BU School of Theology 2009-10 Bulletin

Boston University School of Theology Bulletin

Course Descriptions

Area A: Biblical and Historical Studies
Area B: Philosophy, Theology, and Ethics
Area C: Religion, Culture, and Personality
Area D: Ministry in Church and Society

In addition to the courses listed below, many courses are available to School of Theology students in the member institutions of the Boston Theological Institute and by cross-registration in the other schools and colleges of the University.

Numbering of Courses

700-level courses have no prerequisites other than those for admission to degree candidacy. These courses are not open for credit to STM, ThD, DMin, and PhD candidates.

800-level courses assume competence for advanced study. They are open for credit to all degree candidates in the School and the Division of Theological & Religious Studies.

900-level courses are advanced seminars primarily for doctoral candidates. These assume significant previous work in the field, and require the consent of the instructor for master’s-level students.

Course Information

The following courses are offered or have been offered recently in the School of Theology. The listing of a course here does not guarantee that it will be offered again. New courses are added each year. Please consult the Registrar’s web page and the in-office Blue Book for a more complete description of courses offered in the current semester.

Unless otherwise indicated, all courses are semester courses. In the School of Theology, a semester course is equivalent to 4 credits and a half course to 2 credits. Courses with the word seminar in the title require the consent of the instructor for enrollment.

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AREA A: BIBLICAL AND HISTORICAL STUDIES

A description and critical introduction to the history of the Church from the postbiblical period to the present; attention is given to the Church’s evangelical engagement with other cultures and religions from Hellenism to modern missions, as well as to major theological and institutional issues and persons in context. This course is a prerequisite for all Church History II courses. Brown. MDiv Core Requirement.

STH TH 812 Christianity in Late Antiquity

The development of the Christian Church, its institutions, theology, and social and political roles, from Constantine to Charlemagne, in the context of the transformations of late antique culture and society, East and West. Brown. MDiv Core Elective.

STH TH 817 Varieties of Ancient Christianity

Historical examination of the development of Christianity from its origins to its cultural dominance in the medieval West. Also offered as STH TT 817. Fredriksen or Knust. MDiv Church History II Core Elective.

STH TH 821 History and Doctrine of United Methodism

An exploration of Methodist origins, the Wesleys, the rise of Methodism in England, and the distinctive doctrines of Wesleyan theology. There is a particular focus on the development of the various United Methodist traditions in America and their impact on society. The course is designed to meet one of the requirements for membership in a UMC Annual Conference. Messer. MDiv Free Elective.

STH TH 823 Modern Christian Biography

Messer. MDiv Church History II Core Elective.

STH TH 824 Religion, Ethnicity, and Conflict

The aim is to investigate the role of religion in some of the most intractable conflict zones in the modern world. Through case studies of specific geographical regions (principally Ireland, “Yugoslavia,” and the Middle East), the course will explore the connections between religion and other causes of social instability including ideological differences, settlement patterns, economic power, and political culture. The objective is not so much to understand religion as one among many aspects of international relations, but rather to look at religion, broadly conceived, as a contributor to identity and conflict. The angle of approach will be historical. Only by having a solid grasp of how religious fault lines come to be established over time is it possible to understand their full complexity. Staff.

STH TH 825 The Medieval Church

Social, personal, institutional, and theological aspects of the medieval ecclesiastical structure in the West from Gregory the Great to Boniface. Brown. MDiv Church History II Core Elective.

STH TH 826 The Reformations

Social, personal, institutional, and theological aspects of reform and renewal in the sixteenth century from Luther to the Council of Trent. Brown. MDiv Church History II Core Elective.

STH TH 827 American Church History

The development of American Christianity as a social, intellectual, institutional, and cultural movement. The course includes visits to churches in Boston. Staff. MDiv Church History II Core Elective.

STH TH 830 Topics in Ancient Christianity

An exploration of various social, philosophical, and theological themes in Western patristic literature. Also offered as STH TT 830. Fredriksen. MDiv Church History II Core Elective.

STH TH 832 Modern Church History

Messer. MDiv Church History II Core Elective.

STH TH 838 Methodism in British Society, 1730–1914

Examines both the roots and rise of Methodism from a relatively insignificant religious society within the Church of England to a major denomination in late Victorian Britain. Particular attention is paid to the social and political context which facilitated such growth as well as to the most important personalities and characteristics of the Methodist movement. Staff.

