Upper Midwest Course of Study School

1 COS 221--Spring 2017 – p. COS 221 Bible II

Upper Midwest Course of Study School Morningside College, Sioux City, Iowa

Syllabus and Assignments Spring 2017 March 3,4 & April 28,29

Instructor: Dr. Dennis Tevis [email protected] 319-572-1940

This course interprets the critical events, developing institutions, and traditions of Israel. Attention is given to the earliest Covenants, to the Exodus, to the rise of the monarchy, and to other events leading up to the eighth century prophets.

Course Objectives

Students will be able to: 1. Articulate a historical overview of the experience and faith of ancient Israel. 2. Exegete selected passages that illustrate crucial turning points in the history of Israel. 3. Apply exegesis to preaching, other pastoral responsibilities, and current issues.

Required Texts (used and/or paperback books are acceptable)

Coogan, Michael D. The Old Testament: A Historical and Literary Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures, 3rd Ed. Oxford: Oxford UP, 2013.

Mays, J.L. The Harper Collins Bible Commentary (revised), HARPERONE, 2000 2

Web site material: Enuma Elish: http://faculty.gvsu.edu/websterm/enuma_elish.html

An Unnamed Woman: http://fontes.lstc.edu/~rklein/Documents/trible.htm

Suggested Resources

The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha (New Revised Standard Version, any edition)

The New Interpreter’s Commentary on the Bible, 12 vols. Nashville: Abington Press, 2008

The New Interpreter’s Dictionary on the Bible, 5 vols. Nashville: Abington Press, 2008

Instructions for Formatting Your Written Work

1. Read the pages, take notes and answer the questions completely in your own words. Do not quote extensively from the texts you read. Digest the ideas and information, and put them in your own words.

2. Follow the approximate length for each item of written work.

3. Format your written work for 8 ½ x 11 paper, double-spaced with a one-inch margin all around. Use a 12-point font.

4. On each page of your work, include a header with your name, the COS course number (221), and page number. Begin each question with on a new page, and include the number of the question at the beginning of your response.

5. If you quote from a printed text, you must use quotation marks and note the sources (including pages) in parenthesis at the end of each quotation. Quotations should be no longer than a sentence or two. 3 COS 221--Spring 2017 – p. Ideas and information should be stated in your own words. For the texts listed above, you may abbreviate the titles of the books referenced by using the first letter of each word in the title—for example HCBC for Harper Collins Bible Commentary. For material not listed above, you must give full bibliographic information.

6. Send your written work to the instructor as an attachment to an e- mail ([email protected]) by the due date.

7. The due date for written work is listed below on the syllabus. Work that is submitted after the due date will be subject to penalty outlined in the Course of Study Handbook.

8. Make a copy of your material and bring it with you for your use during class.

NOTE: Using other people’s materials without documentation is unacceptable. Such activity, otherwise known as plagiarism, may result in failure for the course with notification sent to the Conference Course of Study Registrar.

Assignments

Assignment 1-5 are due to the instructor by February 17, 2017. Assignments 6-10 are due by April 14, 2017. Assignments can always be submitted before the due date.

1. Geography. Read Coogan, pp. 13-27. a. What are the various terms for the lands of the Hebrew Bible, and what is the proper usage of each? (½ page). b. Why is it so important to know the geography of the Mediterranean world/Promised Land? (¼ page) c. OUTSIDE THE TEXT: What reputable and lay-friendly maps can you find of the lands of the Hebrew Bible? (These could be print or internet). How do you know they are useful for your intended audience? Provide a list and annotation for at least three sources of maps you might use in a Bible study (¼ page) 4

2. Canon. Read Coogan, pp. 3-12 and 47-58 a. What is a canon, and how do Jewish and Christian canons of the Hebrew Bible differ? (½ page) b. How do you understand the Documentary Hypothesis as put forth by Wellhausen? Include both a summary and your analysis of this idea (1 page) c. OUTSIDE THE TEXT: What other canons exist or have been proposed, either for the Hebrew, Christian New Testament, or both? How would you explain the variety of canons to a parishioner? (½ page)

3. Creations. Read Coogan, pp. 31-46, The Euma Elish (material found at http://faculty.gvsu.edu/websterm/enuma_elish.html), and Genesis 1-3. a. Genesis 1:1-2:4a and Genesis 2:4a-3 are two distinct accounts of creation. What evidence do you see in the Genesis text to support and/or contradict this contention, and how does your conclusion, based on that evidence, impact your reading, teaching or preaching of the creation stories? (½ page) b. How do comparative myths, such as the Enuma Elish, impact your reading, teaching, or preaching of the creation stories? (½ page)

