This is a seminar-style, intensive course in which students critically read works of African American and Womanist biblical scholarship on the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, while critically engaging biblical passages and peers in discussions about approaches, contexts, implications, strengths and challenges. The course begins with the conviction that all knowledge is perspectival. That is, how we access and interpret texts has to do with a complex combination of factors, including ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and social-cultural history (just to name a few), that constitute who we are at one particular instance in time. In particular, the course seeks to understand the historic perspectives and approaches of African American and Womanist readings and appropriations of biblical texts as a way to build students' capacities to appreciate the interpretative strategies of others (especially historically marginalized and/or underrepresented groups) as well as to identify and articulate their own critical and socially-situated understandings of biblical passages and its implications. MDiv and MTS students must complete their Sacred Texts & Interpretation New Testament core requirement before registering for this course. Students have the option to apply for a 1-unit Greek Reading Directed Study to accompany this course.

Note that this information may change at any time. Please visit the MyBU Student Portal for the most up-to-date course information.