Preliminay Course Syllabus BTS-5130 Theology of the Book of Genesis Canadian Mennonite University Winter Semester, 2015-2016 Voluntary Withdrawal Date Mar 18, 2016 Instructor: Dan Epp-Tiessen Ph.D University of St. Michael s College Office: South Campus near the Chapel, Room C19 Phone: 204-487-3300, ext. 326 E-mail: depptiessen@cmu.ca Course Description Genesis is a foundational book for the entire Bible because it tells the story of how God creates the world and then how God begins to create a people who are blessed and set apart, and who are called to be a blessing to the rest of the world. This course will use careful exegesis as a springboard for exploring Genesis themes such as: creation, blessing, the problem of sin, God s call, promise and fulfillment, and the formation of God s people. The course will also examine how these themes contribute to both the larger biblical story and Christian faith. The course will pay attention to the portrayal of major and minor characters, literary techniques of Hebrew narrative, larger and smaller structures in the book, different approaches to interpreting Genesis and its stories, the historical and cultural contexts out of which the material in Genesis may have emerged, and comparable Ancient Near Eastern literature which sheds light on the content of Genesis. Learning Objectives After successful completion of this course students should have: 1. a thorough knowledge of the content of the book of Genesis and its major themes; 2. some familiarity with different ways of reading and interpreting the book; 3. some understanding of how historical and social factors in ancient Israel shaped Genesis traditions; 4. some familiarity with the role Genesis traditions play in the larger Biblical story and in both Judaism and Christianity; 5. an appreciation for what the book of Genesis can contribute to contemporary Christian faith. Texts Bill T. Arnold Genesis, The New Cambridge Bible Commentary (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009). Walter Brueggemann, Genesis, Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching (Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1982). Any modern translation of the Bible, but not a paraphrase. Students should bring their Bibles to each class. Course Requirements Reading: Regular readings from the two textbooks in preparation for each class, as well as the occasional additional reading Written Work A 3-page outline and summary of the book of Genesis (due Jan. 13) 2
A major essay of at least 4500 words A reading journal with weekly entries responding to the assigned readings Class Presentation Attendance A 20 minute class presentation based on research for the essay Consistent class attendance is mandatory and will have a significant impact on a student s grade. I cannot give credit to students who do not participate in the course, and so any student missing more than two classes will not receive academic credit for the course. Students missing more than one class will receive significantly fewer marks for class participation. Grading Outline of the Book of Genesis 10% Class presentation 10% Major essay 25% Reading journal 20% Class participation, attendance, 10% and preparation Final Exam 25% Grading Scheme: A+ 95-100 C+ 67-73 A 88-94 C 60-66 B+ 81-87 D 50-59 B 74-80 F 0-49 Jan. 6 - Introduction to the course - Creation Jan. 13 Outline of the Book of Genesis Due - Some theories re. the composition of Genesis - What kind of book is Genesis? - Creation continued Tentative Course Outline Jan. 20 - Creation as foundation of the biblical story: Why it matters that the biblical story begins with God s creation of the cosmos and ends with God s re-creation of the cosmos - Sin and its consequences Jan. 27 - Thinking theologically about the Fall - The great flood and its aftermath - Does God send natural disasters to punish humanity? What kind of God would seek to destroy most of humanity? How do we understand divine judgment? Feb. 3 - The call of Abraham - First steps in faithfulness 3
Feb. 10 - Promises and covenants - What does it mean to live between promise and fulfillment? Feb. 17 reading week, no class Feb. 24 - Abraham s and Sarah s lives come to a close - Jacob lives up to his name Heel-grabber Mar. 2 - How can Jacob be the son of the promise and a source of blessing? - Jacob s sojourn in Haran God kicks open the door of Jacob s life Mar. 9 - Wrestling with God, blessing, renaming - Jacob returns home a changed man (sort of) Mar. 16 - The roles of women in Genesis why is the story mostly about men? - Joseph: spoiled brat Mar. 23 - Joseph: favoured by God and faithful in the face of temptation - Joseph: man of many gifts Mar 30 - Reconciliation: Joseph and his family - Does God control history, making things turn out right? - Final blessings - Final course reflections Final Exam: April??? Assignment: Outline of the Book of Genesis The purpose of this assignment is to familiarize you with the book of Genesis by having you read it carefully and think about its content and overall themes. I encourage you to read the book of Genesis at one sitting, or in as few sittings as possible. As you read create a brief tag or title that epitomizes or summarizes the content of each chapter. In some cases there is more than one story in a particular chapter, and sometimes the end of a chapter does not mark the end of a story. Regardless, I want you to stick with one tag or title per chapter. Make sure that your tags are descriptive and not vague. Keep you tags or titles short (a word or phrase, or very short sentence, but nothing longer than one line). Devising a short tag forces you to grapple with what the essence of each chapter is, which is part of the purpose of this assignment. Please do not simply copy the titles which many Bible translations provide for different stories, but come up with your own titles. 4
