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Canyon College

online Survey of the Bible course at Canyon College

COURSE SYLLABUS: Survey of the Bible

Course Title: Survey of the Bible I - TH305
Department: Bachelor of Theology
Instructor: Dona Williams, MTh, BS, E-Mail Vita
Prerequisites: None


DOCTRINAL STATEMENT

Canyon College is a non- sectarian, non-denominational school committed to the study of God in all the richness and diversity of God's revelations to humanity and an exploration of what those revelations mean to the everyday lives of finite human beings. Canyon College does not advocate any particular belief, creed, doctrine or idea other than the reality of God and does not require that its students and faculty subscribe to any particular belief, creed, doctrine or idea other than a willingness to be challenged and a commitment to an investigation into truth and the pursuit of academic honesty and excellence.

INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE

Students should strive to use inclusive language in their writings. By inclusive language is meant language that is not gender specific and which attempts to include as many people as possible. For instance, instead of writing that "God wills that every man obeys His will," inclusive language would suggest that we write, "God wills that everyone obeys God's will."

PURPOSE OF THE COURSE

This course is a survey of the Bible as literature and as history. What is most important is that students come to know what is inside this Book which has so affected people and impacted the world as we know it. Of course, it is impossible to get inside the Bible without being touched by the spirit of a living God which permeates its pages. After all, when we speak of biblical history, we are truly talking about HISstory. That is, the stories of the Spirit of God working through sinners like you and me. Moreover, we cannot take this journey without some consideration of theology, doctrine and message. However, we will not dwell there. We will say a few words about what this literature and history mean and then continue along our journey. At the end of our adventure, and surely an approach to the Bible as is proposed here is an adventure, students should have an understanding of this international best-selling book, the Bible, and will be able to not "use" the Bible but to read it and to hear what it has to say yesterday, today, tomorrow, and always!

REQUIREMENTS
  1. Readings. The required texts are: Online Book Store

    1. Understanding the Old Testament, 4th edition, by Bernhard Anderson and Katheryn Pfisterer Darr. Prentice Hall, 1997. ISBN: 0139483993 ("Anderson")


    2. The New Testament: Proclamation and Parenesis, Myth and History, 3rd edition, by Dennis C. Duling and Norman Perrin. Harcourt Brace & Co., 1993. ISBN: 015500378X ("Duling & Perrin")


    3. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, 3rd edition, by Raymond E. Brown, et al. Prentice Hall, 1999. ISBN: 0138598363 ("Brown")


    4. The Women’s Bible Commentary, expanded edition, edited by Carol A. Newsom and Sharon H. Ringe. Westminster/John Knox Press, 1998/1999. ISBN: 066425781X ("Newsom & Ringe")


    5. The Harper Collins Study Bible, New Revised Standard Version, edited by Wayne A. Meeks. HarperCollins Publishers, 1997. ISBN: 0060655275 ("Meeks")


    6. Synopsis of the Four Gospels, English Edition, edited by Kurt Aland. United Bible Societies, 1982. ISBN: 0826705006 ("Aland")


    It is acknowledged that the reading list is long. However, these books will be required throughout students' studies and should occupy a prominent place in the library of their work lives. This course is the foundation for the study of theology and consequently it occupies a prominent place in the Bachelor of Theology Degree Program.


  2. Conferences. Students may schedule at least two Internet conferences between the student and the professor. These may be scheduled by the student after the first week and before the last week. Of course, students may ask questions of the professor at any time by sending an E-mail to the address at the link above or by posting them to the bulletin board.


  3. Exams. There will be one exam which will be a comprehensive final examination. The exam will cover the assigned readings and the conferences and should be taken by the end of the sixth week of study.


  4. Papers. There will be a short paper of no more than two single-spaced pages or 1,250 words, due at the end of each week’s readings in which students will answer the discussion questions and give a reaction to their readings; and, a final paper due of between five and seven double-spaced pages on a topic to be chosen in consultation with the professor. A tentative title, thesis statement, and working bibliography are due by the end of the third week. The final paper is due by the end of the sixth week. These papers are to be E-mailed to the professor. Those who do not feel comfortable with E-mailing the papers can contact the professor for a mailing address.


