OTS 501: Exegesis of the Old Testament

OTS 502-30: Theories and Practice of Old Testame= nt Exegesis

(Pre-requisite OTS 501)

Semester: Spring 2009

Time: 7:30am-10:00am

Location: High Point CAPE

Instructor: A= ndrew M. Mbuvi, Ph.D.

1301 Lincoln Dr.

Off. # 144

High Point, NC

OFFICE HOURS<= /p>

Tuesday 2:00p= m – 6:00pm

Saturday 1:30= -2:30; 5:00pm-6:00pm

(All other ti= mes by appointment only)

Office Tel: 336-886-4974 (Ext. 6603)

Email: ambuvi@shawu.edu

WELCOME!

S= tudents at Shaw <= st1:PlaceType w:st=3D"on">University Divinity= School are driven a= nd mature learners, who are committed to learning for the sake of Jesus Christ and the Church. This class will invit= e you to broaden and deepen your understanding of the Old Testament Exegesis, as = we learn together what God's Word has to say to us in the contemporary world.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>

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DIVINITY SCHOOL MI= SSION STATEMENT

Shaw= University Divinity School provides Chr= istian theological education dedicated to the preparation of clergy and laity for clinical, pastoral, and teaching/research ministry professions. The Divinity School is committed to the develop= ment of a research institute whose focus is leadership in the “practice of ministry’ in the African American community, particularly in the Afri= can American church.

M.DIV MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Master of Divinity degree is to pre= pare persons for ordained ministry, for chaplaincy, general pastoral and religio= us leadership responsibilities in congregations and other settings, and to pre= pare some students for admission to advanced programs oriented to theological research and teaching. The purpose is consistent with the mission of Shaw University Divinity School; the Master of Divinity program focuses on leadership in the “practice= of ministry,” particularly in the African American church.

MRE MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Master of Religious Education degre= e 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 Master = of Religious Education program focuses on leadership in the “practice of ministry,” particularly in the African American Church.

Progr= am Goals

MRE Program Goals

MDiv Program Goals

to equip students with the capacity for critical and constructive theological reflection regarding the conte= nt and processes of educational ministry;
to help students understand the education= al, social, and behavioral sciences that undergird educational practice,= as well as the cultural contexts in which educational ministry occurs;<= o:p>
to assist students with personal growth a= nd spiritual maturity; and
to provides skills in teaching and in des= ign, administration, and assessment of educational programming.

to provide stu= dents with an intellectual atmosphere and a comprehensive, discriminating understanding of our religious heritage;
to enhance stu= dent training for Christian ministry, mindful of global, and diverse cross cultural, and non-American Christianities, and interaction with other faith traditions;
to support stu= dents' development in the personal and spiritual capacities necessary for pastoral and religious leadership, advancing growth in personal fait= h, emotional maturity, moral integrity, and public witness;<= /span>
to expand programmatic activities, services, and academic programming to enhan= ce student capacity for ministerial and public leadership.

Course Description

The focus of this course is learning the methods of interpretation of the books= of the Old Testament. In complementing the OT Survey class that introduced students to history of ancient Israel, this course will introduce the students to the critical methods employed in studying the text, with a primary emphasis on “literary analysis.R= 21;

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Student Learning Outcomes

= At the comp= letion of this course, students will be able to:	Assessment = of Student Learning Outcomes (Assessment= Tools)	Linkage to MDiv Program Learning Outcomes = &= nbsp; =	Linkage to MRE Program Learning Outcomes
1. identify the different genre found in the OT.	Exam Questions, Reflection Papers	1, 2 &nbs= p;	2, 3
2. recognize the distinguishing features of each genre and how to read and interpret each of the genres.	Exam Questions, Reflection Papers	1, 2	2, 3
3. distinguish between the different “critical methodologies” that are used today in the interpretation of the OT<= /p>	Exam Questions, Reflection Papers	1, 2	2, 3
4. identify the benefits and drawbacks of each of the different methods of OT interpretation	Exam Questions, Reflection Papers	1, 2,3	2, 3
5. know the different presuppositions that underlie = the different interpretation methods applied to the OT	Exam Questions, Reflection Paper	1, 2, 3	2, 3
6. show a clear understanding of the history and state of African and African-American interpretations of the OT	Exam Questions, Reflection Papers	4	1
7. demonstrate ability to write an exegesis paper th= at reflects a good grasp of the background of the biblical text and its meaningful present application	Reflec= tion Papers	1, 2, 3, 4	2, 3, 4

Specific Competencies

This is a writing intensive class and the student is strongly encouraged = to review Kate Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations to familiarize him/herself with the footnoting styles, correct citation of sou= rces and format of writing a research paper.&nb= sp; The instructor also provides supplementary documents available on Blackboard to aid the student in this regard.

