Content

This unit will examine how the Old Testament portrays God as just, righteous, and merciful, and the criteria whereby Israel is called to be a just, righteous, and merciful society. It will consist of an analysis of justice, righteousness, and mercy and associated terminology within their literary, historical and theological contexts. It will consider how these terms and the contexts in which they occur contribute to Theodicy—the notion of God as just.

Unit code: BA3500C

Unit status: Archived (New unit)

Points: 18.0

Unit level: Undergraduate Level 3

Unit discipline: Old Testament

Delivery Mode: Face to Face

Proposing College: Catholic Theological College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Apply their exegetical skills to the understanding of key theological terms in the Old Testament

2.

Demonstrate an ability to grasp the meaning of texts and terms

3.

Critically assess the relationship between terminology in different contexts with a view to constructing a theology of mercy and justice

4.

Demonstrate a broad knowledge of the relevant background material

5.

Present papers in the context of seminar discussions

Unit sequence

BS1001C and BS1002C, and two Biblical Studies units at Second level

Pedagogy

Lectures, Seminars

Indicative Bibliography

  • Birch, B. C. Let justice roll down: The Old Testament, ethics, and Christian life. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1991.
  • Boda, Mark J. A Severe Mercy: Sin and Its Remedy in the Old Testament. Siphrut; Literature and Theology of the Old Testament Scriptures. Winona Lakes IN.: Eisenbrauns, 2009.
  • Boecker, H. J. Law and the administration of justice in the Old Testament and Ancient East. Augsburg, MN: Fortress Press, 1980.
  • Crenshaw, J. L. Theodicy in the Old Testament. London: SPCK, 1983.
  • ––––––––– . Defending God: Biblical Responses to the Problem of Evil. Oxford: OUP, 2005.
  • Heagle, John. Justice Rising: The emerging biblical vision. Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books, 2010.
  • Houston, Walter J. Contending for justice: Ideologies and theologies of social justice in the Old Testament. London: T & T Clark, 2006.
  • O’Brien, Mark A. Restoring the Right Relationship: The Bible on Divine Righteousness. Adelaide: ATF Press, 2014. (Set text)
  • Perdue, Leo. The Collapse of History: Reconstructing Old Testament Theology. OBT. Augsburg, MN: Fortress Press, 1994.
  • –––––––––––. Reconstructing Old Testament Theology: After the Collapse of History. OBT. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 2005.
  • Weinfeld, Moshe. Social Justice in Ancient Israel and in the Ancient Near East. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1995.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Seminar or Tutorial

1,000 seminar presentation on the meaning of particular terms

0 20.0
Exegesis

1,500 word systematic exegesis of an Old Testament text or texts to develop a critical understanding of the issues involved in analyzing biblical terminology

0 30.0
Essay

2,500 word essay presentation of the meaning of one or more relevant terms for justice/righteousness and mercy within a particular Old Testament context

0 50.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by John Capper on 6 Aug, 2018

Unit record last updated: 2022-12-12 15:20:07 +1100