STH TH 842 Pietism and Methodism in the North Atlantic World

The course will investigate the roots and the rise of Pietism and Methodism in Europe and North America in the period circa 1670–1900. Particular attention will be paid to the social context of these religious movements as well as to their most important personalities and theological characteristics. Staff.

STH TH 848 Emergence of Christianity as a Global Movement

Historical development of world Christianity. Emphasis on social, cultural, spiritual, and political issues in African, Asian, and Latin American Christianity in the nineteenth through twenty-first centuries. Also offered as STH TM 848. Robert. MDiv Church History II Core Elective.

STH TH 856 Women in Mission and World Christianity

History of Christian women in diakonia and mission outreach, including gender issues in mission and non-Western Christianity today. Also offered as STH TM 848. Robert. MDiv Church History II Core Elective.

STH TH 865 Methodist Expansion in North America, 1760–1860

An examination of the remarkable growth of American Methodism, to include both its missionary strategy and its social function. Issues of theology, lay spirituality, and institutional consolidation are investigated alongside economic and social changes, the democratization of political culture, and demographic expansion. Staff.

STH TH 870 Calvin and the Reformed Tradition

On this eve of the 500th anniversary of John Calvin’s birth, we will accomplish two things in this course. (1) We will read from Calvin in translation from his Institutes, treatises, polemical writings, and letters; and (2) we will analyze contemporary historical and theological writings on him and his era. Students will be able to read and write on any subject within the Reformed tradition that interests them, from the sixteenth century to contemporary topics such as Presbyterianism, the United Church of Christ, Unitarianism, Puritanism (in England and New England),the Great Awakening, and the impact of the Reformed tradition on the worldwide Anglican churches and their denominational offshoots, such as Methodism. Staff. Church History II Core Elective.

STH TH 873 Readings in Modern Protestant Thought

Readings of selected primary sources from Hume to the present. Staff.

STH TH 910 History of Christian Mission

Seminar in the history of Christian missions, from the early church to the present. Issues of historiography, method, and the emergence of non-Western church history. Required course for doctoral students in mission studies. Also offered as STH TM 910. Robert.

STH TH 922 Narratives of the African Experience

Doctoral-level seminar. The course explores missionary records including letters, journals, travelogues, biographies, and other genres. Also meets as TM 922. Robert.

STH TH 928 Seminar: Theology and Ministry of Selected Theologians in Church History

Study of theology, ministry, and dialectic in Augustine, Luther, Schleiermacher, and Barth through analysis of their historical contexts, theological writings, and the written records of their ministries. Staff.

STH TH 930 History of Missiology

Seminar on the classic Protestant mission theorists of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Required course for doctoral students in mission studies. Also offered as STH TM 930. Robert.

STH TH 934 Proseminar in the History of Christianity

An exploration of some of the most creative and influential histories of Christianity in the West. The aim of the course is to investigate a range of different methods, approaches, and ideological frameworks employed by historians of religion. Staff.

STH TH 935 Religious Roots of Social Welfare

Lectures by international scholars on historical religious influences on the development of social welfare from the Bible to the present, supplemented by seminar sessions. Staff.

STH TH 936 Religion in a Divided Society: Ireland 1750–1995

This course will examine the relationship between religious conflict and other social and political divisions which have characterized the history of modern Ireland. The most important religious traditions, both Catholic and Protestant, will be studied in the light of other major trends such as the rise of nationalism and the polarization of cultural identities. Staff.

STH TH 937 Proseminar in Historiography

Staff.

STH TH 950 European Religion in the Age of the Great Cities, 1800–1914

A thematic and comparative investigation of the social history of religion in European cities in the long nineteenth century. The main focus of the study is the extent to which large-scale urbanization posed new problems for the churches and led to greater secularization. Staff.

STH TH 971 Seminar: Luther and the Radical Reformers

Historical-social contexts, theologies, and effects of the history of the church from the Reformation to the present. Staff.

