A detailed study of the prophetical books of the Old Testament, with special reference to the theological crisis of the destruction of the Temple (586 BCE) and the Babylonian exile.
This paper is an advanced engagement with the prophetical books of the Old Testament that extends students' knowledge and understanding of the Old Testament through a close reading of specific texts from the biblical prophets. We will study the prophetical books in the context of the phenomenon of prophecy in the ancient Near East and look at the content, structure, theology and overall message of the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Hosea to Malachi in their historical contexts. This paper provides a deep engagement with some of the most important and enduringly influential works handed on to us from the ancient world and enhances students' skills in reading closely and thinking critically - skills that will serve them well not only in their university career, but in the rest of their lives.
| Paper title | God, Land and Exile in the Hebrew Prophets (Advanced) |
|---|---|
| Paper code | BIBS311 |
| Subject | Biblical Studies |
| EFTS | 0.1500 |
| Points | 18 points |
| Teaching period | Not offered in 2018, expected to be offered in 2019 |
| Domestic Tuition Fees (NZD) | $868.95 |
| International Tuition Fees (NZD) | $3,656.70 |
- Prerequisite
- One 200-level BIBS or BIBX paper
- Restriction
- BIBS 211, BIBX 211, BIBX 311
- Schedule C
- Arts and Music, Theology
- Eligibility
- Any student can study Theology, whether they are of the Christian faith, another faith or of no religious faith at all. Theology is an examination of the scriptures, history, content and relevance of the Christian faith, but it presupposes or requires no Christian commitment from students. All it requires is an inquiring mind and an interest in those skills that can be gained through the study of any subject in the Humanities.
- Contact
- don.moffat@otago.ac.nz
- More information link
- View more information on the Department of Theology and Religion's websites: www.otago.ac.nz/theology or www.otago.ac.nz/religion
- Teaching staff
- Dr Don Moffat
- Paper Structure
- The paper will introduce the idea of prophecy and the Bible and the ancient Near East,
and it will then focus on the major and minor prophets of the Old Testament (Isaiah,
Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Hosea to Malachi). We will focus particularly on the themes
of covenant, land and exile.
There are three forms of assessment:- Online discussions (15%)
- Exegesis of one text from the major and minor prophets, with detailed reference to both extra-biblical sources from the ancient Near East and to a range of modern scholarly commentary (25%)
- Three-hour final examination (60%)
- Teaching Arrangements
- A teaching day and two 1-hour videoconferenced lectures per week.
- Textbooks
- Required: The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version with Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical
Books
A Coursebook has also been developed for this paper. - Graduate Attributes Emphasised
- interdisciplinary perspective, critical thinking, in-depth knowledge
View more information about Otago's graduate attributes. - Learning Outcomes
- By the end of this paper, students will be able to
- Summarise the contents, major themes and key interpretive problems in the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea to Malachi, and Daniel
- Place these biblical texts in the historical and cultural context of the ancient Near East
- Analyse and discuss selected texts from the biblical prophets, with detailed reference to their historical context and in critical conversation with the modern scholarly literature
