Gender, Ethnicity, and Dominance in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
STH TO 831
Despite their antiquity, the narratives, laws, proverbs, and poetry of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament continue to play roles in shaping ideas about gender, cultural and ethnic diversity, and systems of dominance in contemporary North American life. Political and social debates about the roles, rights, and status of women, about how groups (ought to) relate to the "others" in their midst, and about social, political, and religious institutions and power structures often reflect and draw upon biblical world views. In this course, we examine the social, cultural, and religious presuppositions and beliefs that prompted certain biblical authors/editors to express (often diverse) viewpoints about women, ethnically diverse peoples with whom they had contact, and dominance/subservience (as expressed, e.g., in patriarchal social structures, the monarchy, and warfare) that were part and parcel of ancient Israel’s religious beliefs. We examine biblical texts within their own social and cultural contexts. Beyond that task, however, we engage these texts as "conversation partners," teasing out and reflecting on their implications for life in the 21st century. 4 cr.

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Hispanic & Latin American Religious Experiences and the Bible
STH TO 839
The influence of the Bible on U.S. culture is ubiquitous and its impact of U.S. religious life is immensurable. The Bible has played also an important role in shaping the religious experience of Latin Americans and Hispanics, in many cases, by offering alternative readings to those provided by the dominant culture. This course provides an introduction to the Hispanic and Latin American religious experience and the role that the Bible plays in those contexts. It also introduces the assumptions, and methods of Hispanic and Latin American Biblical interpretation 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 religious experience in the US and Latin America; 2. To study their approaches to the Bible, their differences and points of contact; 3. To develop intercultural 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, political, social, and religious context. 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 . Open to undergraduates with permission of the instructor. 4 cr.

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