STH TM 808 Three Missionary Faiths (Buddhism, Christianity, Islam) and Their Importance for Global Development

The terms “missionary” and “development” often prompt images of Western Christians working away from home. Much has been written about European colonial-era missionaries and Western-led interventions around the world. But Christianity is not the only missionary world religion, nor do modern development efforts fall within the sole purview of Western powers. This course will examine the missionary nature of Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam and consider the ways in which all three faiths think about engagement with the world in an era of climate change, resource wars, and global economic inequity. Using an interdisciplinary approach that examines religious adherents’ worldviews, the course will concentrate on how the thinking patterns of followers of these three faith traditions translate into actions. We will also reflect on the ways in which the modern development enterprise itself exhibits missionary characteristics. Particular attention will go towards contexts in which interactions among the religious traditions and secular development interventions are taking place. Guest speakers, site visits, and multimedia presentations will complement reading assignments and classroom discussions. Parsons. MDiv Missions Core Elective.

STH TM 815 The Debate over Modern Mission

Exploration of biblical, historical, theological, political, and cultural perspectives on the world mission of the church. Robert. MDiv Missions Core Elective.

STH TM 827 Women in Mission

History of American women in mission, women and foreign missions, and women and domestic reform. Women as clergy wives, laity, and clergy. Women’s organizations for mission in Protestantism and Catholicism. Robert. MDiv Missions Core Elective.

STH TM 846 Religion and Society in East Asia

Comparative and historical study of the interaction of religion and society in East Asia. Particular attention to the relation of Christianity with the Asian religions and the role of religion in modernization. Also offered as STH TS 846. Chung.

STH TM 848 Emergence of Christianity as a Global Movement

STH TM 853 Mission Enacted: Working with Faith-Based and International Non-Governmental Organizations

From the 18th through the mid-20th centuries a preponderance of training for and performing of religiously related service work around the world took place under the aegis of Christian mission societies. Changes since World War II, however, have radically altered the context within which servant-hearted people might act. Today, a huge proportion of the type of work formerly conducted by missionaries and mission societies comes under the auspices of organizations that are, to some degree or other, independent of the mainline Christian denominations, national governments, and businesses. Students wishing to serve in a globalized context especially need to gain an understanding of the historical and intellectual foundations of faith-based organizations (FBOs) and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) and to be prepared for everyday problems with which they will be confronted. In addition to enhancing their abilities to analyze the settings within which service efforts take place and the self-understandings workers bring to these contexts, this course is intended to equip participants with some practical skills necessary for effective work within the FBO/INGO arena. Parsons. MDiv Missions Core Elective.

STH TM 856 Women in Mission and World Christianity

History of Christian women in diakonia and mission outreach, including gender issues in mission and non-Western Christianity today. Also offered as STH TM 848. Robert. MDiv Missions Core Elective.

STH TM 857 Missions and Development

“Mission” implies sending, but what assumptions underlie such going and coming, and are invitations always necessary? “Development” connotes change, but is that the same as progress, and is “progress” inevitably a good thing? What expectations of ourselves and others do we carry when we aspire to serve as missioners, aid workers, or non-governmental organization field personnel? How do we account for misunderstandings in cross-cultural interactions? Where, and for whom, is it possible to discern good news in the present time of uncertainty and change? Using an interdisciplinary approach, this course will consider how differences in understanding of reality and meaning shape our conceptions of missions and international development. Generally considered as separate theoretical disciplines, missions and development frequently overlap in practice, carrying consequences both beneficial and painful on many levels. While exploring the intellectual and historical foundations of missiological and development work, we will analyze pragmatic situations and policy challenges, paying special attention to relationships between ourselves and others, and between the Global North and the Global South. At the end of the course, students should 1) have obtained a basic grasp of mission history and theology, sufficiently enabling them to articulate major categories of thought within the discipline; 2) be conversant with the basic history of development and able to articulate major categories of thought within the discipline; and 3) be equipped to do theological and philosophical analysis of contemporary missiological and international development issues. Parsons. MDiv Missions Core Elective.

STH TM 860 African Traditional Religions

African traditional religions are considered in light of other primal religions, their significance in contemporary society, liberation struggles, and environmental endeavors. The course also analyzes the African traditional religions–Christian encounter, with a view towards the dynamics of conversion and Christian contextualization. Finally, the development of the theology of religions in African Initiated Churches is considered. Also offered as TM 960 for doctoral students. Daneel. MDiv Missions Core Elective.

STH TM 863 African Christian Theology

Seminar exploring African Christian theologies and cultural issues, with special emphasis on Southern Africa. The course covers such themes as the nature of God, the problem of evil, environmentalism, gender, and indigenous churches. Also offered as STH TM 963 for doctoral students and as STH TT 867. Daneel. MDiv Missions Core Elective.

