Assessment

Continuous Assessment 25% + Summative Essay 75%

Module Aims

The aim of this module is to introduce learners to diverse ways of reading the Book of Genesis. Interpretations of the Book of Genesis have played a fundamental role within Judaism and Christianity. Readings of Genesis have provoked debates over creation versus evolution, the development of the Christian doctrine of original sin, and the historicity of the stories of the patriarchs and matriarchs. Readers have discussed the moral justification for God’s command to Abraham to sacrifice his son and the view of women in a patriarchal context. A rich text like Genesis benefits from many diverse reading strategies, some of which will be explored in this module. Among other reading methods, this module will explore some of the insights gained into Genesis by a narrative reading of selected sections, noting aspects such as characterization, plot, settings, rhetoric, and viewpoint.

Indicative Syllabus

1. Introduction: Diverse methods of reading biblical texts; the Genesis story in historical and source criticism; Jewish and Christian interpretations of Genesis.

2. Genesis 4 (Cain and Abel)

3. Genesis 11-12A (Tower of Babel & call of Abraham)

4. Genesis 12B and 20 (Sarah as Abraham’s Wife/Sister)

5. Genesis 15 and 17 (Covenant narratives)

6. Genesis 16 and 21 (Hagar)

7. Genesis 22 (Akedah or Near-sacrifice of Isaac)

8. Genesis 2-3 (Garden of Eden and first sin)

9. Genesis 1 (Priestly creation story)

10. Oral presentations of essay material

Bibliography

• — Alter, R., The Art of Biblical Narrative. 2nd ed. New York: Basic Books, 2011. [Ebook]
• — Bar-Efrat, Shimon. Narrative Art in the Bible. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1989. [221.66 BAR]
• — Bellis, A. O., Helpmates, Harlots, and Heroes: Women’s Stories in the Hebrew Bible. 2d ed. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2007. [221.922082 BEL]
• — Blenkinsopp, J., Creation, Un-creation, Re-creation: A Discursive Commentary on Genesis 1-11. London: T&T Clark, 2011. [Ebook]
• — Boehm, O., The Binding of Isaac. London: Continuum, 2007. [222.1106 BOE]
• — Brenner, A. (ed.), Genesis: The Feminist Companion to the Bible, Second Series. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1998. [222.1106 BRE]
• — Carr, David M., Genesis 1-11. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer, 2021. [222.1107 CAR]
• — Cotter, D. W., Genesis. Berit Olam. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2003. [222.11066 COT]
• — Crenshaw, J. L., Defending God: Biblical Responses to Problem of Evil. Oxford: OUP, 2005. [Ebook]
• — Evans, C. A., J. N. Lohr, and D. L. Petersen, eds., The Book of Genesis: Composition, Reception, and Interpretation. VTSup 152. Leiden: Brill, 2012. [222.1106 EVA]
• — Fischer, I., Women Who Wrestled with God. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2005. [221.9 FIS]
• — Goldingay, J., Genesis. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2020. [222.1107 GOL]
• — Good, E. M., Genesis 1-11: Tales of the Earliest World. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 2011. [Ebook]
• — Habel, N., The Birth, the Curse and the Greening of Earth: An Ecological Reading of Genesis 1–11. Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix, 2011. [222.1106 HAB]
• — Hendel, R. S., Reading Genesis: Ten Methods. Cambridge: CUP, 2010. [222.110601 HEN]
• — Humphreys, W. L., The Character of God in the Book of Genesis: A Narrative Appraisal. Louisville, Westminster John Knox Press, 2001. [222.1106 HUM]
• — Kessler, E., Bound by the Bible: Jews, Christians, & the Sacrifice of Isaac. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004. [222.11092 KES]
• — Kugel, J. L., Traditions of the Bible. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1998. [Ebook]
• — Kuruvilla, A., Genesis: a theological commentary for preachers. Eugene, OR: Resource, 2014. [222.1107 KUR]
• — Macdonald, N., et al., eds., Genesis and Christian Theology. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2012. [222.1106 MAC]
• — Moberly, R. W. L., The Theology of the Book of Genesis. Cambridge: CUP, 2009. [222.1106 MOB]
• — Okoye, J. C., Genesis 1-11: a narrative theological commentary. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2018. [Ebook]
• — Okoye, J. C., Genesis 12-50: a narrative theological commentary. Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2020. [Ebook]
• — Pontifical Biblical Commission, The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church. Boston: Pauline, 1999. [Online]
• — Ska, J. L., Introduction to Reading the Pentateuch. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2006. [222.1061 SKA]
• — Smith, M. S., The Priestly Vision of Genesis 1. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2010. [222.11066 SMI]
• — Trible, P., Texts of Terror. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1984. [221.9 TRI]
• — Wenham, G. J., Genesis. 2 vols. Word Biblical Commentary 1-2. Waco/Dallas: Word, 1987, 1994 [220.7 WBC]
• — Westermann, C., Genesis 1-11: A Commentary. London: SPCK, 1984. [222.1107 WES]