Hebrew Script Sem: Writings

3 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

From the “trial of God” represented by the book of Job, to the love poetry of the Song of Songs, to the skeptical intellectual exercise of Ecclesiastes, to the stories of women subverting the strictures of patriarchal culture (Ruth and Esther), the third section of the Bible known as “the Writings” (Ketuvim in Hebrew) contains some of the most compelling and provocative texts to be found in Jewish and Christian scripture. This course is a seminar on the Writings, which follow the more traditional sections of the canon, the Torah and the Prophets (Nevi’im). We will work through these fascinating – and often very artful – texts in some detail, primarily from a literary perspective but also with attention to theological, ethical, and social implications. The fact that this course is a seminar means that we will work together to achieve a depth of understanding that is beyond what any of us could achieve on our own. Every member of the class will be treated as a colleague with something important to offer to the group as a whole.