STH TM 910 History of Christian Mission

Seminar in the history of Christian missions from the early church to the present. Issues of historiography, method, and the emergence of non-western church history are considered. Required course for doctoral students in mission studies. Also offered as STH TH 910. Robert.

STH TM 922 Narratives of the African Experience

See STH TH 922. Robert.

STH TM 927 Women in Mission

History of American women in mission. Women and foreign missions; women and domestic reform. Women as clergy wives, laity, and clergy. Women’s organizations for mission in Protestantism and Catholicism. Robert.

STH TM 930 History of Missiology

Seminar on the classic Protestant mission theorists of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Required course for doctoral students in mission studies. Also offered as STH TH 930. Robert.

STH TM 931 Readings in Contemporary Missiology

Readings and discussions of important works in missiology from the 1960s to the present. This course begins where TH/TM 930 ends. Required for doctoral students in mission studies. Robert.

STH TM 960 African Traditional Religions

See description for STH TM 860.

STH TN 721 New Testament Introduction

Content of the New Testament writing in its historical setting and special attention to its relevance today. Required of students who have not had satisfactory study in the New Testament. This course is a prerequisite for all New Testament II courses. Walters or Knust. MDiv Core Requirement.

STH TN 723 New Testament Greek I

Introduction to the grammar and vocabulary of the Greek New Testament. For students with no training in Greek. (Credit for STH TN 723 is only given after successful completion of STH TN 724.) Knust or Walters. MDiv New Testament II Core Elective if taken with TN 723/TN 724/TN 816 for a total of ten credit hours.

STH TN 724 New Testament Greek II

Continues and presupposes STH TN 723. Knust or Walters. MDiv New Testament II Core Elective if taken with TN 723/TN 724/TN 816 for a total of ten credit hours.

STH TN 803 Jesus in the Gospels

Comparisons of the gospels: portraits of Jesus and reconstruction of the Jesus of history with attention to first-century cultural and political setting. Knust. MDiv New Testament II Core Elective.

STH TN 804 The Christian Bible: A History

A history of the creation, development, transmission, and reception of the Christian Bible, from antiquity until today. This course considers the nature of biblical authority, changes in interpretive approaches to sacred text, the place of the Bible as a resource for faith, and the role of the Bible in diverse controversies over time. Knust. MDiv New Testament II Core Elective.

STH TN 805 Pauline Studies

Paul’s life, letters, and thoughts are considered historically and in their bearing upon Christian theology. Walters. MDiv New Testament II Core Elective.

STH TN 806 The Gospel of John

The interpretation of Jesus and Christianity in the Gospel of John, the Johannine letters, and the Revelation of John. Knust or Hill. MDiv New Testament II Core Elective.

STH TN 810 The Social Setting of Early Christianity

The focus of the course will be the economy, society, and culture of the Greco-Roman world in which the first Christians lived. The purpose of the course is to introduce the student to the social world that produced the New Testament and other early Christian literature, including martyrdoms and apologies. We will read primary and secondary sources on Roman history (early imperial period), ancient Judaism (from Alexander the Great to the revolt by the messianic figure Bar Kochba), Greco-Roman religions (with focus on the “pagan spirituality” of the ancient mystery religions), and the reaction by Roman magistrates and pagan intellectuals to the new Christian movement. Such context is essential for reconstructing the life, religion, society, and culture of the ancient Christians. Walters. MDiv New Testament II Core Elective.

STH TN 811 Apocalyptic Writings

Walters. MDiv New Testament II Core Elective.

STH TN 813 Letter to the Romans

Analysis of Paul’s most systemic letter with special attention to the themes of election, justification by faith, ethics, and new Israel. Romans’ historical impact on Luther, Wesley, Barth, and Bultmann. Walters. MDiv New Testament II Core Elective.

STH TN 815 The Parables

The thought of Jesus and of the early church in the Synoptic Gospel parables; their significance for modern thought. Staff.

STH TN 816 Greek Reading

Political, religious, cultural, and social features of the world of early Christianity and of the diverse world views held by early Christians and their Jewish and pagan contemporaries. Walters or Knust. MDiv New Testament II Core Elective if taken with TN 723/TN 724/TN 816 for a total of ten credit hours.

STH TN 818 New Testament Theology

History of New Testament theology and its relationships to dogmatics. Variety and unity in the New Testament. The message of Jesus and the kerygma of the Apostolic Church. Problem of faith and language. Staff.

