[Seal of NC Diocese] Deacon Formation Program
Introduction to the Old Testament
Fall, 2009

Personal

  
F. L. Horton, Instructor  
Department of Religion,
Wake Forest University		  
P. O. Box 7212
Winston-Salem, NC 27109		  Office Fax: (336) 758-4462
   

Textbooks

John J. Collins, Introduction to the Hebrew Bible (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2004).
ISBN 978-0-8006-2991-5

Electronic Handouts

"Main Archaeological Periods Relating to the Hebrew Bible"
"Vocabulary for Biblical Studies."

Course Outline

The abbreviation RCL refers to the Revised Common Lectionary which becomes mandatory in the Episcopal Church on the First Sunday of Advent, 2007.
  • September 12
    Introduction to the Course
    The Arena of History
    First Assignment: Exodus 24:12-18 (Transfiguration, Cycle A, RCL)
  • September 26
    Mythology and History
    Second Assignment: Genesis 2:15-3:21 (First Sunday in Lent, Cycle A, RCL)
  • October 10
  • Liturgy and the Psalms
    Third Assignment: Psalm 22 (Good Friday, Cycles ABC, RCL)
  • October 31 
    Prophecy and the People of God
    Fourth Assignment: Isaiah 5:1-11 (Proper 22, Cycle A; Proper 15, Cycle C, RCL)
  • November 14
  • Late Prophecy
    Fifth Assignment: Isaiah 51:1-6 (Proper 16, Cycle A, RCL)
  • December 5
    The Wisdom Tradition
    Sixth Assignment: Ecclesiasticus 3:1-13 (New Year, Cycles ABC, RCL)

Class Sessions

On Blackboard under Assignments, there is a place for you to upload your assignment to me before our meeting date. If you can get it to me, say, three days before our meeting (Wednesday), I can probably have it read and returned to you by class time. If your assignment comes in later than that, I'll read it and make comments on it as soon as possible. BE SURE TO BRING A HARD COPY OF YOUR COMPLETED ASSIGNMENT, WHETHER MARKED OR UNMARKED, TO FACILITATE OUR CLASS DISCUSSION. Each session will begin with a general discussion of the topic for the day, supported by your readings from the Bible and from John J. Collins, Introduction to the Hebrew Bible (Minneapolis: Fortress, 2004 "Collins" in this syllabus). Our focus will be on dealing with specific problems you have encountered in the reading. Following a short break, we shall return to discuss your specific preparations of the assigned passage. At the conclusion of the class, you will leave with me a copy of your written preparation.

Doing the Assignments

Each assignment will be broken down into topics for the first hour and those for the second hour. I would like to read your response to every numbered item under each hour. Since the first hour's work is usually informational, very brief, even one-word responses are fine as you see fit. Responses to the second hour's items will likely be in paragraphs. I have no objection to having you rearrange things to suit your interests and insights.

Twenty Questions

Each assignment has a little twenty-question checkup quiz to help you with your reading. On Blackboard go to Assignments and you will find the associated twenty-question checkup underneath the link for the assignment. Click on it and start the quiz. Use your Bible and your textbook to help. At the end of the quiz, you'll get a final score. You may take the quiz as often as you want, and I would aim for a score of 80% or more before being satisfied. When you retake a quiz the questions appear in a new order, so don't be worried that you have accidentally hit the wrong link. This is more like a workbook exercise than a test.

Evaluation

I will write comments on your Assignments and return them to you. These will consist of references to other literature, corrections, suggestions, and the like. I will not put a grade on your papers. At the conclusion of the course, I will write an evaluation of your work in this course to Bobbie Armstrong with a copy to you. If for any reason it appears to me that a student is not making satisfactory progress, I will contact that student directly and arrange for any necessary supplementary instruction or work. My criteria for "satisfactory progress" are threefold:
  1. knowledgeable participation in the class sessions,
  2. faithful work on the assignments, and
  3. evidence of a growth of knowledge.
Since I cannot teach you all of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament in the brief time available to us, I hope to leave you in a life-long process of teaching yourself the Bible.