EBTC 2019 SYLLABUS MASTER OF DIVINITY BI 726 BIBLE GEOGRAPHY Dr. Bruce Alvord 1 EBTC-ONLINE.ORG/MASTER Course Syllabus COURSE DESCRIPTION A survey of the principal physical features of the land of Israel and a review of the most important aspects of historical geography in the Old and New Testaments. Special attention will be given to the relationship between Israel’s geography and the biblical events connected with it, as well as interpreting and applying select biblical texts that have significant geographical meaning. Photographs, video clips, reconstructions, and a wide variety of maps help the students to picture and understand these aspects of the Bible. COURSE GOALS Learning Outcomes: Overview This section shows you how this class contributes to the purposes of the M.Div. program, as a part of fulfilling the mission of the European Bible Training Center. EBTC Mission Statement The European Bible Training Center exists to equip godly men to the pastors and/or trainers of pastors for service to Christ in strategic fields of Christian ministry through an educational program and an environment of spiritual fellowship and relationships which emphasize unreserved commitment to the worship of God, submission to the authority of the Scriptures, a life of personal holiness, the priority of the local church, and the mission of penetrating the world with the Truth. M.Div. Program Purpose Statement The Master of Divinity Program is designed to provide a broad biblical theological understanding, personal growth, and professional preparation for church or mission vocations requiring ordination. 2 M.Div. Program Learning Outcomes PLO #1: As a future elder, pastor, missionary or educator, comprehend the significant areas of Biblical Interpretation, Biblical Languages, Christian Theology and Pastoral ministry. PLO #2: As a future elder/pastor, construct a personal philosophy of ministry with application to the desired vocational goals. PLO #3: As a future teacher of the Scripture, synthesize the input of Biblical languages, Bible backgrounds and theological constructs to preach and teach the Bible to varied age levels and abilities within any ministry context. PLO #4: As a future spiritual leader, exhibit the disciplines of holiness, prayer, and compassion required for ministry. Division of Old Testament Studies Purpose Statement It is essential that the student of biblical studies obtain the tools necessary for an accurate interpretation and a deeper appreciation of the text of the OT. The OT which we accept as the Word of God was written originally in the Hebrew and Aramaic languages of the ancient Near East. Any student of Scripture who wishes to heighten his expertise in the exposition of the literature of the OT must have some acquaintance with its original languages. According to the historical declaration of our faith, the final authority for resolving questions of interpretation resides in the original languages of the Scriptures. Our historic faith also declares that we believe in providing translations of the Word of God in the heart languages of those who do not know the original languages of Scripture. Whether in the realm of preaching or teaching or translation, the student must obtain a certain degree of proficiency in the biblical languages if he is to be properly prepared for ministry. Division of Old Testament Studies Learning Outcomes DLO #1: As a translator, demonstrate competency with vocabulary, basic grammar, and standard tools to translate simple biblical Hebrew texts. DLO #2: As a scholar, implement a sound research methodology to interpret the Hebrew Bible. DLO #3: As an exegete, produce an exegetical project reflecting accuracy in critical thinking and writing. 3 DLO #4: As an expositor, write a sermon combining accurate translation and exegesis of the Hebrew text with reliable practical and theological implications. Student Learning Outcomes: This Course Upon our mutual, diligent completion of this course of study, you will be able to: SLO #1: Increase your interest in the Holy Land and your love for the Bible. SLO #2: Identify the major regions, significant geographical features and important biblical sites in Israel/Palestine, and use this in your study of the Bible, teaching and preaching. SLO #3: Better understand and remember biblical events because you can connect them with where they occurred geographically. SLO #4: Teach the Bible with more vividness and accuracy. Course Alignment Grid SLO #1 SLO #2 SLO #3 SLO#4 Reading X X X X Presentation X X X X Final Exam X X Course Project X X X 4 COURSE SCHEDULE (note: all written assignments will be turned in via Moodle, in both PDF and Word formats, and reading assignments will be reported via Moodle) Date Topic Assignment Class-time assignments 1 Oct 26 Live-Online Session 1: Due: 26.10. o Why study Bible Reading: Geography? Book: Beitzel o Overarching characteristics of the Book review: land. Book: Beitzel o 30 foundational objects. o The setting and general topography of Palestine. o Coastal Plain. 