With the main objective of this course being to develop the skill of doing exege= sis in the Old Testament, by the end of the course students should accomplish it by:

be= come familiar with the diverse approaches for interpreting the OT
kn= ow the different Genre of the OT and what method of interpretation best f= its each Genre

3.&n= bsp; becoming familiar with the best books and resources= for the work

be able to understand the significance of language in interpretation
de= velop mechanism that will aid in meaningful expositions of the text

Required Text= s

1.&n= bsp; Bible - Pl= ease bring a Bible to class each week. I require that you have a study Bible= in a recent translation for this class. Among the best are the New Interpreter’s Bible Study Bible (New Revised Standard Version), HarperCollins Study Bible (NRSV), the New Oxford Annotated Bible (NRSV), and the Zondervan NIV Study Bible (New International Version). For the purposes of study in this course, please avoid using the Authorized Version (King James or New King James), any paraphrase (the Living Bible), or a paraphrase-like translation (Today’s English Version, New Living Translation).

Mi= chael Gorman, Elements of Biblical Exegesis; A Basic Guide for Students and Ministers (Peabody, MA= : Hendrickson, 2001)

D. Brent Sandy and Ronald L. Giese, Cracking the Old Testam= ent Codes: A Guide to Interpre= ting the Literary Genres of the Old Testament (Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 1995)

Ri= chard Soulen and R. Kendall Soulen, = Handbook of Biblical Criticism (3^rd ed; <= st1:City w:st=3D"on">Louisville: Westminster John Knox,= 2001)

0r = W. Randolph Tate, Interpreting the Bible: A Handbook of Terms and Methods (Peabody, MA.: Hendrickson, 2006)

Recommended T= exts

Do= uglas Stuart, Old Testament Exegesis= : A Primer for Students and Pastors (3^rd ed. Philadelphia; Westminster, 1980)

Go= rdon Fee and Douglas Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All It’s Wo= rth (3^rd ed.; Gran= d Rapids: Zondervan, 1993)

Website

There will be a website component in this course. Students will be enrolled in the University Blackboard course site. Some of the required readings will be po= sted in the Blackboard site for the students to download and/or print at their convenience. Some of the assignments will also be posted in the Blackboard site. Students are expected to participate in all Blackboard components of = the course which can be accessed from any internet connection anywhere. http://www.sha= wuniversity.edu

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Attendance

The University’s rule on absences will be observed in this course. During the semester, no student ma= y have unexcused absences in excess o= f the number of times the course meets in a week (1). Excused absences will be granted only in extraordinary circumstances. In order to get the most out of the course, students must keep excused absences to a minimum. It will be very difficult for a st= udent to complete the course if he or she misses more than three class meetings.<= span style=3D'mso-spacerun:yes'>

Please see the instructor before you miss= a fourth class meeting. It = is the responsibility of the student to turn in assignments on or before the due d= ate if he or she must be absent on the due date. It is also the responsibility of t= he student to secure class notes and any handouts from any missed class meeting.

Grading Scale

The following grading scale will be used for all assignments:

A = 90-100

B &= nbsp; 80-89

C = 70-79

D = 60-69

F &= nbsp; below 60

I &= nbsp; An incomplete is given only when extraordinary circumstances (extended illness, death in the family, etc.) prevent the student from completing all the assignments before the end of the semester. An incomplete must be made up befo= re the end of the following semester, or the grade will automatically change to F,= and the course must be repeated. = Please note: Any student who receives an incomp= lete, regardless of the reason, will not= be able to receive an A in the course.&nbs= p; The highest grade possible for a student who receives an incomplete = will be a B.

All written assignments should conform to the guidelines in the Divinity School’s “Guidelines for Written Assignments,” available in the Divinity School Office. The following criteria will be used in evaluating all written assignments.

A= Indicates the student has significantly exceeded the minimum expectations for the assignment. The student has consulted the relevant scholars and has consistently entered into dialogue = with these scholars, offering his/her critique of the relevant sources. All the required parts of the assi= gnment are present, and the written presentation is consistently above average, wi= th no errors in spelling or grammar.

B= Indicates the student has exceeded the minimum expectations for the assignment. The student has consulted relevant= scholars and has entered into dialogue with most of them, offering his/her critique = of the sources. All the required= parts of the assignment are present, and the written presentation is above averag= e, with no errors in spelling or grammar.