  5. Grades. Course work will be weighted as follows:

    Papers 30%
    Final Paper 40%
    Final Exam 30%

  6. Grading Scale.

    90-100% A - Excellent
    80-89% B - Above Average
    70-79% C - Average
    60-69% D - Below Average
    59% or below F - Failing Grade
WEEK 1

Read pages 1034-1043 of Brown and 1-16 of Anderson. Also, read pages xvii-xxx of Meeks and xiii-9 of Newsom & Ringe.

Discussion Questions:
  1. How did the Bible come to be?
  2. Do we have any of the original documents of the Bible today?
  3. What does reading the Bible through the eyes of women add to our understanding of the Bible?
  4. What does it mean to "understand" the Bible?
WEEK 2

Read the Book of Genesis. Read Newsom & Ringe pages 10-25. Read Anderson pages 17-83. Read Brown pages 8-11.

Discussion Questions:
  1. What is the "defining moment" in the history of Israel?
  2. How many creation stories are there in Genesis? What is the difference between them?
  3. When was Genesis written? By whom?
  4. Is the story of creation myth, fact, or confession of faith?
WEEK 3

Read Brown pages 3-7 and 44-51; Newsom & Ringe pages 26-44; and Anderson pages 53-106. Read the first 20 chapters of Exodus and Chapter 23:20-33 and 32:1-33:6 and 40:34-38.

Discussion Questions:
  1. From what point of view is the story of the liberation of Israel told?
  2. Why might there not be any historical evidence in Egypt to support the Exodus story?
  3. Is there an ecological or scientific way of explaining the "miracles" of the desert/wilderness?
  4. Does the story of the liberation of Israel tell us more about God or Israel or Egypt? Why?
  5. Can we read the Bible as history without considering its theological implications?
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT A TENTATIVE TITLE, THESIS STATEMENT, AND WORKING BIBLIOGRAPHY OF YOUR FINAL PAPER IS DUE TO THE PROFESSOR BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.


WEEK 4

Read pages 151-153, 198-200, 266-268 of Meeks; pages 36-62 of Newsom & Ringe; and pages 106-109 of Anderson. Scan through the Books of Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy so that you will become familiar with the contents of these works.

Discussion Questions:
  1. Look at the 18th Chapter of Leviticus, what is this chapter about? Hint, read the commentary at the bottom of the page.
  2. What do we notice about the manner in which women are treated in the law of Israel? Children? Hint, read Newsom &: Ringe pages 244-251.
  3. Chapter 26 of Leviticus is divided into two sections. What are they?
  4. Read Chapter 14 of Numbers. What is going on here? Look particularly at verses 29-30 and verse 37, what is happening here?
  5. Read Chapter 15 of Deuteronomy. What is your reaction? Hint, read the commentary at the bottom of the pages.
  6. Read Chapter 27 of Deuteronomy. Why must the people say Amen to each of the commandments?
WEEK 5

Read pages 110-112, 132-135, 145-146 and 160-161 of Brown. Read pages 110-246 of Anderson.

Discussion Questions:
  1. Discuss the concept of covenant. What are the various types of covenants?
  2. What is the significance of the 40 years which the Israelites spent wandering in the wilderness?
  3. What becomes of the prostitute who hides the spies from Israel?
  4. How do you react to the confrontation between the Israelites and the Canaanites? Is this history or theology or theology explaining history? Look particularly at Anderson pages 160-162.
  5. What is the difference between the historical narration in the ancestral history and that in the primeval history?
WEEK 6

Read Brown pages 186-200 and 447-452. Read Anderson pages 247-424.

Discussion Questions:
  1. What is wisdom literature?
  2. What are the three divisions of Isaiah and how do they differ from one another?
  3. Anderson says that the Israelites had a "tolerance for versions." What does Anderson mean by this statement?
  4. Read Chapter 9 of Ezra. What is the issue here? How is it resolved? How does it differ from the solution in Nehemiah Chapter 13:23-31?
  5. What is Job’s complaint? How do his friends respond? Who does God say has spoken correctly about God?
  6. Why do you think those who assembled the Bible included the Song of Solomon? What kind of writing is this?
  7. Look at Chapter 2 of Ezekiel. How is he commissioned by God for a special work? Does this differ from the way God has called others such as Moses and Jeremiah? If so, in what ways?
REMINDER: THE FINAL EXAM MUST BE TAKEN BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.