(original
web document: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/religious_studies/Haas_web/RS106_syl.htm)
RELIGIOUS STUDIES 106
The Hebrew Bible and its Interpretations
A course taught at Vanderbilt University (5,800
undergraduates and 4,200
graduate and professional students) in Fall of 1998. It is
an introductory course that met for 3 hr/week for a 14-week semester. It was conducted as
part lecture, part discussion.
The course will be divided into six two-week modules, each centered around a particular
Biblical text. Each module will run as follows:
- FIRST TUESDAY: introduce the passage, discuss its place in the Bible and read the text
so as to identify its crucial parts.
- FIRST THURSDAY: discussion of the various ways in which the passage has been interpreted
in theology, literature and art. On the basis of this discussion, students will prepare a
3-page draft personal exegesis of the passage.
- SECOND TUESDAY: 3-page papers are due. Discussion of other themes or broader issues
(historical, theological, etc) raised by the passage.
- SECOND THURSDAY: Return of 3-page papers with comments. Conclusion of discussion of the
passage.
- THIRD (FIRST) TUESDAY: Final exegesis paper due for previous module. Introduction of new
passage...
EXAMPLE PAPER
MODULE |
TOPIC |
DUE DATE |
% GRADE |
One |
Noah's Flood |
Sept 15 |
10% |
Two |
Israel Gets a King |
Sept 29 |
15% |
Three |
Prophecy |
Oct 13 |
15% |
Four |
Biblical Society |
Oct 27 |
15% |
Five |
Bible in Western Religion |
Nov 10 |
15% |
Six |
Creation and Science |
Dec 1 |
15% |
FINAL |
Sisera and Yael |
Dec 15 |
15% |
Aug 27 Intro to course and the Bible
Sept 1-10: Module One: Noah's flood;
- Genesis 7-8;
- Ancient Near East, the Documentary Hypothesis
- Anchor Bible, Genesis, pp. xx-xliii; note textual traditions: pp. 47-56.
- Victor Matthews and Don Benjamin, Old Testament Parallels, pp. 23-27 (Atrahasis); 35-40
(Gilgamesh).
Sept 15-24 : Module Two: The Kingship [Samuel annoints Saul]
- I Samuel 10-13
- The Bible and Archeology
- Gnana Robinson, I and 2 Samuel, pp. 49-64.
- M. Magnusson, Archeology and the Bible, pp. 98-121.
I DIGGEZER COMPUTER MODULE
Sept 29-Oct 8: Module Three: Prophecy
- The Book of Habakkuk
- Prophecy, Apocalypse and the End of Time
- Magnusson, Op. Cit., 175-194.
- William Brownlee, The Midrash Pesher of Habakkuk
Oct 13-22: Module Four: Story and Law: Ruth
- The Book of Ruth
- Biblical Law
- A. Brenner, A Feminist Companion to Ruth
- Isaac Asimov, The Story of Ruth.
Oct 27-Nov 5: Module Five: Binding of Isaac;
- Genesis 21-22
- Abraham and Isaac in Judaism, Christianity and Islam
- Elie Wiesel, "The Sacrifice of Issac" in Messengers of God, pp. 69-97.
- Jan Knappert, Islamic Legends, pp. 78-83
- J.H.Schoeps, "Sacrifice of Isaac in Paul's Theology" in Journal of Biblical
Literature 65 (1946), pp. 385-392.
Nov 10-19: Module Six: The Creation
- Genesis 1-2
- The Bible and Science
- Matthews and Benjamin, Op. Cit., pp. 28-31 (Ra and the Serpent); 32-34 (Memphis
Creation);
- Psalm 104
- Ian Barbour, "Creation and Cosmology" in Ted Peters, Cosmos as Creation, pp.
115-151.
* * * *THANKSGIVING BREAK* * * *
Dec 1-8: How the Bible Came to Be
Dec 15: FINAL PAPER: The Story of Sisera and Yael
- Judges 4-5
- Bible & History; feminist readings; narrative vs song.
- Anchor Bible, Judges, pp. 3-29
- Athalya Brenner, "A Triangle and a Rhombus in Narrative Structure" in A.
Brenner, A Feminist Companion to Judges, pp. 98-109.
- Michael Wilcox, The Message of Judges, pp. 54-66.