C= Indicates the student has met the minimum expectations for the assignment. The student has consulted relevant scholars and has represented their views well, at least occasionally offeri= ng a critique of the sources. The required parts of the assignment are present, and the written presentation = is acceptable, with minimal errors in spelling or grammar.

D= Indicates the student has not met the minimum expectations for the assignment in one = or more of the following ways: significant critical scholarship is not consulted; significant segme= nts of the assignment are missing or inadequate; or the written presentation is inadequate in grammar, spelling, or format.

F= Indicates the work is not acceptable for graduate-level study.

assignments

1. Preparation, Attendance, Participa= tion

It is expected that the student will have read= the assigned texts before coming to the class each week. As evidence of the reading, a ONE PAGE SUMMARY OF THE ASSIGNED <= st1:City w:st=3D"on">READINGS will be due at the beginning o= f each class session. It is also expected that = the student will participate regularly in class discussion. Students are expect= ed to attend every class meeting, arrive on time, and remain the entire class = session.

Dates: &n= bsp; = ; Each Week – Assigned 1 Page summary due.

Total Weight:&= nbsp; 10%

2. Response Papers

There will be THREE response paper assignments (5 pp each) due for this class. Each assignment will deal with a specific genre and its interpretation. Each assignment will consist of a select passage or text from the OT that the student will use in applying a given method of interpretation. Paper styles (footnotes, citations, references, etc) will follow the Chicago style as laid out in Kate L. Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Seventh Edition: University= of Chicago Press Staff, 1996, 2007) and will be evaluated on this basis also.<= o:p>

Dates: &= nbsp; See Below

Weight: 20% each (60% total)

3. Oral Presentation

There will be ONE, 3pp orally presented Final exegetical paper DRAFT in the class (10 min max per student).

Date: &nb= sp; = See Below

Weight: 5%

4. Final Exegetical Paper

There will be ONE Exegetical Sermon pap= er (10-15pp) based on the passage presented oral= ly in class earlier. (See Gorman, Element= s, ch.2 on choosing a passage and see Sandy and Giese, ch.14)

Date: &nb= sp; &= nbsp; See below

Weight: = 25%

Due Dates

All assignments are due on the dates indicated= in the course schedule below. Late assignments without excused reason from the instructor will result in a reduction of grade points. For every day a pape= r is late, it will loose a grade point. After 7 days, no paper will be accepted and student will end up with a = zero grade for that assignment.

Honor Pledge

The University policy on plagiarism will apply to all assignments in this course. A= ll assignments will be submitted with the following honor pledge:

I affirm that the contents of this assignment are my = own writing. Nothing in this pape= r is copied from a textbook, copied from other books, downloaded from the intern= et, or copied from any other source. I understand that if I violate this affirmation, I will receive a failing gra= de on this assignment and possibly in the class.

The university policy on plagiarism further states th= at repeated violations may result in suspension from the university (Read article on “Plagiarism Exp= lained” in B/b).

Class Sche= dule

Jan 17 &nb= sp; MLK Weekend - NO CLASS

Reading: R. Adler, “How to = Read a Difficult book,” (B/b)

Sandy and = Giese, ch.2

= ;

Jan 24 &nbs= p; Class Overview and Introduction

Reading: Stephen Reid= , “Endangered Reading= ” (Summary)

&nb= sp;

Jan 31 &nbs= p; Intro to Critical Methods: J-E-D-P

&nbs= p; &= nbsp; Cursory introduction to Form, Source and Redaction Criticism of the OT

Reading: Soulen and Soulen or Tate , “Biblical Criticism,” “Source

= ; Criticism,” “Literary Criticism,” “Form Criticism,” “Redaction

Criticism= ,” “Canon Criticism”

Sandy and Giese, ch 6 (Summary)

Feb 7 = ; = Presuppositions and their role in interpretation

Reading: Sandy & Giese, ch.1 (Summary)

    M. Gorman, Elements, ch. 1.

Feb 14  &nbs= p;          Narrative Exegesis (Genesis Stories and Narrative Plot)

   &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;       = Reading: Sandy and Giese, ch. 4 (Summary)

Feb 21         &= nbsp; Biblical Interpretation “Then” and “Now”

Allegory (Inner meaning) v= s Literal – (LXX and Homer)

Reading: Sandy and Giese, ch. 12 (Summary)

   Sandy and Giese, ch.13         &= nbsp;           Du= e: Response Paper #1

       (Narrative Plot of Jonah)

Feb 28 <= span style=3D'mso-tab-count:1'>        &= nbsp; Word Studies and Word meaning - James Barr

Relativity= of Language: Synchronic vs Diachronic - (Wittgenstein, M&C)<= /i>

Reading: Soulen and Soulen, “Synchronic,” “Diachronic.”

