The Bible and Its World: Exploring Ancient Theologies

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This course will serve as an introduction to the ancient literary, historical, and theological circumstances that influenced the shape and content of the Hebrew Bible (or, Old Testament). We will focus heavily on primary texts from a wide range of literary genres (myth, law, historiography, prophecy, hymns, treaties, prayer, wisdom) common to Near Eastern and Biblical literature. Our goal in doing so will be to examine the Hebrew Bible with an open-minded but critical eye and, more importantly, inspect and analyze the theology inherent to non-biblical texts (e.g., Enūma eliš, The Baal Cycle, Hesiod's Theogony). The end result of the course will be a working knowledge of and appreciation for the interconnectedness of the vast ancient world that gave rise to sacred scripture. While knowledge of Biblical languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, Greek) is an added bonus, it is not a requirement for participation in this course. This course is designed to be accessible to those with and without a deep familiarity with the Biblical text. Consequently, all primary materials will be read in translation.