Assessment

Continuous Assessment/ Tutorials 30% + Essay 30% + Written Exam 40%

Module Aims

The aim of this module is to introduce learners to the academic study of the Bible and issues which emerge in the study, interpretation and actualisation of the Jewish and Christian Scriptures. It does this by introducing the framework of ‘the worlds of the text’ which categorises the methods of biblical criticism into historical-critical, literary and reception-oriented approaches. It also familiarises learners with the broad contours of the canonical metanarrative and the place of key biblical characters within that.

Learners are helped to develop their biblical literacy by working with the biblical text in English translation. They are also encouraged to make intertextual connections between the texts covered in class and to experience how the Bible can function as Scripture within communities of faith.

Indicative Syllabus

Learning Outcomes

• — LO1. Locate and correctly reference biblical texts.
• — LO2. Define key terms used in biblical studies: canon, covenant, Old and New Testament, Septuagint, Vulgate, Deuterocanonical books / Apocrypha, scripture, Kingdom of God.
• — LO3. Outline the historical, literary and reception-oriented approaches to the Bible
• — LO4. Explain historical and cultural aspects of the biblical world which impact upon the interpretation of texts covered in class.
• — LO5. Situate significant biblical figures within the overall biblical story.
• — LO6. Identify the genre and key literary features of some biblical text and apply appropriate reading strategies with a view to the use of scripture in diaconate ministry.

Bibliography

• — A Bible. (Recommended NRSV Study Bible)
• — Selected videos from www.bibleproject.com
• — Additional reading material posted on Moodle, mainly consisting of chapters from the sources listed below.
• — Barton, John. The Bible: The Basics. Second ed. London: Routledge, 2019. [Ebook]
• — Borg, Marcus, Reading the Bible Again for the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously but not Literally. New York: HarperOne 2002.
• — Michael Coogan, The Old Testament: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008. [eBook]
• — Powell, Mark Allan. Introducing the New Testament: A Historical, Literary, and Theological Survey. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2018. [Ebook]