Genesis has 50 chapters and so your outline should have 50 entries arranged in two columns as illustrated below. It is essential that you double space between entries. Gen. 1 Gen. 2 Gen. 3 title title title etc. After you have devised a tag for each chapter of Genesis, compile a list of what you see as the major themes of the book. Try to compile a list of 5-10 items. Keep your description of the themes brief (this part of the assignment should take less than a page). After you have summarized the major themes of the book, write a 250-300 word description of the content and essence of the book. Don t just summarize the story told in the book, but try to capture what the book is all about theologically. This assignment is due at the beginning of class on Jan. 13. Class Presentation Each student is required to do a 20-25 minute presentation for the class, based on research for the major essay. The class presentation can take a variety of formats, but should be based on extensive research in commentaries and other sources about the content, context, meaning, role, and significance of the text or topic. The presentation may also deal with matters such as structure, narrative technique, character portrayal, and/or other features of the text which the student thinks are important. The presentation should pay significant attention to issues of interpretation and theological significance. The class presentation should be engaging, well organized, informative, and carefully prepared and timed. The presentation should not take the form of an essay that you simply read. A student s class presentation may take the form of a ca. 12 minute sermon based on text or topic from Genesis. The sermon should be based on careful research into the biblical text and utilize the techniques of effective preaching. After the sermon is preached in class the student should give a ca. 8 minute explanation as to why the sermon utilized the text in the particular way it did (i.e. Which features of the text does the sermon focus on and consider significant? Why these features and not others? What other things might one do in a sermon utilizing the same text?). If a student decides to preach a sermon the complete text of the sermon must be handed in at the end of class, or if the student uses only notes for preaching then she/he should arrange with me to videotape the sermon. Class presentations will be scheduled so as to fit with the topics being discussed in class. Essay Assignment 5
Each student is required to write an essay of ca. 4500 words. The essay may deal with a particular text from Genesis or focus on a topic related to the course material. The following points are important to remember as you work on your essay. 1. The essay should discuss and analyze the content and meaning of the passage(s) being studied, or explore the various dimensions of the chosen topic. 2. The essay should survey the relevant scholarship on the passage or topic, and indicate that you are familiar with both the relevant scholarly viewpoints regarding the text or topic, and interpretive issues which the text itself presents. You should consult a variety of secondary sources such as Bible dictionaries, topical studies, journal articles, theological books, and especially commentaries. You may use internet sources but because such sources are often unreliable you should use them judiciously and sparingly, and only as a supplement to library sources. 3. The essay should contain some of your personal evaluation of issues raised by the text or by scholarly work related to the text or topic. There are often differences of opinion among biblical scholars and theologians, and so it is important to be able to evaluate the validity of different arguments and viewpoints. 4. It is essential that the paper utilize proper essay format, and be written in proper English style with a minimum of stylistic, grammar, and spelling errors. It is also essential that you avoid plagiarism and document your work properly. You may use either the MLA or Chicago style of documenting your work, as long as you use one style consistently and appropriately. 5. Below is a list of suggested topics. I would like you to work on a text or topic that is of particular interest to you, and so I encourage you to choose one not listed below. If you decide to choose your own topic, to ensure that the topic is manageable and that the necessary resources are available, you must clear your text or topic with me before you begin working on your essay. In some cases I may disallow a topic because I am planning to treat it in detail in class. Every student should consult with me about defining their topic and finding appropriate resources. 6. The essay is due one week before the class presentation. I need to see the essay so that I have a good sense of what the student will be presenting in class. That way I can prepare to deal with aspects of the topic that there is not time to deal with in the class presentation. Late essays earn one letter grade less than what they would receive if handed in on time. Christian and/or Jewish Interpretations of Eve Christian Interpretations of the Fall Genesis 4:1-24: Cain and Abel The Nature and Function of Genealogies in Genesis The Biblical Flood Story Compared to Other Ancient Flood Stories Genesis 11:1-9: The Tower and City of Babel Patriarchs Disowning Their Wives 6
Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis and Biblical Tradition The Portrayal of Lot in Genesis The Barrenness Motif in Genesis Genesis 22:1-19: The Near-Sacrifice of Isaac The Role of Covenant in Genesis The Role and Portrayal of Hagar and Ishmael The Role of Blessing in Genesis A Feminist Analysis of Sarah as a Character in Genesis Rachel and Leah: Competing for the Spoils of a Patriarchal System The Promise of Land in Genesis Paul s Use of Abraham Traditions Paul s Use of Other Genesis Traditions: Adam, Fall, Eve Divine Providence in the Joseph Cycle Genesis 49: Jacob Blesses His Sons Genesis themes in Revelation 22:1 22:7 7