Required reading: Leclerc. Thomas L. Introduction to the Prophets: Their Stories, Sayings, and Scrolls. Paulist Press (2007). ISBN-10: 0809144921 ISBN-13: 978-0809144921. This volume introduces college students and adult learners to biblical stories about the prophets as well as the theology and teachings of each of the prophetic books in the Bible. Chapter Review & Study Questions available on line. McEntire, Mark. A Chorus of Prophetic Voices: Introducing the Prophetic Literature of Ancient Israel. (2015). Westminster John Knox Press (2015). ISBN-10: 0664239986 ISBN-13: 978-0664239985. While there are many textbooks about the prophetic literature, most have taken either a historical or literary approach to studying the prophets. A Chorus of Prophetic Voices, by contrast, draws on both historical and literary approaches by paying careful attention to the prophets as narrative characters. It considers each unique prophetic voice in the canon, in its fully developed literary form, while also listening to what these voices say together about a particular experience in Israel's story. It presents these four scrolls--isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Book of the Twelve--as works produced in the aftermath of destruction, works that employ prophetic characters, and as the words uttered during the crises. The prophetic literature became for Israel, living in a context of dispersion and imperial domination, a portable and adaptable resource at once both challenging and comforting. This book provides the fullest picture available for introducing students to the prophetic literature by valuing the role of the original prophetic characters, the finished state of the books that bear their names, the separate historical crises in the life of Israel they address, and the "chorus of prophetic voices" one hears when reading them as part of a coherent literary corpus. McEntire is Professor of Biblical Studies at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. A widely published writer on the Hebrew Bible, he has written such books as The Old Testament Story, Ninth Edition, and Portraits of a Mature God: Choices in Old Testament Theology. He blogs at observingpointsofconvergence.wordpress.com. This will be a reading and writing intensive class with two textbooks (a total of 600 pages of reading) and various Biblical books (amounting to c. 350 pages, depending upon the version used). There will also be five, one-hour, in-class essay responses, a term paper of c. 2,500 words, a written final examination, and oral presentations by the students. We will look at the Prophetic Literature of the Hebrew Bible in historical context, considering the events and people that it describes, the circumstances of its production and development as literature, and the significance and implications of that literature. We will begin with the simpler introductory format of Leclerc s Introduction to the Prophets and in week four introduce the somewhat more sophisticated and recent approach of McEntire s Chorus of Prophetic Voices, and continue to read them side-by-side, Leclerc first, followed by McEntire s treatment of the same material.
GRADING 5 Quizzes @ 10% each 50% 1 Term Paper 15% 1 Final Exam 15% 1 Oral Presentation 10% Attendance and Participation 10% TOTAL 100% OUTCOMES The aims of this course are to acquire the basic content and skills of the academic study of the Prophetic Literature of the Bible. This requires knowledge of the history of the period in which this prophetic literature was produced, and of its composition and redaction, along with some critical understanding of the history of religious behavior in general. These are the tools for the construction of relevant and sustainable opinions about sacred literature and prophetic activity. The skills required to communicate those opinions clearly and persuasively will be developed. The acquisition, analysis, assessment, and articulation of this information will be practiced and evaluated. All student work should be well researched, well reasoned, and well written. The successful student in this course will demonstrate their abilities: to acquire reliable knowledge of the content of Biblical Prophecy to consider critically various theories of the composition of this literature to acquire a critical understanding of the history surrounding the composition of this literature to articulate that understanding both orally and in writing to construct relevant, informed, and durable answers to questions about these Biblical traditions to articulate and communicate those answers coherently and convincingly both orally and in writing to discuss those answers openly and fairly with those of differing perspectives
