Ashmore OTS 501 Spring '09

Divinity School Program Learning Outcomes

&nbs= p; &= nbsp; &nbs= p; &= nbsp; Mission Statements

MRE Program = Mission

MDiv Progra= m Mission

The mission of the Master of Religious Education deg= ree is to equip persons for competent leadership in Christian Education to serve congregational ministries and other religious institutions. This purpose = is consistent with the mission of Shaw University Divinity School; the Maste= r of Religious Education program focuses on leadership in the “practice = of ministry,” particularly in the African American Church

The mission of the Master of Divinity degree is to p= repare persons for ordained ministry, for chaplaincy, general pastoral and relig= ious leadership responsibilities in congregations and other settings, and to prepare some students for admission to advanced programs oriented to theological research and teaching. The purpose is consistent with the mis= sion of Shaw= University Divini= ty School; the Maste= r of Divinity program focuses on leadership in the “practice of ministry,” particularly in the African American church

Program Goals

MRE Pr= ogram Goals

MDiv P= rogram Goals

1. to equip students with the capacity for critical and constructive theological reflection regarding the content and processes of educational ministry;

2. to help students understand the educational, social, and behavioral sciences that undergird educational practice, as well as the cultural contexts in which educational ministry occurs;

3. to assist students with personal growth and spiritual maturity; and

4. to provid= es skills in teaching and in design, administration, and assessment of educational programming.

1.= to provide students with an intellectual atmosphere and a comprehensive, discriminating understanding of our religious heritage;

2.= to enhance student training for Christian ministry, mindful of global, and diverse cross cultural, and non-American Christianities, and interaction = with other faith traditions;

3.= to support students' development in the personal and spiritual capacities necessary for pastoral and religious leadership, advancing growth in pers= onal faith, emotional maturity, moral integrity, and public witness;

4.= to expand programmatic activities, services, and academic programming to enh= ance student capacity for ministerial and public leadership.

Program Learning Outcomes<= /b>

MRE Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

MDiv Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)

1.= Graduates will demonstrate a capacity to articulate an understanding of the scriptu= ral, historical, and theological traditions of particular Christian traditions= and of the broader community of faith

2.= Graduates will evaluate teaching and learning theories for the purpose of developin= g a distinctly Christian philosophy of educating God’s people;

3.= Graduates will demonstrate a capacity for critical reflection on how their unique personalities, backgrounds, and gifts and abilities relate to the ministr= y of Christian education;

4.= Graduates will demonstrate a capacity to design and to carry out a lesson plan necessary for effective educational ministries

1.= Graduates will demonstrate a capacity to articulate an understanding of the scriptu= ral, historical, and theological traditions of particular Christian traditions= and of the broader community of faith

2.= Graduates will develop a consciousness about and a capacity to reflect critically on issues of diversity, globalization, and cross cultural concerns;

3.= Graduates will demonstrate a capacity for critical reflection on how their unique personalities, backgrounds, and gifts and abilities relate to the role of= the minister as leader, guide, and servant of the faith community;

4.= Graduates will demonstrate a capacity to create programs and have a critical voice = in ministerial and public leadership

Course Description

The focus of this course is learning the content of al= l the books of the Old Testament. Students will take regular quizzes on the content of the books. Students will also be introduced t= o the history of ancient I= srael and some of the critical methods employed in studying the text.

Student = Learning Outcomes

Student Learning Outcomes (SLO)

At the completion of this course, students wil= l be able to:

Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes

(Assessment Tools)

Linkage to MDiv Program Learning Outcomes =

Linkage to MRE Program Learning Outcomes

1. lis= t and spell correctly the books of the Old Testament in canonical order

Final Exam

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1<= /p>

2. ide= ntify the major structural elements, themes, and major critical issues in at le= ast one book from each division of the canon

Quizzes

1<= /p>

1<= /p>

3. ide= ntify on a map the major geographical areas and sites in ancient Afro-Asia

Map Project

1<= /p>

1<= /p>

4. des= cribe at least two points of controversy in the history of ancient Israel, identify the scholarly perspectives on these issues

Map Project

1<= /p>

1<= /p>

5. des= cribe the differences between the Alexandrian and Palestinian canons

Quizzes and Final Exam

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1<= /p>

6. ide= ntify at least five dates in the history of Israel

Quizzes and Final Exam

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1<= /p>

Texts and Blackboard<= /span>

Required Texts

Achtemeier, Paul, Ed. HarperCollins Bible Dictionary<= /i>. Rev. Ed. San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1996. <= /p>

LaSor, William, David Hubbard, and Frederick Bush.= Old Testament Survey. 2^nd Ed. Minneapolis: Eerdmans, 1996.