        &= nbsp;      Sandy and Giese, = ch.5 (Summary)

Mar 7           &= nbsp;   Worldviews, Postmodern values and Interpretation

Reading: Sandy and Giese, ch.7 (Summary)

        &= nbsp;       Sandy and Giese, c= h.8

March 14  &n= bsp;      Meaning- “In Front of”, “Behind” or “In” the Tex= t?

Reading: Sandy and Giese, ch. 6 (Summary)

   Gorman, Elements, ch. 4.   <= /span>           =    Due: Response Paper #2=

        &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp; (Synchronic and Diachronic Analysis of

Genesis 11:1-9)

= ;

March 21  &n= bsp;      Interpreting Apocalyptic Literature

   &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;       Daniel, Isa 24-27, Ezek 38-39, Zech 9-11; 12-14, Amos 5:16-20

Reading: Sandy and Giese, ch.9 (Summary= )

    Soulen and Soulen, = 220;Apocalyptic.”

March 28  &n= bsp;      Emerging Strategies of Reading the OT

   &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;       Global Perspective – African, Asian, African-American, Latino, etc

   &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;       = Reading: Levison and Pope-Levison, “Global Perspective,” in Joel Green, = Hearing (ch.16) B/b

            =             &nb= sp;            =                (Summary)

April 4  &nb= sp;           Emer= ging Strategies of Reading the OT (Cont<= /i>.)

Reading:   Green, ch.17 (B/b) (Summary)

   &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;     Due: Response Paper #3

   &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;           &nbs= p;            &= nbsp;     (Interpretation of Wisdom Literature -

Proverbs = 8)

April 11  &n= bsp;         EASTER BREAK (No Class)

April 18  &n= bsp;         Class Oral Presentations and Discussions<= /b>

        &= nbsp;                  &= nbsp; (3pp Draft of final exegetical paper)

April 25  &n= bsp;         OT and Pastoral Preaching

Reading: Sandy and Giese, ch.14 (Summary)

May 2         &= nbsp;   Role of the Holy Spirit In Interpretation

Reading: Gasque & LaSor, Scripture, Tradition and Interpretation, (B/b)

= ; (Summary)

Due: Final <= /span>Exeg= etical Paper

May 9         &= nbsp;   Commencement

Response a= nd Final Exegetical Papers Explained

Choose from one of passages in the three response pape= rs and develop a complete exegetical paper that shows how the passages is interpre= ted by the different methods and how the passage can be applied to today’s situation in a faithful rendering of it original situation – applicat= ion.

Narrative Plot – Do a narrative plot outline for the book of Jonah showing the points at whi= ch you identify the different aspects – Introduction, Crisis, Intensification, Climax, Unraveling, Denouement, Resolution, and Normal. Make= sure that you explain the reasons why you choose to identify the points of transition in the narrative.

Synchronic Vs Diachronic Interpretation of Genesis 11:1-9 – While the former deals wi= th the final form of the text and its present context, the latter seeks to figure out what the historical origin of the text is. It also seeks to find parallels with similar documents from a similar period of the text’s origin.

Exegeting Wisdom literature (Proverbs 8) – this paper will reflect the students grasp of the nature of non-literal language and the use of symbolic and poetic lang= uage in the Wisdom literature.

Oral Presentation -- This is NOT a sermon. Choose= of one of the three passages, and work on the exegetical aspects that loo= ks at, i) the history of interpretation of the passage, and ii) the application of the different forms of criticism on chosen passage(Form, Redaction, Source, Literary, etc.), iii) role of original context (of text, narrative, psalm, etc) in helping to understand the text.

A written copy of the paper (3pp max) on which= the oral presentation is based will be turned in for grading after the presentation. This will follow the format in M. Gorman, Elements of Biblical Exegesis, 26.

Final Exegetical Paper – B= ased on your exegetical findings above, this will be the application of= the methods of OT interpretation to the passage, an interpretation of the = text in light of the present while paying careful attention to the original Biblical context. This is where implications/insights for preaching from the text are highlighted.

A minimum of 5 scholarly sources (journals, textbooks, etc ) will be expected

to be cited for this assign= ment. While scholarly websites do exist, such sites as Wikipedia do NOT count as scholarly sources for this class. Also such commentaries as= Matthew Henry’s do NOT count= for this for this class. If you are uncertain that a source is of a scholarly nature consult the professor before using it. You can also check on the “Electronic Resources” on the Shaw University Library website.<= /p>