The Pentateuch (BA3006L)

Undergraduate, 18.0 points

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: BA3006L

Unit status: Approved (Major revision)

Points: 18.0

Unit level: Undergraduate Level 3

Unit discipline: Old Testament

Delivery Mode: Face to Face

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

Course relationship: A level 3 unit in undergraduate theology and ministry courses

Prerequisites: At least 36 points in Field B

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. From paradise to the promised land: an introduction to the Pentateuch. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2012.
  • Blenkinsopp, Joseph. The Pentateuch: an introduction to the first five books of the Bible. Anchor Bible Reference Library. New York, NY: Doubleday, 1992.
  • Brueggemann, Walter. ‘The book of Exodus’. In The New Interpreter’s Bible, volume 1. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1994.
  • Kleinig, John W. Leviticus. Concordia Commentary Series. St Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 2003.
  • 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. At the mountain of God: story and theology in Exodus 32-34. Sheffield: JSOT Press, 1983.
  • Schachter, Lifsa. ‘The Garden of Eden as God’s First Sanctuary.’ Jewish Biblical Quarterly 41, no. 2 (April 2013): 73‒77.
  • Wenham, Gordon J. Genesis 1-15. Word Biblical Commentary, volume 1. Waco, TX: Word Books, 1987.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Essay

Essay (including tutorial paper) on a Pentateuchal theme

1500 40.0
Exegetical Essay

Essay on a selected text from the Pentateuch

 3500 60.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Maggie Kappelhoff on 23 Sep, 2020

Unit record last updated: 2021-06-07 08:43:50 +1000