STH TN 820 The Gospel of Mark

English exegesis of the gospel according to Mark. Knust. MDiv New Testament II Core Elective.

STH TN 825 New Testament Seminar: Gender and Family in Early Christianity

The focus of this course is early Christian family life, and moral teaching about family in the context of the Greco-Roman household. What were the “family values” of the first Christians? What were their ethics and moral teachings? How did the institutions of marriage and divorce operate in the early church? How did the presence of slaves affect domestic and public affairs? What attitudes did believers hold about their sexuality, body, masculinity, or womanhood? This course seeks to answer these compelling questions using gender as a category of historical analysis. Knust. MDiv New Testament II Core Elective.

STH TN 826 The Corinthian Correspondence

A theological and exegetical study; attention to literary and religio-historical problems. Walters. MDiv New Testament II Core Elective.

STH TN 833 Archaeology and Christian Origins in the Aegean Basin

This course focuses especially on three important archaeological excavations in the Aegean Basin, Corinth, Ephesus, and Pergamum, utilizing material evidence as a means of exploring the civic context of nascent Christianity. Attention will be given to Greek and Roman city planning, urban architecture, daily life as reflected in the material remains, traditional civic religion, Roman imperial religion, and the use of domestic space for religious purposes. The relevance of these data for understanding Christian origins and early Christian writings, particularly 1 Corinthians and Revelation, will also be a matter of central concern in this course. Walters. MDiv New Testament II Core Elective.

STH TN 835 Greek Reading I: Plato and Paul

Prereq: one year of New Testament Greek. Practice in the reading and translation of ancient and koine Greek texts. Staff.

STH TN 841 Seminar: Luke-Acts

Luke-Acts as apologetic and missionary instrument in the Roman world. Redefinition of the figure of Jesus, Paul, and the apostles in the late first century. Knust. MDiv New Testament II Core Elective.

STH TN 848 Christian Bible: A History

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. Darr. MDiv 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.) Darr or Botta. MDiv Hebrew Bible II Core Elective if taken with TO 723/TO 724/TO 815 for a total of ten credit hours.

STH TO 724 Biblical Hebrew II

Continues and presupposes STH TO 723. Darr or Botta. MDiv Hebrew Bible II Core Elective if taken with TO 723/TO 724/TO 815 for a total of ten credit hours.

STH TO 728 Pastor’s Guide to Hebrew and Greek

Designed to introduce students to the Hebrew and Greek languages. At the end of the semester students enrolled in this course should be able to pronounce both Hebrew and Greek, recognize basic grammatical forms, translate a basic theological vocabulary, make use of Hebrew and Greek lexicons and other reference works, and use commentaries and other secondary literature which presupposes knowledge of the biblical language. Also offered as STH TN 728. Staff. 2 cr.

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. Botta. MDiv Hebrew Bible II Core Elective.

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. Class Sessions will include lectures and seminar-style class discussions. Darr. MDiv Hebrew Bible II Core Elective.

STH TO 806 Goddesses and Women in the World of Ancient Israel

Study of the goddesses, women, and feminine imagery within the theologies, societies, and literature of ancient Israel and its extant literature. Darr. MDiv Hebrew Bible II Core Elective.

STH TO 807 History of Israelite Religion

The origins and development of the religion of Israel and Judah from its earliest roots in Canaanite culture to its tranformation in the Persian period. Attention to extra-biblical, as well as biblical, evidence; the religion of family and countryside, as well as that of cities and elites; ritual behavior and mythological representations; and theological assertions and questionings. Staff. MDiv Hebrew Bible II Core Elective.

STH TO 811 Dead Sea Scrolls

Examination of the ancient Hebrew documents discovered in the Judean desert. Topics include authorship of the Dead Sea Scrolls, what they tell us about ancient Judaism and early Christianity, their theological importance, and why publication of the scrolls has taken so long. Klawans. MDiv Hebrew Bible II Core Elective.

STH TO 813 Proverbs

Darr. MDiv Hebrew Bible II Core Elective.

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 archaeological remains and by comparison with materials from other ancient Near Eastern cultures. Implications for understanding and use of the Bible. Botta. MDiv Hebrew Bible II Core Elective.

STH TO 815 Hebrew Reading and Exegesis I

Reading of selected prose texts, with some general grammatical review. Emphasis on precise exegesis and translation into fluent current English. Staff. Half course, 2 cr. MDiv Hebrew Bible II Core Elective if taken with TO 723/TO 724/TO 815 for a total of ten credit hours.

