Content

This unit considers selected themes and texts from the Pentateuch, including: issues of authorship and audience, society, geography, theology, genre, literary devices, major themes and contemporary application issues.

Unit code: BA3106L

Unit status: Archived (New unit)

Points: 18.0

Unit level: Undergraduate Level 3

Unit discipline: Old Testament

Delivery Mode: Online

Proposing College: Australian Lutheran College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Analyse, assess and engage with scholarly debates over understanding the books of the Pentateuch

2.

Identify and articulate major theological themes running through the books of the Pentateuch and throughout the Bible

3.

Research, document and write an exegesis of a selected text from the Pentateuch, giving due weight to historical, literary and theological concerns

4.

Identify different interpretations of texts and present apt and significant contemporary applications based on the analysis of these texts and interpretations

5.

Articulate a key theological message of a pericope in the Pentateuch and defend and demonstrate it through rigorous exegetical analysis

Unit sequence

At least 36 points in the discipline of Old Testament Hebrew 1 and 2 are desirable but not essential

Pedagogy

This unit employs both flipped classroom approaches and interactive lecture as appropriate, including seminar-style discussion of guided readings, student and instructor-led group analysis of texts,and student presentations.

Indicative Bibliography

  • Alexander, T. Desmond. 2012. From paradise to the promised land: an introduction to the Pentateuch. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic. (eBook available)
  • Blenkinsopp, Joseph. 1992. The Pentateuch: an introduction to the first five books of the Bible. Anchor Bible Reference Library. New York, NY: Doubleday.
  • Brueggemann, Walter. 1982. Genesis. Interpretation. Atlanta, GA: John Knox Press.
  • Kleinig, John W. 2003. Leviticus. Concordia Commentary Series. St Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House.
  • Lessing, R. Reed, and Andrew E. Steinmann. Prepare the way of the Lord: an introduction to the Old Testament. St Louis, MO: Concordia, 2014.
  • Macina, Robert D. The Lord’s service: a ritual analysis of the order, function and purpose of the daily divine service in the Pentateuch. Eugene, OR: Pickwick, 2019.
  • Moberly, R. W. L. 1983. At the mountain of God: story and theology in Exodus 32-34. Sheffield: JSOT Press.
  • Schachter, Lifsa. ‘The Garden of Eden as God’s First Sanctuary.’ Jewish Biblical Quarterly 41, no. 2 (April 2013): 73‒77.
  • Wenham, Gordon J. 1987. Genesis 1-15. Word Biblical Commentary, volume 1. Waco, TX: Word Books.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Exegetical Essay

Exegetical essay —Category A (Hebrew) —Category B (non Hebrew) Exegetical essay on selected text from the Pentateuch 3500 words

3500 60.0
Essay

Essay on a Pentateuchal theme 1500 words

1500 30.0
Tutorial Paper/Seminar Paper

Tutorial paper on a Pentateuchal theme (10–20 minutes) 1500 words

1500 10.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by John Capper on 27 Sep, 2019

Unit record last updated: 2020-10-14 20:11:26 +1100