Reading and understanding biblical texts is a foundational skill for all theology students, and this unit introduces key skills required for reading the Bible in its historical, social, cultural, religious, and literary contexts. An overview of biblical narratives will be presented, with attention to current theories concerning how and when these narratives were recorded and collated into the Christian scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. Through this focus, students will learn to identify different voices and perspectives in biblical writing. This unit will introduce students to the historical and literary criticism of biblical texts, as well as the significance of the contexts from which they read the Bible today.
Unit code: BS1001Z
Unit status: Approved (Minor revision)
Points: 18.0
Unit level: Undergraduate Level 1
Unit discipline: Biblical Studies
Delivery Mode: Blended
Proposing College: St Francis College
Show when this unit is running| 1. | Develop foundational knowledge and understanding of the arc of biblical history and the socio-historical contexts in which texts were written and collated. |
| 2. | Demonstrate an emerging ability to read and recognise literary forms from biblical texts, including narrative, legal, prophetic, poetry, gospel, epistle, and apocalyptic. |
| 3. | Demonstrate foundational skills in historical and literary criticism. |
| 4. | Demonstrate a foundational understanding of writing an exegetical essay. |
This is a foundational unit in Biblical Studies and is a prerequisite for second and third year units.
This unit will incorporate a flipped learning approach prior to on-campus workshops that will combine direct instruction and collaborative learning approaches.
Collins, John J. A Short Introduction to the Hebrew Bible: And Deutero-Canonical Books. 3rd ed. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2018. [ISBN 9781506445991]
Powell, Mark A. Introducing the New Testament: A Historical, Literary, and Theological Survey. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2018.
Kugler, Robert A. and Patrick J. Hartin. An Introduction to the Bible. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2009.
Gorman, Michael J. Elements of Biblical Exegesis: A Basic Guide for Students and Ministers. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2020.
| Type | Description | Word count | Weight (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Multiple Choice Quizzes or Tests - Quizzes | Short online quizzes on the background readings for each week. |
250 | 20.0 |
| Essay - Narrative Analysis | Narrative Analysis of an Old Testament Passage |
1000 | 25.0 |
| Oral Presentation - Presentation | Oral presentation (7-10 minutes) - Analysis of one passage of the Bible |
750 | 25.0 |
| Exegetical Essay - Exegesis | An exegetical essay |
1500 | 30.0 |
Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 20 Dec, 2024
Unit record last updated: 2024-12-20 09:34:44 +1100