4. Covenants. Read Coogan, pp. 59-70, 73-93, 114-145. Read Genesis 6:5-9:17, Genesis 12 and 17, Exodus 20-23. You may wish to refer to the suggested exegetical resources to assist you with your answers. a. What do we mean by the word “covenant” and what examples of covenant are central to the Pentateuch? (½ page) b. What does the emphasis on covenant in the Pentateuch tell the modern reader about 1) the ancient world; 2) the Israelite view of God/YHWH; and 3) the nature of the original audience? (1 page) c. OUTSIDE THE TEXT: Covenants have been central to Jewish identity both past and present. Locate one historical example of the intersection of Jewish covenant and the dominant culture, from any post-biblical period. Attach the article, or a link, summarize and analyze. How does this example show the importance of covenant in Judaism? (1½ pages) 5 COS 221--Spring 2017 – p.

5. Deuteronomistic (DTR) History. Read Coogan, pp. 196-232, Joshua 1-6 and Judges 1-8,19, and Trible’s “An Unnamed Woman” (found at http://fontes.lstc.edu/~rklein/Documents/trible.htm) a. What are the key features of the DTR history, including: 1) books and 2) themes (½ page) b. What is the job description /purpose of a “judge” in the DTR history? (½ page) c. The grotesque violence against the Levites’s concubine in Judges 19 led Trible to give this chapter of the Bible the title “Text of Terror” (1984). How do you reflect on this passage as the “theologian in residence” for your community? (1 page)

6. United Monarchy. Read Coogan, pp. 235-288, I Samuel 1-3, 8-10, 13- 16; 2 Samuel 6-7, 11-12; I Kings 3-5, 11 a. The DTR historian presents four main leaders in the united monarchy: Samuel, Saul, David, and Solomon. What is the basic portrayal of each man and what does this portrayal tell the reader about the theology of the Deuteronomist? (1½ pages) b. The covenant with David in 2 Samuel 7 is central to Zion ideology—the world view of the united monarchy. Consult some of the suggested exegetical resources on the meaning of this passage, the type of covenant in it, “Zion” as a biblical concept, the centrality of the Jerusalem temple etc. Then utilize this information to write a short homily on 2 Sam 7:1- 17. (1½ pages)

7. Northern Prophets/Divided Monarchy. Read Coogan, pp. 290-328 and Hosea. a. What is the role of a biblical prophet? Use examples from the text to illustrate hoe Hosea exemplifies this role. (¾ page) b. The images in Hosea have often been used by modern persons to support spousal abuse, rape, and other forms of violence against women (Weems, 1995). How do you read, preach, or teach a text like Hosea 2, or can you? (¾ page) 6

8. Southern Prophets/Divided Monarchy. Read Coogan, pp. 329-359, II Kings 18-20, 22-23:30, and Amos. a. Compare the reigns of Hezekiah and Josiah as presented by the DTR historian. What attributes does the Deuteronomist suggest are ideal for a king? (1 page) b. OUTSIDE THE TEXT: Amos 5:24 was famously used by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in both his “I Have a Dream” speech and his “Letter from the Birmingham Jail” to call for justice and civil rights. Find one additional example of the ways in which the biblical prophets have been used to promote social justice, civil rights, or equality. (This may be print or Internet). Attach the article, example, or link, summarize the content, and write an analysis of the ways the text is used. Is it appropriate to use ancient prophets to comment on contemporary social issues? How? When? Why? (1½ pages)

9. Fall and Exile. Read Coogan, pp. 358-384, II Chronicles 26, Jeremiah 52, Lamentations 1-5, and Psalm 137. a. How do the poetic texts (Lamentations and Psalms) relate to the historical texts (Chronicles and Jeremiah) here? (¼ page) b. What is the central theological concern of these poetic texts? What serious question is each asking? What answer, if any, is given? What is the view of God, evil, self, and humanity in each? On what occasion, if any might these be appropriate texts for the church; why do you respond as you do? (1¼ pages)

10. Conclusion. Having completed these assignments and participated in some class discussion, what haven’t we addressed that you would like to discuss? What questions have been raised in your mind that we haven’t satisfactorily engaged? (1 page) 7 COS 221--Spring 2017 – p. Grading System

Written work: 70% In-Class Assignments and Participation: 30%

A = 90 and above Exceeds expectations B = 80-90 Expected quality C = 70-80 Passing, but not of expected quality D = below 70, Unacceptable quality