Content

The Book of Genesis contains some very well-known stories in the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament. These narratives form and shape beliefs and attitudes, as well as influence responses to significant issues that confront individuals and communities in today's world. This unit will introduce the book of Genesis at the intersections of promise, power, and politics (ancient & modern). It will address critical, historical, and literary issues in the book, its reception, and its relationship to the ancient Near East. You will study selected texts in the book from varied perspectives (historical, socio-political, feminist/gender, ecological, postcolonial, disability, queer, etc.), identify themes and issues and reflect on the complexities of relationships between characters and traditions. The unit seeks to foster appreciation for these biblical stories and facilitate conversation between the book and our context and discover insights to address contemporary issues.

Unit code: BA3080P

Unit status: Approved (New unit)

Points: 18.0

Unit level: Undergraduate Level 3

Unit discipline: Old Testament

Proposing College: Pilgrim Theological College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Outline and describe the contents of the Book of Genesis

2.

Engage with critical issues in the book, both historical and literary

3.

Interpret narratives from varied perspectives

4.

Appraise and reflect on the book at the intersections of promise, power and politics (ancient & modern)

5.

Apply insights gained to address contemporary issues

Unit sequence

Prerequisite: 18 points of Old Testament Studies

Pedagogy

Lectures and Tutorials

Indicative Bibliography

  1. Brenner, Athalya., ed. A Feminist Companion to Genesis. Sheffield: JSOT, 1993.
  2. Brenner, Athalya; Lee, Archie Chi Chung and Yee, Gale A., eds. Genesis: Texts and Contexts. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2010.
  3. Brett, Mark. Genesis: Procreation and the Politics of Identity. London: Routledge, 2000.
  4. de la Torre, Miguel. Genesis. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011.
  5. Fewell, Danna N., and Gunn, David M. Gender, Power and Promise: The Subject of the Bible’s First Story. Nashville: Abingdon, 1993
  6. Goldstein, Rabbi ELyse, ed. The Women's Torah Commentary: New Insights from Women Rabbis on the 54 Weekly Torah Portions. Woodstock, Vermont: Jewish Lights Publishing, 2003.
  7. Habel, Norman. The Birth, the Curse and the Greening of the Earth: An Ecological Reading of Genesis 1-11. The Earth Bible Commentary Series. Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2011.
  8. Havea, Jione and Melanchthon, Monica., eds. Bible Blindspots: Dispersion and Othering. Intersectionality & Theology Series. Eugene, Oregon: Pickwick Publications, 2021.
  9. Jeansonne. Sharon Pace. The Women of Genesis: From Sarah to Potiphar's Wife. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1990.
  10. Sarna, Nahum M. The JPS Torah Commentary: Genesis. Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 1989.
  11. Wenham, Gordon J. Genesis 1-15. and Gen 16-50 WBC, Vol 01 and 02. Waco, Texas: Word Books, 1987, 1994.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)

Variant 1

Exegetical Essay

An exegetical and interpretative essay on a text from Genesis finalized after a brief presentation in class (5000 words).

5000 100.0

Variant 2

Essay

An essay of 2000 words critically exploring a theme in Genesis

2000 40.0
Exegetical Essay

An exegetical and interpretative essay on a text from Genesis (3000 Words)

3000 60.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 13 Jun, 2023

Unit record last updated: 2023-06-13 15:56:20 +1000