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Historical Books Syllabus

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Historical Books Syllabus Northern Seminary OT 302A – THE FORMER PROPHETS (MATM, Online) Fall 2016 Jason Gile, Ph.D. Affiliate Professor of Old Testament [email protected] Students must log in to Moodle before the first day of class. To access the online forum, go to student.seminary.edu > My Northern > “Moodle.” All registered students will be enrolled in Moodle automatically the week before the quarter begins. COURSE DESCRIPTION This course will acquaint students with the history, theology, and critical study of the Former Prophets of the Hebrew Bible: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. The focus is the proper interpretation of its message to Israel and its abiding significance for the church. OBJECTIVES After this course students will be able to: 1. demonstrate a basic understanding of the history and theology of the Former Prophets of the Old Testament: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. 2. reflect on the Old Testament as an ancient document and its implications for interpretation. 3. understand the goals and methods of biblical historiography in its ancient context. 4. be familiar with the literary and artistic qualities of biblical narrative. 5. summarize the issues associated with writing a modern history of Israel. 6. understand how the exile and restoration of Israel serve as background for understanding the life and work of Jesus Christ. REQUIRED TEXTS These books will also be used for Part B of the course. 1. The Bible in a modern translation, e.g., the NRSV, ESV, or NLT. 2. Goheen, Michael W. A Light to the Nations: The Missional Church and the Biblical Story. Baker, 2011. 242 pages. $22.99. ISBN 0801031419. 3. Leuchter, Mark A. and David T. Lamb, The Historical Writings: Introducing Israel’s Historical Literature. Fortress, 2016. 672 pages. $49.00. ISBN 0800699505. 4. Arnold, Bill T. and H. G. M. Williamson. Dictionary of the Old Testament: Historical Books. InterVarsity, 2005. 1084 pages. $60.00. ISBN 0830817824. (Abbreviated DOTHB in the course schedule) 5. Dutcher-Walls, Patricia. Reading the Historical Books: A Student’s Guide to Engaging the Biblical Text. Baker, 2014. 172 pages. $21.99. ISBN 0801048656. 6. Routledge, Robin. Old Testament Theology: A Thematic Approach. InterVarsity, 2009. 384 pages. $32.00. ISBN 0830828966. Topical Readings Provided by Professor (See below) COURSE REQUIREMENTS 1. Readings: Students are expected to prepare for each session by reading the assigned pages on time as indicated in the course schedule, including the biblical texts (prior reading does not substitute) and the secondary readings. 2. Videos: Students will watch short videos covering the course content, usually totaling less than 45 minutes per week. 3. Online Discussion: Students are required to participate in the online forums. Each week the professor posts starter questions online and students respond by interacting with the readings, classmates, and any other materials provided by the professor. The posts constitute 35% of the grade and are evaluated by critical engagement with the readings. Each week students are required to make one substantive posts and at least one response post. The substantive posts—amounting to somewhere between 400 and 450 words—should be directed towards the starter questions provided by the instructor. Students are expected to demonstrate engagement with the readings by citing and evaluating them. Each substantial post should include a follow-up discussion question for further discussion. The response posts should be directed toward the follow-up discussion questions provided by your classmates. They may be brief and need not cite the readings. 4. Quizzes: Students will take weekly quizzes consisting of multiple choice, fill in the blank, and short answer questions. You may not use course materials. Because you will have a limited amount of time to take each quiz, you must read and review the readings in advance. 5. Papers: Students will write two 4-5 page papers. Further instructions including bibliography will be distributed in class. a. Describe the conventions of biblical history writing and their relevance for biblical interpretation. Paper due at the end of week 5. b. Write a letter to someone wrestling with the ethical problem of the annihilation of the Canaanites. Guide them through the theological issues in a way that ultimately affirms Christian faith. Paper due at the end of week 10. Papers should be double-spaced with one-inch margins, using 12-point Times font. Use footnotes, not endnotes. Students must follow the style guidelines found in Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (8th ed.; University of Chicago Press, 2013). Please contact me early in the course if you have questions about what is expected. WEEKLY SCHEDULE The course will follow a set schedule during the week. The professor will post the discussion questions Monday morning and students must post their substantive posts no later than Thursday at