Syllabus

Purpose of the course:

To familiarize the student with the contents of the Bible and the development of the early Church.  Special emphasis will be placed on theological themes of perennial interest and significance of the Bible for Christian thought and practice as well as the relationship of Christianity to Judaism.

Required texts:

The HarperCollins Study Bible : New Revised Standard Version With the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1997).

Other readings:

Various secondary readings will also be required and can be found in the bibliography. These readings will be listed as author with the title of the article or book.  For example, for the tenth session of this course you will find the reading Levenson, Sinai and Zion, 23-36.

Formal requirements:

Regular attendance at all required sessions.

For the homework assignments, students will turn in a substantial paragraph (not to exceed one page) that answers a question that the instructor will pose about the reading.  These answers should demonstrate a thoughtful consideration of both the Biblical text and the assigned secondary reading when applicable.

Grading