These outcomes will be assessed by the submission of short written essays 5 times during the semester, and of the production, in on-going collaboration with the instructor, of a 2,500 word term paper, as well as a final written examination and an oral presentation before the whole class. Given the situation of a directed study with one student the schedule will be flexible but will follow this rough pattern: WEEK ONE Introduction: The Course Outcomes and requirement. The introductory textbook: Leclerc, Introduction to the Prophets: Their Stories, Sayings, and Scrolls. Leclerc, Introduction, pp. xvii-xx; Chapter 1: Prophecy in Its Various Contexts, pp. 1-17. WEEK TWO Leclerc, Chapter 2: Intermediaries and Prophets in the Ancient Near East, pp. 18-36. Leclerc, Chapter 3: Stories of Prophets in the Pentateuch: Moses, pp. 37-49. Leclerc, Chapter 3: Stories of Prophets in the Pentateuch: The Book of Deuteronomy, pp. 49-60. WEEK THREE Leclerc, Chapter 4: Stories of the Prophets in the Deuteronomistic History, pp. 61-99. Leclerc, Chapter 5: The Prophetic Books, pp. 100-122. QUIZ #1. WEEK FOUR An alternative approach: McEntire, A Chorus of Prophetic Voices: Introducing the Prophetic Literature of Ancient Israel. McEntire, Chapter 1: Defining Prophetic Literature, pp. 1-21. Leclerc, Chapter 6: Amos of Tekoa, Prophet of Doom, pp. 123-141. McEntire, Chapter 3: The Scroll of the Twelve: Introduction and Response to the Assyrian Crisis, pp. 51-76. WEEK FIVE Leclerc, Chapter 7: Hosea, Prophet of the Covenant, pp. 142-161. Leclerc, Chapter 8: Isaiah, Prophet of Zion, pp. 162-174. Leclerc, Chapter 8: Isaiah, Prophet of Zion, pp. 174-187.
WEEK SIX McEntire, Chapter 2: The Scroll of Isaiah: Introduction and Response to the Assyrian Crisis, pp. 27-50. QUIZ #2: WEEK SEVEN: The Thesis and Topic of your Term Paper must be determined and approved by the Instructor by this time. Drafts of the paper will be periodically submitted to the instructor for comment and review before the final submission in the last class. Leclerc, Chapter 9: Micah of Moresheth, pp. 188-204. Leclerc, Chapter 10: Three Late Seventh-Century Prophets: Zephaniah, Nahum, Habakkuk, pp. 205-234. McEntire, Chapter 7: The Scroll of the Twelve continued: Response to the Babylonian Crisis, pp. 137-148. WEEK EIGHT Leclerc, Chapter 11: The Fall of Jerusalem: Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Obadiah, pp. 235-277. McEntire, Chapter 5: The Scroll of Jeremiah: Introduction and Response to the Babylonian Crisis, pp. 91-114. McEntire, Chapter 9: The Scroll of Jeremiah continued: Response to the Restoration Crisis, pp. 163-174. WEEK NINE Time to discuss the material. QUIZ #3. An annotated bibliography of at least five sources must be turned in by this time. You must use as many peer-reviewed as internet or other online, un-reviewed resources. WEEK TEN Leclerc, Chapter 12: Ezekiel, Priest and Prophet in Exile, pp. 278-303. McEntire, Chapter 6: The Scroll of Ezekiel: Introduction and Response to the Babylonian Crisis, pp. 115-136. McEntire, Chapter 10: The Scroll of Ezekiel continued: Response to the Restoration Crisis, pp. 175-186.
WEEK ELEVEN Leclerc, Chapter 13: The Second Isaiah: Consolation in Exile, pp. 304-332. McEntire, Chapter 4: The Scroll of Isaiah continued: Response to the Babylonian Crisis, pp. 77-90. McEntire, Chapter 8: The Scroll of Isaiah continued again: Response to the Restoration Crisis, pp. 149-162. WEEK TWELVE On line quiz for Guided Reading: Leclerc, Chapter 14: Prophecy After the Exile [Part 1]: Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, pp. 333-360. QUIZ #4. WEEK THIRTEEN Leclerc, Chapter 15: Prophecy After the Exile [Part 2]: Third Isaiah, Joel, Jonah and Daniel, pp. 360-390. McEntire, Chapter 11: The Scroll of the Twelve continued again: Response to the Restoration Crisis, pp. 187-200. WEEK FOURTEEN McEntire, Chapter 12: Hearing the Scrolls Together, pp. 201-220. Student Presentation. WEEK FIFTEEN Last Class. The Term Paper due. Discussion. Instructions for the Final Examination.