STH TO 816 Hebrew Wisdom

Hebrew wisdom as found in the Book of Proverbs, selected psalms, Ecclesiastes, and Job. Attention to similar themes in contemporary literature. Staff. MDiv Hebrew Bible II Core Elective.

STH TO 818 Old Testament Theology

Recent attempts at an Old Testament theology. Relations to historical criticism, history of Hebrew religion, and dogmatic theology. Theological assessment of Old Testament views of God, humanity, history, kingship, prophecy, priesthood, and law. The place of the religion of the people of Israel in Christian theology. Darr. MDiv Hebrew Bible II Core Elective.

STH TO 819 Hebrew Reading and Exegesis II: Poetry

Readings of poetic passages from the Hebrew Bible, selected from various genres and periods. Introduction to the forms of Hebrew poetry, especially parallelism. Students should expect to continue to consolidate and extend knowledge of classical Hebrew grammar, to build vocabulary, to become sensitive to different kinds of Hebrew literature and its piety or theology, to learn to recognize different literary and cultural presuppositions, and to practice imaginative reading and translation. Staff.

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. Staff. MDiv Hebrew Bible II Core Elective.

STH TO 823 The Book of Jeremiah

A reading of the book of Jeremiah with attention to its two different texts; the different kinds of literature it contains; the meaning and purpose of individual pericopes; their rhetoric and its cultural, social, and religious contexts; and their significance today. Staff. MDiv Hebrew Bible II Core Elective.

STH TO 827 Violence in the Hebrew Bible

Darr. MDiv Hebrew Bible II Core Elective.

STH TO 831 Gender and Dominance in the Hebrew Bible.

Darr. MDiv Hebrew Bible II Core Elective.

STH TO 832 Responses to Suffering in the Hebrew Bible

An investigation of responses to corporate and individual suffering found in the literature of the Hebrew Bible, especially in the laments/complaints of Psalms and Job, in Lamentations, and in the prophetic literature. Consideration of the uses of this literature in situations of suffering today. Staff.

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. Staff.

STH TO 838 Biblical Interpretation from Hispanic and Latin American Perspectives

This course provides an introduction to the contexts, assumptions, and methods of Hispanic and Latin American Biblical exegesis and its major contributions to Biblical and Religious Studies. The course’s objectives are: 1. To develop an awareness of the Hispanic and Latin American approaches to the Bible, their differences and points of contact; 2. To understand the different assumptions of the Hispanic and Latin American interpretation of the Bible; 3. To develop intercultural exegetical skills and cross-cultural sensitivity; 4. To experience and develop an understanding of the reality of U.S. Hispanics and Latin Americans through learning about its history, economy, and political, social, and religious contexts. Selected passages from the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament will be analyzed in terms of the cultural and historical situation of Latin Americans and Hispanic peoples in the United States. Botta. MDiv Hebrew Bible II Core Elective.

STH TO 841 The Book of the Twelve

Botta. MDiv Hebrew Bible II Core Elective.

STH TO 846 Middle Egyptian 1

An introduction to the classical stage of the Egyptian script and language spoken in Ancient Egypt during the Middle Kingdom, which became the standard hieroglyphic language until the Graeco-Roman Period. Botta.

STH TO 847 Middle Egyptian 2

Continues and presupposes STH TO 846. An introduction to the classical stage of the Egyptian script and language spoken in Ancient Egypt during the Middle Kingdom, which became the standard hieroglyphic language until the Graeco-Roman Period. Botta.

STH TO 848 Story and Storytelling

The nature of narrative, the types of narrative, the types of narrative specific to the Bible and the Near East, and the transmission of stories. The art of storytelling and the retelling of biblical stories today. Staff.

STH TO 901 Biblical Aramaic

Prereq: reading knowledge of biblical Hebrew. Introduction to phonology, morphology, and syntax of biblical Aramaic. Reading of the complete Aramaic text of Daniel and Ezra. Botta.

STH TO 902 Aramaic Texts

Reading of selected inscriptions from the Iron Age (contemporary with the monarchies of Israel and Judah), from the Persian period (epecially the Jewish colony at Elephantine), and from Qumran. Discussion of linguistic, literary, religious, and historical issues. Presupposes one semester of introductory (Biblical) Aramaic. Botta.