Exploring the Old Testament (BA1742Z)

Undergraduate, 18.0 points

Content

The Old Testament is the first and foundational portion of the Christian Bible, and as such it is critical to understanding God’s loving aims of reconciliation and renewal in the world. The class will consider the formation of the Old Testament and its historical-geographical-cultural setting. We will explore key background information about various books of the Old Testament, practice interpreting various parts of the Old Testament carefully, and apply interpretive conclusions from a Christian perspective to life and ministry in contemporary contexts.

Unit code: BA1742Z

Unit status: Approved (New unit)

Points: 18.0

Unit level: Undergraduate Level 1

Unit discipline: Old Testament

Proposing College: Uniting College for Leadership and Theology

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Learning outcomes

1.

Explain the background, structure, and key themes of selected books of the Old Testament.
2.

Interpret a passage from the Old Testament using close reading, literary context, historical-cultural context, and one additional relevant method.

3.

Apply the results of interpretive work on the Old Testament to imagine ways to participate in God’s aims to reconcile and renew the world.

4.

Explain the value of the witness of the Old Testament for Christian belief, practice, and mission.

Unit sequence

Foundational undergraduate unit

Pedagogy

Lectures, readings, analysis of biblical texts, online exercises, discussions, creative interaction, and/or field trips

Indicative Bibliography

  • Bartholomew, Craig G., David J. H. Beldman, eds. Hearing the Old Testament: Listening for God’s Address. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2012.
  • Bergsma, John Sietze, Brant James Pitre. A Catholic Introduction to the Bible: The Old Testament. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2018.
  • Brettles, Marc Zvi. How to Read the Jewish Bible. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007.
  • Brueggemann, Walter, Tod Linafelt. An Introduction to the Old Testament: The Canon and Christian Imagination, 3rd ed. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2020.
  • DeRouchie, Jason S. How to Understand and Apply the Old Testament. Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2017.
  • Greer, Jonathan S., John W. Hilber, & John H. Walton, eds. Behind the Scenes of the Old Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2018.
  • Lapsley, Jacqueline E. Whispering the Word: Hearing Women’s Stories in the Old Testament. Louisville: WestminsterJohnKnox, 2005.
  • Matthews, Victor H., James C. Moyer. The Old Testament: Text and Context, 3rd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012.
  • Pilch, John J. Introducing the Cultural Context of the Old Testament. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2007.
  • Roncase, Mark, Joseph Weaver, eds. Global Perspectives on the Old Testament. Boston: Pearson, 2014.
  • Walton, John H. Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament: Introducing the Conceptual World of the Hebrew Bible. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2018.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)

Variant 1

Portfolio

The portfolio assessment will contain items as suitable for the unit.

 4000 100.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 15 Apr, 2026

Unit record last updated: 2026-04-15 09:41:51 +1000