Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Boston Old Testament Survey OT 500 PC South Africa Provisional Course Outline Professor Quonekuia Day, Ph.D. (cand.) TF: Arlene Hall, M.Div. Phone: (617) 427-7293 Email: QDay@gordonconwell.edu Course Date and Time: October 13, 2014-October 17, 2014 Monday-Thursday 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. and Friday 8:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Course Objective This course concentrates on the overall content of the entire Old Testament with its historical, geographic, and cultural backgrounds. Only the English translation of the Bible will be used. While the basic content of each individual book will be given, emphasis will be placed on how each book fits into the overall story of the Old Testament. This course objective is consistent with Article #1 of the Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary Mission Statement, To encourage students to become knowledgeable of God's inerrant Word, competent in its interpretation, proclamation and application in the contemporary world. Course Requirements Students will be expected to complete all assigned readings and participate in class discussions. The final course grade will be determined on the basis of a course quiz-25%, article review- 25%, and a Final Exam-50%. Grading scale is on a 100% scale (90=A-; 92.5=A; 97.5=A+) Course Quiz-The exam will be administered on the Third Day of Class, Wednesday October 15, 2014. The course quiz will be based on the content of the Bible Readings. There will be 10 short essay questions on the required Bible reading. The best way to prepare for the course quiz is to read ALL of the assigned Bible passages take notes on the Biblical passages and memorize your notes. You will not be allowed to use your Bible during the exam. Article Review-Due on the First Day of class. The article will be forwarded to students by September 10, 2014. The article review must be 3-4 pages, typed, 12-font and double-spaced. The essay should include the following: 1) An introduction paragraph
2) Pages 1-2-Summarize the points discussed by the author? Why is the essay written? What does the author want to prove? Make sure you use proper citation, include quotation marks etc. Be careful not to plagiarize the essay. 3) Pages 2-4-Evaluate the points of the author. Are the points convincing? What points do you agree or disagree with and why? Does the author use Old or New Testament scriptures to support his or her argument? If so, do you agree or disagree with the manner in which they are used to support his or her argument. Would you recommend this essay to a Pastor, a student, or a friend? The Final Exam-will be distributed on the final day of class. The final exam is due on October 31, 2014. Course Relationship to the Curriculum OT 500 Old Testament Survey fulfills the OT Survey requirement for all Diploma and Master s degree programs. Required Texts 1) Kaminski, C., CASKET Empty: God s Plan of Redemption through History Casket Study Guide (available in the Boston or South Hamilton Bookstore, Amazon.com or at casketempty.com) 2) Kaminski, C., CASKET Empty: God s Plan of Redemption through History Old Testament Timeline (available in the Boston or South Hamilton Bookstore, Amazon.com or at casketempty.com)
Required Reading Read all of CASKET Empty before the first day of class. Read Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus chs. 1-5, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, I and II Samuel, I and II Kings, Nehemiah, Ezra, Esther, Jeremiah, Daniel, Habakkuk, and Malachi before the third day of class. Class Schedule Monday, October 13, 2014 Article Review due Lectures: Introduction to Course, Genesis Numbers, Deuteronomy-Ruth Tuesday, October 14, 2014 Lectures: Introduction to United Kingdom part I and II, Northern Kingdom and Northern Prophets part I Wednesday, October 15, 2014 Course Quiz Northern Kingdom and Northern Prophets part II Thursday, October 16, 2014 Lecture: Overview of Southern Kingdom and Southern Prophets and Introduction to Wisdom Literature, Ester, Friday, October 17, 2014 Lecture: Exile and Temple Additional Recommended but not Required Books and Articles Assis, Elie. The Choice to Serve God and Assist His People: Rahab and Yael. Biblica 85, no. 1 (2004): 82-90. Aharoni, Y. & M. Avi-Yonah, The Macmillan Bible Atlas. New York: Macmillan General Reference, 1993. Andersen F. Job. Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press, 1976
Beck, John A. Why do Joshua s Readers Keep Crossing the River? The Narrative-Geographical Shaping Joshua 3-4. Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 48, no. 4 (2005): 680-699. Brueggemann, Walter. The New Interpreter s Bible vol. 1. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1994. Cole, R. Alan. Exodus: An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove: Inter Varsity Press, 1973. Frolov, Serge. Semiotics of Covert Action in 1 Samuel 9-10. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 31 no. 4 (2007): 429-450. Durham, John. Exodus: World Biblical Commentary. Waco: Word Books, 1987. Geoghegan, Jeffrey C. Israelite Sheepshearing and David s Rise to Power. Biblica 87, no. 1 (2006): 55-63. Harris, R. Laird, Gleason L. Archer, Jr., and Bruce K. Waltke. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Chicago: Moody Press, 1980. Hess, Richard S. The Book of Joshua as a Land Grant. Biblica 83, no. 4 (2002): 493-506. Hoffmeier, James K. Israel in Egypt. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996. Kaiser, Walter. A History of Israel. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1998. (January-March 2001): 36-51. Kofoed, Jens Bruun. Saul and Cultural Memory. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 25, no. 1 (2011): 124-150. Laney, Carl J. God s Self-Revelation in Exodus 34:6-8, Bibliotheca Sacra 158. Leuchter, Mark. 'Why Tarry The Wheels of his Chariot?' (Judg 5,28): Canaanite Chariots and Echoes of Egypt in the Song of Deborah. Biblica 91, no. 2 (2010): 256-268. Lewis, Peter E. Is There a Parallel between 1 Samuel 3 and the Sixth Chapter of the Egyptian Book of the Dead? Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 31, no. 3 (2007): 365-376. Matthews, Victor H., and Don C. Benjamin. Old Testament Parallels: Laws and Stories from the Ancient Near East. 3rd ed. New York: Paulist Press, 2006. Montet, Pierre. Egypt and the Bible. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1968. Nihan, Christophe. Israel s Festival Calendars in Leviticus 23, Numbers 28-29 and the Formation of Priestly Literature, in The Book of Leviticus and Numbers, ed. Thomas Römer, 177-231. Leuven: Uitgeverij Peeters, 2008.
Peleg, Yaron. Love at First Sight? David, Jonathan, and the Biblical Politics of Gender. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 30, no. 2 (2005): 171-189. Petrovich, Douglas. The Dating of Hazor s Destruction in Joshua 11 by Way of Biblical, Archaeological, and Epigraphical Evidence. Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 51, no. 3 (2008): 489-512. Reid, Garnett. Minimalism and Biblical History. Bibliotheca Sacra 155 (October-December 1998): 394-410. Robinson, Bernard P. Rahab of Canaan and Israel. Scandinavian Journal of the Old Testament 23, no. 2 (2009): 257-273. Sherwood, Aaron. A Leader s Misleading and a Prostitute s Profession: A Re-examination of Joshua 2. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 31, no. 1 (2006): 43-61. Stuart, Douglass. The New American Commentary vol 2 Exodus. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2006. Sprinkle, Joe M. The Rationale of the Laws of Clean and Unclean in the Old Testament. Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 43, no. 4 (2000): 637-657. Sellars, Dawn Maria. An Obedient Servant? The Reign of King Saul (1 Samuel 13-15) Reassessed. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 35, no. 3 (2011): 317-338. Wong, Gregory T.K. Goliath's Death and the Testament of Judah. Biblica 91, no. 3 (2010): 425-432. The Evangelical Theological Society 22/2 (June 1979): 97-101. Wyatt, Nick. Circumcision and Circumstance: Male Genital Mutilation in Ancient Israel and Ugarit. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament 33, no. 4 (2009): 405-431.