Introduction to the Old Testament III
The main objective of this course is to provide a detailed description of the content of the text of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, of the history of the literature and of the isagogics of ancient Israel. This objective will be achieved through the employment of the various books of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible as primary sources and extra-biblical texts as secondary sources. While the course takes a historical and archaeological approach as regards to the accounts and literature of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, much time will be allocated for questions and facts of theological, ethical and sociological nature. The goal is also to facilitate engagement with the methods and/or approaches and furthermore with the results of modern biblical scholarship.
The specific objective of this course is to introduce the student to the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible by means of its historical, literary and religious context. Topics to be tackled include the primeval and patriarchal periods, the exodus, the Sinai covenant, the desert wanderings, the conquest and monarchic traditions, the message of the prophets, the place and relevance of wisdom texts, and the exilic and post-exilic periods. The course homes in on the interpretative enterprise en ensemble, on the authors/editors/redactors/compilers and historical background of the individual books of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible and its wider cultural milieu in the ancient Near East. Theological facets of these ancient works are also explored, shifting from the theoretical issues to the more practical matters of daily life and experience. This course does presume medium level competence in terms of the content of the Hungarian text of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible on the part of the student. Therefore, the student with previous knowledge of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible will experience this course to be advantageous but those who lack such an acquaintance will not be at disadvantage.
Competences
Specific competences
By means of this course, the student will acquire a solid working knowledge of the literature, history and religion of ancient Israel. The student will learn to employ the various books of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible as primary sources and extra-biblical texts as secondary sources. While the course takes a historical and archaeological approach as regards to the accounts and literature of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, the student will also learn to interact with questions and facts of theological, ethical and sociological nature. The student will also learn how to engage with the methods and/or approaches and furthermore with the results of modern biblical scholarship. More specifically the student will:- acquire exposure to the history and literature of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible and also to the recent archaeological developments that intersect with Ancient Israel and Judah;
- be educated at a basic level in the critical analysis of different literary forms and genres;
- accumulate significant knowledge with respect to the theories regarding the genesis and development of the Torah;
- earn basic familiarity with those extra-biblical texts, which illuminate the literary form of the Torah;
- be acquainted with the most important issues of the historiography of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible.
General competences
By means of this course, the student will be able to utilize the various interpretational and hermeneutical methods and/or approaches presented in other fields of humanities, such as classical literature etc. Through the interaction with the results of the various archaeological data pertaining to the accounts and literature of the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, the student will be able to make connections with the current geography and history of the Middle-East. The student’s knowledge and comprehension of current political issues regarding the Middle-East will also be enhanced. The student’s ability to work in a team will also be improved, as his/her oral or writing skills, respect and also development of professional thinking and ethics, usage of computers and the proficiency to solve questions pertaining to the interpretation of ancient texts. The student will also gain some expertise in recognizing and respecting cultural and ethnic diversity present in the relevant ancient texts. The student will be encouraged to be imaginative in terms of his/her theological thinking and future homiletical practice, whereby nurturing a constant openness towards the possibility of new discoveries in this field of study.Course structure
Total estimated time
| Classroom study | Course | Seminar | Practice | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 hours/week | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 28 hours/semester | 28 | 0 | 0 | |
| Individual study | Hours/sem | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total estimated time | 124 | |||
| Studying course notes and bibliography | 60 | |||
| Further documentation in libraries, electronic platforms, or on the field | 28 | |||
| Preparing essays, papers, or documentation | 8 | |||
| Personal tutoring | 0 | |||
| Total individual study | 96 | |||
Examination
Attendance: The course relies significantly upon the material discussed in class. Therefore, attendance is significantly related to one’s success in the course. Reading: The student ought to read all the assigned readings for the class. If a student consistently appears to be unprepared the class participation grade will be adversely affected. The lecturer reserves the right to assign quizzes to those who obnoxiously refuse to prepare for upcoming classes. Cheating, plagiarizing, copying, etc. are not tolerated.
Bibliography
Book
- (É. N.): A Szentírás megismerése. Budapest: Keresztyén Iratterjesztő Alapítvány, 142 old.
- (2001): Az ószövetségi bevezetés vizsgálata. Budapest: Keresztyén Iratterjesztő Alapítvány, 608 old.
- (1999): Bevezetés az Ószövetségbe. Budapest: Kálvin János Kiadó, 514 old.
- (1995): Az Ószövetség keletkezése 1.. Budapest: Szent István Társulat, 373 old.
- (2001): Bevezetés az Ószövetségbe. Az ígéretek emlékezete. Katolikus teológiai kézikönyvek 29. Szeged: Agapé, 612 old.
- (1996): Old testament Survey. The Message, Form, and Background of the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 878 old.
- (1999): Introduction to the Old Testament. Peabody: Prince Press, 1325 old.
- (1964): Einleitung in das Alte Testament. Tübingen: J. C. B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 1129 old.
- (1989): Einführung in das Alte Testament. Berlin: De Gruyter, 428 old.
- (2003): Exploring the Old Testament: A Guide to the Pentateuch. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 207 old.
- (2003): Az ókori Izrael és Júda története. Piliscsaba: Pázmány Péter Katolikus Egyetem, 496 old.
- (1999): Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian Survey. Encountering Biblical Studies . Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 400 old.
- (1993): József és Testvérei. Budapest: Park Kiadó, 0 old.
Collection of studies
- (2001): Einleitung in das Alte Testament. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, 548 old.