Hebrew Bible

  • STH TO 704: Hebrew Bible I
    Introduction to the religion and literature of ancient Israel; development of Hebrew scripture within its cultural, historical, and social contexts. Required of all students who have not completed a thorough introduction to the Hebrew Bible. A one-hour study section is also required. This course is prerequisite for all Hebrew Bible II courses. MDIV & MTS CORE REQUIREMENT.
  • STH TO 723: Biblical Hebrew I
    Hebrew grammar, including exercises in translation and composition, following Lambdin's Introduction to Biblical Hebrew. Prepares students to read Hebrew prose. (Credit for STH TO 723 is given only after successful completion of STH TO 724.) (Cluster 1)
  • STH TO 724: Biblical Hebrew II
    Graduate Prerequisites: STH TO 723.
    Continues and presupposes STH TO 723. (Cluster 1)
  • STH TO 802: The Prophetic Tradition
    The history of biblical prophecy in the context of ancient Near Eastern prophetic phenomena. Emphasis on reading primary texts and questions of social context, role, literary forms, rhetoric, and relation to tradition and to the present. (Requires TO 704 or equivalent) (Cluster 1)
  • STH TO 804: The Book of Ezekiel
    The book of Ezekiel is radical literature; and those who would study it seriously must be prepared for strange visions, troubling twists on traditions, weird sign acts, priestly minutiae, and almost relentless divine anger. We will read the entire book of Ezekiel, using "among other resources" Darr's commentary on the book of Ezekiel in the New Interpreter's Bible Commentary. Class sessions will include lectures and seminar-style class discussions. (Requires TO 704 or equivalent) (Cluster 1)
  • STH TO 813: Proverbs
    A study of ancient Israel's proverbs as poetry, as strategies for dealing with a variety of social interactions, and as compact exemplars of ancient wisdom. We will examine both the sayings of Israel's sages and the popular proverbs everyone "performed," assisted not only by critical biblical scholarship, but also by the fields of paremiology (the study of proverbs), folklore studies, and anthropology. (Requires TO 704 or equivalent) (Cluster 1)
  • STH TO 814: The Cultural Background of the Hebrew Bible
    Investigation of the cultural background and presuppositions of the biblical writers by interpretation of biblical texts and archeological remains and by comparison with materials from other ancient Near Eastern cultures. Implications for understanding and use of the Bible. (Cluster 1)
  • STH TO 821: The Book of Psalms
    The Psalter, its development, organization, and content. The Psalms interpreted in their worship setting. Attention given to literary and devotional values of these lyrical classics of Israel. (Requires TO 704 or equivalent) (Cluster 1)
  • STH TO 829: Genesis
    A study of the Book of Genesis in the context of other ancient Near Eastern creation myths and stories. The course covers the Primeval Cycle, the Abraham Cycle, the Jacob Cycle and the Joseph Narrative with special attention to their reception and relevance for contemporary religious audiences. Prerequisite: STH TO 704: Hebrew Bible I. (Cluster 1)
  • STH TO 833: Jewish Writings of the Second Temple Period: Old Testament Apocrypha & Pseudoepigrapha
    An examination of the setting, origin, purpose, and religious outlook of Second Temple Jewish writings usually labeled Old Testament Apocrypha/Pseudoepigrapha, with attention given to the continuity of the Biblical traditions and the background they provide for an understanding of first-century Judaism and the New Testament. 3 credit hours. Prerequisite: TO704. (Cluster 1)
  • STH TO 835: Current Issues in Biblical Interpretation
    Examination and evaluation of several current methods and approaches. Students are encouraged to develop a generally valid and fruitful approach. Emphasis on working with specific biblical texts. (Requires TO 704 or equivalent) (Cluster 1)
  • STH TO 837: In the Shadow of Empire: Syncretism and Resistance in Persian Period Judah and Egypt
    This course investigates how the Persian and Hellenistic imperial contexts influenced and shaped the development of the Hebrew Bible. Students will read the post-exilic biblical and extra-biblical texts from Judean communities in Persian period Judah and Elephantine. This seminar course will primarily explore how the ancient people engaged in acts of syncretism and resistance with the empires that ruled over them. (Requires TO 704 or equivalent.) (Cluster 1)
  • STH TO 844: Ancient Egyptian Magic and Religion
    A survey of the religion and magical practices of ancient Egyptians from the time of the pyramids through the Greco-Roman period (ca. 2600 BCE -- 400 CE). The course offers an insight into the ancient Egyptian gods, religious thought, and ideas through the analysis of texts, iconography, and objects used in religious / magical practices. A special focus is on the role of popular magic and religion in everyday life and in the temple. No prerequisites. Undergraduate students are welcome to register. The course also requires approximately six additional hours of class at the Museum of Fine Arts where students read/study pieces of the MFA Egyptian Collection. (cluster 1)
  • STH TO 851: Akkadian 1
    Akkadian grammar, including exercises in translation and composition. (Cluster 1)
  • STH TO 852: Akkadian 2
    Akkadian grammar, including exercises in translation and composition. (Credit for STH TO 851 is given only after successful completion of STH TO 852.) (Cluster 1)
  • STH TO 925: The Liberated Community
    This on-line Seminar will explore the distinctiveness of the community shaped by the Exodus experience, focusing on the praxis of the liberated community and its struggle for remaining faithful to the liberating God. We will analyze also the paradigmatic character of the Exodus event for the prophetic tradition, the New Testament, and contemporary ministry. Biblical creation accounts will be explored as forms of legitimation of the liberated community.