2 Nov 2 Live-Online Session 2: o Oral Quizzing on the (1) Review previous lecture previous week’s notes and prepare for oral material. quizzing on that material at the o Coastal Plain – start of class. Know and be able Jezreel Valley, Mt to identify the 30 key objects. Carmel, Plains of Sharon, Philistia and (2) Work on required readings the Shephelah. and book reports. o Hill Country – Nazareth, Cana Galilee, Jerusalem, Bethlehem. 3 Nov 9 Live-Online Session 3: o Oral Quizzing on the (1) Review previous lecture lecture material notes and prepare for oral already covered. quizzing at the start of class. o Jordan Valley Rift. 5 o Capernaum, Mt of (2) Work on required readings Beatitudes, Tiberius, and book reports. Jericho, Qumran. 4 Nov 16 Live-Online Session 4: Due: 13.11. o Oral Quizzing on the Reading: lecture material Books: Beck; Martin; Murphy- already covered. O'Connor o Ein Gedi, Masada, Sodom and Book Reviews: Gomorrah. Books: Beck; Martin; Murphy- o Eastern Range, O'Connor climate in Palestine. o Roads and Highways: International and Review previous lecture notes Internal. and prepare for oral quizzing at o Key Rivers and Mts in the start of class. Palestine. 5 Nov 23 Live-Online Session 5: o Oral Quizzing – (1) Continue to review all the preparation for the previous lecture notes and final exam. prepare for oral quizzing at the o Location of the Red start of class. Sea crossing – where did it happen? (2) Begin review for the final o Mt Sinai – where was exam. it located? o The Tabernacle. o Joshua’s 3 Campaigns. o Divisions of the land. 6 Dec 7 Live-Online Session 6: o Oral Quizzing – (1) Review previous lecture preparation for the notes and prepare for oral final exam. quizzing at the start of class. o Geography of the Life of Christ. (2) Prepare for the final exam. o Jerusalem. o Paul’s Journeys. 6 o 7 Churches of Revelation. Post-session assignments 7 Final Exam Due: 11.12.19 Final Exam 8 Course Project Due: 15.01.20 Written Course Project 9 Presentation Due: 09.02.20 Oral Presentation Course Schedule Information This class is a “Live-Online Class,” therefore the following schedule applies: 3 Unit class (CET) Live-Online (Zoom) 03:00 – 04:30 PM 26th of Oct. to 7th of Dec. 2019 04:45 – 06:15 PM Ca. 40 hours of class time 07:00 – 08:30 PM Ca. 90 hours of homework 08:45 – 09:30 PM COURSE ASSIGNMENTS a) Reading 1. Books a) Beitzel, Barry J. The New Moody Atlas of Bible Lands. Chicago: Moody Press, 2009. (276 pp) b) Beck, John A. The Holy Land for Christian Travelers: An Illustrated Guide to Israel. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2017. (246 pp) c) Martin, James C., John A. Beck, and David G. Hansen. A Visual Guide to Bible Events: Fascinating Insights into Where They Happened and Why. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 2009. (259 pp) d) Murphy-O'Connor, Jerome. The Holy Land: An Oxford Archaeological Guide. 5th edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. (219 pp – your choice of which pages to read but it must be at least 219 pages). My suggestion is to 7 focus your reading on the sites that most interest you, the one’s you will be doing your project on, and the ones we will go and visit). b) Book Reviews 1. Books a) Beitzel, Barry J. The New Moody Atlas of Bible Lands. Chicago: Moody Press, 2009. b) Beck, John A. The Holy Land for Christian Travelers: An Illustrated Guide to Israel. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2017. c) Martin, James C., John A. Beck, and David G. Hansen. A Visual Guide to Bible Events: Fascinating Insights into Where They Happened and Why. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 2009. Formatting Note: • 2 pages max. • 12 pt. font • Double spaced, 1 inch / 2,54 cm margins • Your name at the top • Book title at the top in the middle • No title page, footnotes, or bibliography allowed • Just two pages of text. • Upload in Moodle as a PDF file: Student-Name-Book-Title.pdf Content Note: In short, a book review does three things: briefly summarizes the book’s content (what did the author say?), evaluates the content (did the author deliver what he promised?), and make a recommendation / conclusion (who should read this book, if anyone?). c) Final Exam a) There will be a closed-book final exam at the end of the course covering all the lecture material. The exam will contain several maps to be labeled, short answers to fill in, multiple choice, true/false, and matching questions. b) The exam will be available on the M.Div. student platform “Moodle” and will be taken online.