Pritchard, James B. HarperCollins Atlas of Bible History. San Francisco: HarperCollins, 2008.

Society of Biblical Literature. HarperCollins Study Bible.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> Rev. Ed. San Francisco: HarperCollins, 2006. <= /p>

If this is your fi= rst course in Biblical Studies, then you should add the following book and read= it during the course of the semester:

Brown, Michael Joseph. What They Don’t Tell You:= A Survivor’s Guide to Biblic= al Studies. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000.

Please bring your Bible to class every day. In addition to the required Bible,= there are other good study Bibles available.&nbs= p; In the NRSV, the New Interpreter’s Study Bible and the = New Oxford Annotated Bible are both good choices. In the NIV Zondervan’s NIV Study Bible is the best choice. Do not use the Authorized Version (King James), New King Jame= s, New Living Translation, Contemporary English Version, Amplified Bible, or paraphrased Bible in this class.

Blackboard

This class will use Blackboard. You can connect to the Blackboard = site through the University’s website www.shawuniversity.edu.

Course Requirements

Please Note!&n= bsp; All assignments are due on the date(s) indicated below. Any assignment submitted after the= due date for any reason cannot receive an A.&n= bsp; The highest grade possible for any such assignment is B.

M.Div./M.R.E. Assignments

This course focuses on basic content, structure, and t= hemes of the books of the Old Testament. Because this knowledge is foundational for both degrees, this course will not distinguish between the two degrees in assignments.

Pre-Instruction Assessment

As part of the University's continuous program of assessment, students will take a quiz as part of the assessment of the effectiveness of the course. = That is, the quiz is not a test of the student, but of the effectiveness of the course. This course is requir= ed and should be completed prior to Jan. 24. For students who register during add/drop, the quiz should be comple= ted within one week of registering. Please note that this quiz will not be used in computing the student's grade.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>

Date:  &n= bsp;            Jan. 24 (or within one week of registration)

Weight:  =          0%

Online Discussions=

Three online discussions will be posted on Blackboard.= Each discussion will require the s= tudent to post two responses. The fi= rst response will be a response to the instructor’s post, and should be 4= or 5 good paragraphs. For the se= cond response in each round, students will read a classmate’s post and res= pond to that classmate in 2 or 3 good paragraphs.

Dates:  &= nbsp;          Feb. 7/Feb. 21; Mar. 7/Mar. 21; Apr. 18/Apr. 25

Weight:  =          10%<= /p>

Quizzes

A total of four quizzes will be given. The quizzes will cover the followi= ng material:

Quiz 1 -- How We Got the Hebrew Bible, The Torah, Gene= sis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

Quiz 2 -- History of Israel, Parts 1 and 2, Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings

Quiz 3 -- The Prophetic Books, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezeki= el, 12 Minor Prophets

Quiz 4 -- History of Israel, Part 3, The Writings,= The Wisdom Literature, Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Five Little Scrolls, Chronicles, = Ezra-Nehemiah, Daniel

All four quizzes must be completed no later than April= 25.

Dates:  &= nbsp;          posted Jan. 24, Feb. 7, Feb. 21, Apr. 4

Weight:  =          35%

Map and History Library Project

Details of the assignment are given at the end of the syllabus. Students will creat= e maps of Israel and Afro-Asi= a and also answer questions related to the history of ancient Israel.=

Date:  &n= bsp;            April 4

Weight:  =          20%

Final Exam

A comprehensive final exam will be given. Students may take the exam on Blac= kboard or in class.

Date:  &n= bsp;            May 2

Weight:  =          35%<= /p>

Plagiarism/Honor P= ledge

All assignments are submitted with the following honor pledge implied.

