Empire and Canon

3 credits · Divinity School

Arguably, two eras of imperial domination,the Persian and Hellenistic periods, are the most literarily active in the formation of the Hebrew Bible. This advanced-level seminar looks at the Persian imperial context as the social world from which much of the Hebrew Bible emerged. Its seminal question, "How much did Persian imperial policy shape the writings of the early Second Temple priesthood?" will guide both the discussions and the readings. With this in mind, the course examines struggles between the priesthood, imperial authorities,and the Jerusalem populace and raises questions about specific biblicaltexts which may provide insights into these relationships. [3] Mr. Marbury