Content

In this unit students will consider how the Scriptures of Old and New Testaments represent living traditions rather than mere inert texts, including: • how the formation of the biblical canon reflects the living nature of the texts within the Jewish people and the Christian community • how the tradition lives on in the ways Christian communities, including Lutheran, have understood and used the Scriptures • how the biblical meta-narrative with Christ at its centre forms the heart of the tradition.

Unit code: BS9104L

Unit status: Archived (Major revision)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Elective

Unit discipline: Biblical Studies

Delivery Mode: Online

Proposing College: Australian Lutheran College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Analyse biblical texts in the light of their cultural, historical, literary, social, and religious contexts

2.

Justify the notion of ‘living tradition’in the biblical texts themselves, in the formation of the biblical canon, and in the ongoing use of Scripture as ‘living tradition’

3.

Formulate ways of reading biblical texts in the light of a Christ-focused biblical meta-narrative.

4.

Demonstrate advanced skills in critical methodology through interpretation of various biblical texts

5.

Demonstrate self-guided learning, including research, writing and communication.

Unit sequence

At least 15cp in Biblical Studies or equivalent

Pedagogy

Online

Indicative Bibliography

  • Brueggemann, Walter. 2012. An introduction to the Old Testament: the canon and Christian imagination, 2nd ed. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox. (recommended for purchase)
  • Bunge, Marcia, ed. 2008. The child in the Bible. Grand Rapids MI: Wm B. Eerdmans. (recommended for purchase)
  • The Bible, preferably the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) or Today’s New International Version (TNIV) and preferably in the form of a study Bible e.g. Lutheran Study Bible. 2009. Minneapolis MN: Augsburg Fortress. (recommended for purchase)

  • Birch, Bruce C., Walter Brueggemann, Terence E. Fretheim and David L. Petersen. 2005. A theological introduction to the Old Testament. 2nd ed. Nashville TN: Abingdon.

  • Boadt, Lawrence, Richard Clifford and Daniel Harrington. 2012. Reading the Old Testament: an introduction. 2nd ed, New York NY: Paulist Press.

  • Bockmuehl, Markus. 2006. Seeing the Word: refocusing New Testament study. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic.

  • Bauckham, Richard, 2006. Jesus and the eyewitnesses: The Gospels as eyewitness testimony. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm B Eerdmans.

  • Doble, Peter, and Jeffrey J. Kloha, eds. 2014. Texts and traditions: essays in honour of J. Keith Elliott. New Testament Tools, Studies and Documents. Leiden: E.J. Brill.

  • Drane, John. 2011. Introducing the Old Testament. 3rd ed. Oxford, UK: Lion.

  • Drane, John. 2010. Introducing the New Testament. 3rd ed. Oxford, UK: Lion.

  • Evans, Craig A. 2011. Ancient texts for New Testament studies : a guide to the background literature. Baker Academic paperback edition. Grand Rapids MI : Baker Academic.

  • Green, Joel B. ed. 1995. Hearing the New Testament. strategies for interpretation. Grand Rapids MI/Carlyle UK: Eerdmans/Paternoster.

  • Moloney, Francis J. 2006. The living voice of the Gospel: the Gospels today. Melbourne: Collins Dove.

  • Ralph, Margaret Nutting. 2003. And God said what?: an introduction to biblical literary forms. Revised edition. New York/Mahwah: Paulist Press.

  • Sparks, Kenton. 2005. Ancient texts for the study of the Hebrew Bible: a guide to the background literature. Peabody MA: Hendrickson Publishers.

  • Stegemann, Wolfgang, Bruce J. Malina and Gerd Theissen, eds. 2002. The social setting of Jesus and the Gospels. Minneapolis MN: Fortress.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Essay

Essay 3000 words

0 50.0
Critical Review

Critical literature review 1500 words

0 30.0
Journal

Reflective journal 1500 words equivalent

0 20.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by John Capper on 19 Oct, 2017

Unit record last updated: 2021-06-07 08:43:49 +1000