I affirm that the content of this assignment is my own work. Nothing in this work is copied from a textbook, other book or online source, or another student exc= ept where permitted and properly documented.&n= bsp; I understand that if I violate this affirmation I will receive a fai= ling grade on this assignment and possibly in the class.

The University Handbook states that repeated instances= of plagiarism will result in suspension and/or expulsion from school.

Attendance and Classr= oom Decorum

Attendance

The University policy on absences applies in this class. Students may not have = more unexcused absences than the number of times the class meets in a week (1). Students must keep excused absences to a minimum. It wil= l be very difficult for a student to pass this course if she/he misses more than= 1/4 of the class meetings (3).   Students who have multiple absences should consult with the instruct= or to determine if she/he should withdraw from the class. Each student is responsible for ge= tting class notes, handouts, and other materials and for submitting any assignmen= ts for any class she/he misses. =

Decorum

Class will begin and end on time. Please respect your fellow student= s by arriving before class starts and remaining until class is over. Please turn cell phones off before= class begins. Vigorous discussion is encouraged in class. Students= will demonstrate respect for each other in all class discussions. As adult learners, students are ex= pected to dress and conduct themselves appropriately in class.

Class Schedule

<= /p> Date	<= /p> <= /p> Topics =	Student Learning Outcome=	<= /p> Assigned Reading	<= /p> Mode of Instruction	<= /p> Related Assignment=	<= /p> <= /p> Resources	<= /p> Assessment Tool
Jan. 17	Introduction, How W= e Got the Hebrew Bible, The Pentateuch	2, 5		Class discussion and questions	Log onto Blackboard=	Handouts, Practice = Quiz	Pretest<= /span>
Jan. 24	Genesis, Exodus	2=	Genesis, Exodus Old Testament St= udies (OTS), chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 HarperCollins Bi= ble Dictionary (HCBD) articles on Genesis, Exodus, Texts- Versions- Manuscripts-Editions, canon<= /span>	Class discussion and questions		Handouts=	Quiz 1
Jan. 31	Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy	2=	Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy OTS chapters 6, 7, = 8 HCBD articles on Le= viticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy	Class discussion and questions	Discussion Topic 1 = Posted on Blackboard	Handouts=	Quiz 1
Feb. 7	History of Israel, Part 1, The Prophetic Books, Joshua, Judges	2, 4, 5<= /span>	Joshua, Judges= OTS chapters 9, 10,= 11 HCBD articles on Jo= shua, Judges, Israel, prophet	Class discussion and questions	Discussion Topic 1 = first response due	Handouts=	Quiz 2
Feb. 14	History of Israel, Part 2, Samuel, Kings	2, 4	Samuel, Kings<= /o:p> OTS chapters 12, 13= , 14, 15 HCBD articles on Sa= muel, Kings, David, Solomon, Judah (Kingdom of),	Class discussion and questions		Handouts=	Quiz 2
Feb. 21	Amos, Hosea, Micah<= o:p>	2=	Amos, Hosea, Micah<= o:p> OTS chapters 16, 17= , 18, 19, 20 HCBC articles on Am= os, Hosea, Micah	Class discussion and questions	Discussion Topic 1 = second response due	Handouts=	Quiz 3
Feb. 28	Isaiah	2=	Isaiah <= /span> OTS chapters 21, 22= HCBD article on Isa= iah	Class discussion and questions	Discussion Topic 2 = Posted on Blackboard	Handouts=	Quiz 3
Mar. 7	Zephaniah, Nahum, H= abakkuk	2=	Zephaniah, Nahum, H= abakkuk OTS chapter 23= HCBD articles on Ze= phaniah, Nahum, Habakkuk	Class discussion and questions	Discussion Topic 2 = first response due	Handouts=	Quiz 3
Mar. 14	Jeremiah, Ezekiel	2=	Jeremiah, Ezekiel OTS chapters 24, 25= HCBD articles on Je= remiah, Ezekiel	Class discussion an= d questions		Handouts=	Quiz 3
Mar. 21	Obadiah, Joel, Jona= h, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi	2, 4	Obadiah, Joel, Jona= h, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi OTS chapters 26, 27= , 28, 29, 30 HCBD articles on Ob= adiah, Joel, Jonah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi	Class discussion an= d questions	Discussion Topic 2 = second response due	Handouts=	Quiz 3
Mar. 28	No Class Meeting
Apr. 4	History of Israel, Part 3, The Writings, Psalms, Wisdom Literature, Proverbs, Job	2, 3, 4, 5, 6<= /o:p>	Psalms, Proverbs, J= ob OTS chapters 31-35<= o:p> HCBD articles on Ps= alms, Proverbs, Job, Temple, wisdom	Class discussion and questions	Map and History = Project Due Discussion Topic 3 = posted on Blackboard	Handouts=	Quiz 4
Apr. 11	No Class Meeting -- Easter Break
Apr. 18	Five Little Scrolls=	2=	Ecclesiastes, Song = of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Esther OTS chapters 36, 37= , 38, 39, 40 HCBD articles on Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Esther	Class discussion and questions	Discussion Topic 3,= first response due	Handouts=	Quiz 4
Apr. 25	Chronicles, Ezra-Ne= hemiah, Daniel	2=	Chronicles, Ezra, N= ehemiah, Daniel OTS chapters 41, 42= , 43 HCBD articles on Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Daniel, apocalyptic literature	Class discussion and questions	Discussion Topic 3,= second response due	Handouts=	Quiz 4
May 2=	No class meeting – Exam	Final Exam