midnight. Further discussion (i.e., response posts) may continue into the weekend. You must take the quiz between 10:00am Friday and 11:59 pm Sunday. Discussion: Monday 10:00am – Thursday 11:59pm Quiz: Friday 10:00am – Sunday 11:59pm STUDENT EVALUATION 35% Online Posts 35% Three Papers 30% Quizzes Averaged GRADING SCALE A = 100-95 A- = 94-90 B+ = 89-87 B = 86-83 B- = 82-80 C+ = 79-77 C = 76-73 C- = 72-70 D+ = 69-67 D = 66-63 D- = 62-60 F = 59 and below COURSE OUTLINE AND SCHEDULE Week 1. Reviewing OT Theology: God’s Mission through God’s People Recommended: Bandstra, “Survey of OT History,” 10-21 [12] Topical Reading: Goheen, Light to the Nations, 23–54 [32] Routledge, OT Theology, 311-333 [23] = 55 pp Week 2. The Former Prophets / The Deuteronomistic History Topical Reading: Hill & Walton, “Introduction to Historical Books,” 169–71 [3] Leuchter & Lamb, Historical Writings, 10-23 [14] DOTHB, “Deuteronomistic History” [10] Noth, Deuteronomistic History, 20-30 [11] = 38 pp Week 3. Ancient History Writing Topical Reading: Hill & Walton, “Introduction to Historical Books,” 172–75 [4] Leuchter & Lamb, Historical Writings, 4-10 Dutcher-Walls, Reading the Historical Books, viii-xx, 1–7 [20] Dutcher-Walls, Reading the Historical Books, 103-9, 133-61 [36] Walton, “Understanding the Past: Historiography” [21] = 68 pp Week 4. Poetics of Biblical Narrative Topical Reading: Berlin, Poetics and Interpretation, 13–22, 135–41 [17] Dutcher-Walls, Reading the Historical Books, ch. 2 [32] = 49 pp Week 5. Paper #1 Due: The Conventions of Biblical History Writing Week 6. Book of Joshua: The Conquest of the Land Bible Reading: Joshua 1-24 Content Reading: Leuchter & Lamb, Historical Writings, 25-30, 51-67, 68-105 [51] Topical Reading: Wright, “What about the Canaanites?” 86-96 [11] Tamez, “Bible and the Five Hundred Years of Conquest” [14] = 76 pp Additional Readings for Paper #2: Your task is not necessarily to read every page, but to identify and evaluate how the authors approach the problem. Eric Seibert. The Violence of Scripture: Overcoming the Old Testament’s Troubling Legacy. Fortress, 2012. Copan, Paul and Matt Flannagan. Did God Really Command Genocide? Coming to Terms with the Justice of God. Baker, 2014. These books are on reserve in the library and are also available for borrowing through iShare. Week 7. Historicity of the Conquest Topical Reading: Leuchter & Lamb, Historical Writings, 30-50 [21] Davies, “Searching for ‘Ancient Israel’” [16] Shanks, “The Biblical Minimalists” [11] = 48 pp NO CLASS THANKSGIVING WEEK: NOVEMBER 21-27 Week 8. Book of Judges Bible Reading: Judges 1–21 Content Reading: Leuchter & Lamb, Historical Writings, 109-153, 154-183 [65] = 65 pp Week 9. Feminist Interpretation of Judges Bible Reading: Judges 11, 19 Topical Reading: Trible, “Feminist Hermeneutics” [6] Masenya, “Without a Voice,” [10] = 16 pp Week 10. Paper #2 Due: The Ethical Problem of the Canaanites Course Evaluation Due TOPICAL READINGS (Listed according to the Course Schedule) Bandstra, Barry L. Pages 10-21 in Reading the Old Testament: Introduction to the Hebrew Bible. Fourth edition. Wadsworth, 2009. Hill, Andrew E. and John H. Walton. “Introduction to the Historical Books.” Pages 169-71 in A Survey of the Old Testament. 2nd edition. Zondervan, 2000. Noth, Martin. “The Central Theological Ideas.” Pages 20-30 in Reconsidering Israel and Judah: Recent Studies on the Deuteronomistic History. Sources for Biblical and Theological Study 8. Edited by Gary N. Knoppers and J. Gordon McConville. Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns, 2000. Repr. from pages 89-99, 141-42 in The Deuteronomistic History. JSOTSup 15. Sheffield Press, 1981. Hill, Andrew E. and John H. Walton. “Introduction to the Historical Books.” Pages 172-75 in A Survey of the Old Testament. 2nd edition. Zondervan, 2000. Walton, John H. “Understanding the Past: Historiography.” Pages 217-38 in Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible. Baker, 2006. Berlin, Adele. Pages 13–22, 135–41 in Poetics and Interpretation of Biblical Narrative. Eisenbrauns, 1994. Wright, Christopher J. H. “What about the Canaanites?” Pages 86-96 in The God I Don’t Understand: Reflections on Tough Questions of Faith. Zondervan, 2008. Tamez, Elsa. “The Bible and the Five Hundred Years of Conquest.” Pages 13–26 in Voices from the Margin: Interpreting the Bible in the Third World. Edited by R. S. Sugirtharajah. 3rd ed. Orbis, 2006. Davies, Philip R. “Searching for ‘Ancient Israel.’” Pages 22-48 in In Search of “Ancient Israel.” JSOTSup 148. Sheffield Academic, 1992. Shanks, Hershel. “The Biblical Minimalists: Expunging Ancient Israel's Past.” Bible Review 13 (1997): 32-39, 50-52. Available online: http://www.basarchive.org. Trible, Phyllis. “Feminist Hermeneutics and Biblical Studies,” Christian Century Feb. 3-10 (1982): 116-18. Available online: http://www.religion-online.org/ showarticle.asp?title=1281. Masenya, Madipoane. “Without a Voice, With a Violated Body: Re-Reading Judges 19 to Challenge Gender Violence in Sacred Texts.” Missionalia 40 (2012): 205–16.
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