient Near East 1. Assyrian domination 2. Babylonian domination 3. Egyptian domination 4. Greek domination 5. Persian domination 221-E 2018 12
ii. Timeline B: People and Events Place each of the events (along with the date) and the name of each key biblical figure on a timeline entitled People and Events 1. Exodus from Egypt 2. First mention of the people of Israel on Merneptah s stele 3. Beginning of David s reign 4. Israel divides into the northern and southern kingdoms 5. Fall of Samaria to Assyrian forces 6. Fall of Jerusalem to Babylonian forces 7. Abraham 8. David 9. Jeremiah 10. Josiah 11. Moses iii. Map A: The Ancient Near East Place the following nations and cities on the map entitled The Ancient Near East 1. Assyria 2. Babylon 3. Babylonia 4. Egypt 5. Israel 6. Judah Conclusion Having completing these assignments, what is there about the Hebrew Bible that you have not had the opportunity to address? What questions have been raised for you but not yet resolved satisfactorily? (1 page) 221-E 2018 13
Class Schedule (May be modified before residential session begins) OnLine/Pre-Residential All Online/Pre-Residential work should be completed and submitted by the due date for homework as listed on the G-ETS COS main page. Monday In-Residence (Re)Introduction to the Course The Problem* with the Bible Burning Questions/Cognition Check Tuesday Test 1 Exegetical Methods Exodus and Entry Wednesday Judah in the 8 th Century Tools for Study HOMEWORK: Study for Test 2; Prepare Ministry Tool presentation Thursday Test 2 Ministry Tool Presentations HOMEWORK: Prepare Ministry Tool presentation Friday Ministry Tool Presentations (concl.) Looking Forward Course Evaluation 221-E 2018 14