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Date

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Topics =

Student Learning Outcome=

<= /p>

Assigned Reading

<= /p>

Mode of Instruction

<= /p>

Related Assignment=

<= /p>

Resources

<= /p>

Assessment Tool

Jan. 17

Introduction, How W= e Got the Hebrew Bible, The Pentateuch

2, 5

Class discussion and questions

Log onto Blackboard=

Handouts, Practice = Quiz

Pretest<= /span>

Jan. 24

Genesis, Exodus

Old Testament St= udies (OTS), chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

HarperCollins Bi= ble Dictionary (HCBD) articles on Genesis, Exodus, Texts- Versions- Manuscripts-Editions, canon<= /span>

Class discussion and questions

Handouts=

Quiz 1

Jan. 31

Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

OTS chapters 6, 7, = 8

HCBD articles on Le= viticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy

Class discussion and questions

Discussion Topic 1 = Posted on Blackboard

Handouts=

Quiz 1

Feb. 7

History of Israel, Part 1, The Prophetic Books, Joshua, Judges

2, 4, 5<= /span>

Joshua, Judges=

OTS chapters 9, 10,= 11

HCBD articles on Jo= shua, Judges, Israel, prophet

Class discussion and questions

Discussion Topic 1 = first response due

Handouts=

Quiz 2

Feb. 14

History of Israel, Part 2, Samuel, Kings

2, 4

Samuel, Kings<= /o:p>

OTS chapters 12, 13= , 14, 15

HCBD articles on Sa= muel, Kings, David, Solomon, Judah (Kingdom of),

Class discussion and questions

Handouts=

Quiz 2

Feb. 21

Amos, Hosea, Micah<= o:p>

OTS chapters 16, 17= , 18, 19, 20

HCBC articles on Am= os, Hosea, Micah

Class discussion and questions

Discussion Topic 1 = second response due

Handouts=

Quiz 3

Feb. 28

Isaiah

Isaiah <= /span>

OTS chapters 21, 22=

HCBD article on Isa= iah

Class discussion and questions

Discussion Topic 2 = Posted on Blackboard

Handouts=

Quiz 3

Mar. 7

Zephaniah, Nahum, H= abakkuk

OTS chapter 23=

HCBD articles on Ze= phaniah, Nahum, Habakkuk

Class discussion and questions

Discussion Topic 2 = first response due

Handouts=

Quiz 3

Mar. 14

Jeremiah, Ezekiel

OTS chapters 24, 25=

HCBD articles on Je= remiah, Ezekiel

Class discussion an= d questions

Handouts=

Quiz 3

Mar. 21

Obadiah, Joel, Jona= h, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

2, 4

Obadiah, Joel, Jona= h, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

OTS chapters 26, 27= , 28, 29, 30

HCBD articles on Ob= adiah, Joel, Jonah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi

Class discussion an= d questions

Discussion Topic 2 = second response due

Handouts=

Quiz 3

Mar. 28

No Class Meeting

Apr. 4

History of Israel, Part 3, The Writings, Psalms, Wisdom Literature, Proverbs, Job

