This module will enable students to build upon and develop an existing awareness and understanding of the field of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament scholarship by means of a study of three core texts studied in English, namely:
- The Book of Leviticus
- The Psalms
- The Wisdom Literature of Job, Ecclesiastes and Proverbs.
Topics covered
Main topics of the module include:
Leviticus
- The shape of the book of Leviticus: a meaningful organisation?
- The concept of ‘holiness’: Purity and Impurity in the book of Leviticus
- Understanding Ritual in the book of Leviticus and contemporary issues
Psalms
- The poetry and shape of the canonical book of Psalms
- Psalms in worship
Wisdom
- Wisdom Literature in Israel and the Ancient Near East
- Proverbs: linking creation and moral order
- Job and the limits of theodicy
- Ecclesiastes: A Crisis of Wisdom?
Learning outcomes
On successful completion of this module, you will be expected to be able to:
Knowledge and understanding
- Gain critical insight into significant historical, literary and theological issues evoked by a study of this material;
- Recognise and engage with the variety of interpretations of the texts under scrutiny.
Intellectual and cognitive skills
- Critically evaluate a number of approaches to the interpretation of the texts under consideration;
- Undertake a critical exegesis of the set texts in English.
Practical and transferable skills
- Select and organize material from a range of primary and secondary sources;
- Show an ability to assimilate and evaluate competing arguments ;
- Produce clear, well-structured written work;
- Manage their own learning, including taking part in discussion forums and working effectively to deadlines.
Assessment
A two thousand-word essay (40%) and a 1.5-hour unseen written examination (60%).