2, 3, 4, 5, 6<= /o:p>

Psalms, Proverbs, J= ob

OTS chapters 31-35<= o:p>

HCBD articles on Ps= alms, Proverbs, Job, Temple, wisdom

Class discussion and questions

Map and History = Project Due

Discussion Topic 3 = posted on Blackboard

Handouts=

Quiz 4

Apr. 11

No Class Meeting -- Easter Break

Apr. 18

Five Little Scrolls=

Ecclesiastes, Song = of Songs, Ruth, Lamentations, Esther

OTS chapters 36, 37= , 38, 39, 40

HCBD articles on Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Esther

Class discussion and questions

Discussion Topic 3,= first response due

Handouts=

Quiz 4

Apr. 25

Chronicles, Ezra-Ne= hemiah, Daniel

Chronicles, Ezra, N= ehemiah, Daniel

OTS chapters 41, 42= , 43

HCBD articles on Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Daniel, apocalyptic literature

Class discussion and questions

Discussion Topic 3,= second response due

Handouts=

Quiz 4

May 2=

No class meeting – Exam

Final Exam

Evaluation

This course will employ a 10 point scale:

90-100 &= nbsp; A

80-89 = ; = B

70-79 = ; = C

60-69 = ; = D

Below 60 &n= bsp; F

Please note:&n= bsp; because this is a required course, students must make a C or better,= or the course will have to be repeated.

Incompletes

An incomplete can only be given in extraordinary situa= tions when there is a compelling reason why a student cannot complete the required work before the end of the semester. A student must request an incomplete, state a reason why she/he cann= ot complete the work, and sign an I-Grade Form before an incomplete can be granted. This must be done be= fore the final date for grades to be submitted (May 12).

Selected Bibliography=

Introductions

Anderson, Bernhard W. Steven Bishop, and Judith Ne= wman. Understanding the Old Testament. Fifth Edition. New York: Prentice Hall, 2006. The standard undergraduate textboo= k for Old Testament introduction. Excellent bibliographies, pictures, maps, resources, and index. A valuable addition to students= 217; libraries.

Birch, Bruce, Walter Brueggemann, Terence Fretheim= , and David Petersen. A Theologi= cal Introduction to the Old Testament.&nbs= p; Second Edition. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2005. A very good introduction to the theological themes and issues in the Old Testament. The material is arranged chronologically.

Brueggemann, Walter. Introduction to the Old Testament: The Canon and Chri= stian Imagination. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2003. An exc= ellent introduction that focuses on the theology of each book of the Old Testament, arranged according to the Palestinian Canon. Highly recommended.

Gottwald, The Hebrew Bible: A Socio-Literary Introduction. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1985. Thorough, with special attention t= o the cultural history and sociology of Israel.

Knight, Douglas, and Gene M. Tucker, Eds. The Hebrew Bible and Its Modern Interpreters. Chico, California: Scholars Press, 1985. A very good, comprehensive examina= tion of the history of scholarship on the Hebrew Bible. Even though it is over twenty years= old now, it is one of the best summaries of critical scholarship available.

History and Archae= ology of Israel and Judah

Aharoni, Yohanan.= The Archaeology of the Land of Israel: From the Prehistoric Beginnings to= the End of the First Temple Period. Philadelphia<= /st1:City>: Westminster Press, 1982. This is an older= work, but still useful. If you can'= t find Mazar (see below), this is the next best summary of the archaeology of anci= ent Israel.=

Bright, John.&nbs= p; A History of Israel. Fourth Edition. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2000. Refl= ects the views of the American= School of OT history.

Mazar, Amihai.&nb= sp; Archaeology of the Land of t= he Bible: 10,000-586 BCE. Anchor Bible Reference Library. New York: Doubleday, 1990. A very good, comprehensive examination of archaeological data. It looks at all aspects of material culture, and avoids the older tendency to look only at monuments and large-scale building.

Miller, J. Maxwell, and John H. Hayes. A History of Ancient Israel and Judah. Philadelphia= : Westminster, 1986. From the perspective of= the “German School,” painstaking historical analysis of OT in light= of ancient Near Eastern and archaeological research.

Stern, Ephraim, Ed. The New Encyclopedia of Archaeological Excavations in the Holy Land.&nbs= p; New York: Simon and Schuster, 1992. This is a revision of an earlier edition. It is a comprehensive compilation of the scholarly excavations at sites in and around the land of Israel.

Bible Dictionaries=

Freedman, D.N., Ed. The Anchor Bible Dictionary= . New York: Doubleday, 1992. The most up-to-date and thorough dictionary available, although it is heavily weighted toward historical and archaeological issues.

Buttrick, G.A. Ed. The Interpreter’s Dict= ionary of the Bible. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1962; Supplementary Volume, 1976. Although now somewhat dated, it is full of useful information on alm= ost any topic of biblical study. = The Supplementary Volume provides updated articles on key issues. A new version will come out starti= ng in 2008.

Freedman, D.N. Ed. Eerdmans Dictionary of the B= ible. Grand Rapids, MI: Eer= dmans Publishing Co., 2000. A recen= t and thorough one-volume Bible dictionary.

Ancient Near Easte= rn Texts

Pritchard, James B. Ed. Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relat= ing to the Old Testament. Third Edition. Princeton, Princeton Universit= y Press, 1969. The standard collection of the writings of Israel’s neighbors. It is used so ofte= n that it is frequently simply abbreviated, ANET.= Valuable in spite of the “King James” language of the tr= anslations.

Pritchard, James B. Ed. The Ancient Near East:<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> An Anthology of Texts and Pictures= . Second Ed. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1969. This is a paperback, shorter versi= on of ANET. It contains a wealth of= objects and images from ancient Afro-Asia.

Matthews, Victor H. and Don C. Benjamin, Jr. Eds. Old Testament Parallels: Laws and Stories from the Ancient Near East. New York: Paulist Press, 1991. More readable translations than Pritchard and the most affordable and useful collection for your personal library.

Pentateuch

Blenkinsopp, Joseph. The Pentateuch: An Introduction to the First Five = Books of the Bible. Anchor Bible Reference Library. New York: Doubleday, 1992. An excellent introduction to the c= ritical issues that have dominated scholarly debate for two hundred years.

Fretheim, Terence. The Pentateuch. Interpreting Biblical Texts. Nashville: Abingdon, 1996. An excellent, readable introductio= n to the books of the Pentateuch that focuses on literary and theological issues= .

Former and Latter = Prophets and Prophecy

Blenkinsopp, Joseph. A History of Prophecy in Israel. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1996. A comprehensive survey of critical issues on prophecy and the prophetic books. Blenkinsopp focuses on= the historical context of the prophets.

Emmerson, Grace.&= nbsp; Prophets and Poets. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997. A brief text oriented to a general audience that focuses on the theological issues in the prophetic books.

Heschel, Abraham J. The Prophets. <= st1:City w:st=3D"on">San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1975. An old resource, written by a Jewi= sh scholar. However, HeschelR= 17;s insights into the psychology of prophecy continues to be very influential.<= /p>

Nelson, Richard D. The Historical Books. Interpreting Biblical Texts. Nashville: Abingdon, 1998. A very good, brief, readable exami= nation of the literary and theological issues raised by the Former Prophets along = with Chronicles and Ezra-Nehemiah. Nelson also offers a helpful examination of the differences between these books and what we commonly refer to as “history.”

Weems, Renita.&nb= sp; Battered Love: Marr= iage, Sex, and Violence in the Hebrew Prophets. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1995. Although this is not a comprehensi= ve examination of prophecy, it is an excellent examination of a specific theological issue in three prophetic books: Hosea, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.

Wilson, Robert R.= Prophecy and Society in Ancient Israel. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1980. An attempt to distinguish Israel’s prophets by their social settings, Wilson’s study is very interesting, but only partly successful.

The Writings and W= isdom Literature

Clifford, Richard J. The Wisdom Literature. Interpreting Biblical Texts. Nashville: Abingdon, 1998. An excellent, brief introduction t= o the Wisdom books that focuses on theological issues.

Cook, Stephen L.&= nbsp; The Apocalyptic Literature.&= nbsp; Interpreting Biblical Texts. Nashville: Abingdon, 2003. Although this contains a lot of ma= terial on inter-Testamental and New Testament literature, Cook also offers a very helpful approach to reading Apocalyptic, including Daniel.

Crenshaw, James L. Old Testament Wisdom. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1998. One of= the best, most comprehensive studies of the Wisdom Literature, focusing on its relationship to Isra= el’s faith and its ancient context.

Rad, Gerhard von.= Wisdom In = Israel. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1972. An older resource, but still very useful.

Resources for non-Eurocentric Interpretation

Brown, Michael Joseph. Blackening of the Bible. Harrisburg, PA.: Trinity Press International, 2004.= An excellent, comprehensive survey= of the major scholars and issues in African American interpretation.

Felder, Cain Hope. Troubling Biblical Waters.&n= bsp; Maryknoll, <= st1:State w:st=3D"on">NY:&n= bsp; Orbis Books, 1989.

-------------------------. Stony The Road We Trod. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1991.

= These two books present an excellent overview of the issues and concerns in Afric= an American biblical interpretation. &nb= sp;

Ukpong, Justin.&n= bsp; Reading the Bible in the Global Village. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 2002. A collection of essays from non-We= stern biblical scholars given at a meeting in Cape Town, South Africa. The essays give a very good pictur= e of issues in biblical interpretation from Asian and African perspectives.

Bailey, Randall.&= nbsp; Yet With a Steady Beat. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2003. A volume that continues= the work begun in Stony the Road We Trod.

Weems, Renita.&nb= sp; Just A Sister Away. New York: Warner Books, 2005. An excellent example of Womanist biblical interpretation.

Map and History Library Project

Resources

This is a project that re= quires you to do some work in the library. Books are available in the Divinity School Library, and also at many college libraries and even some public libraries, that will be of use to yo= u in this assignment. The following resources will be of significant help in completing this assignment. You can find the full bibliographic reference for the books in the bibliography in the syllabus.

Textbooks: Old Testament = Survey, esp. chapters 12, 13, 14, 15, 48, 49, and 50

&n= bsp; HarperCollins Atlas of Bible History

= H= arperCollins Bible Dictionary

Other Texts: Anchor Bible Dictionary, esp. articles on "Israel, History of," "King and Kingship," "Mesopotamia, History= of," "Egypt, History of"

&n= bsp; John Bright, History of Israel, 4^th Edition

&n= bsp; Amihai Mazar, Archaeology of the Land of the Bible

Oxford B= ible Atlas

(If you= can't find Mazar, look for one of the following:= Yohanan Aharoni, The Archaeology of the Land of Israel; W. F. Albright, The Archaeology of Palestine; or Kathleen Kenyon, Arche= ology in the Holy Land.)

Handouts: Histo= ry of Israel, Parts 1, 2, 3

&n= bsp; Joshua

&n= bsp; Judges

Map

This assignment will requ= ire you to create two maps, one of Afro-Asia and one of the = land of Israel. These maps may be traced from the = maps in the HarperCollins Atlas of Bible History or any other good Bible atlas. You may also use computer-generated outlines for the maps, but computer-generated maps with the sites already located are not acceptable. Photocopies of maps with the sites highlighted are also not acceptable. Feel free to make the maps as colorful and creative as you wish. The following is a list of what mu= st be located on each map, but feel free to note other sites of importance also.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'> (1 pt. for each site)

Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) At the completion of this course, students wil= l be able to:	Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes (Assessment Tools)	Linkage to MDiv Program Learning Outcomes =	Linkage to MRE Program Learning Outcomes
1. lis= t and spell correctly the books of the Old Testament in canonical order	Final Exam	1<= /p>	1<= /p>
2. ide= ntify the major structural elements, themes, and major critical issues in at le= ast one book from each division of the canon	Quizzes	1<= /p>	1<= /p>
3. ide= ntify on a map the major geographical areas and sites in ancient Afro-Asia	Map Project	1<= /p>	1<= /p>
4. des= cribe at least two points of controversy in the history of ancient Israel, identify the scholarly perspectives on these issues	Map Project	1<= /p>	1<= /p>
5. des= cribe the differences between the Alexandrian and Palestinian canons	Quizzes and Final Exam	1<= /p>	1<= /p>
6. ide= ntify at least five dates in the history of Israel	Quizzes and Final Exam	1<= /p>	1<= /p>