REL 211 Introduction to Old Testament

Lecture: 3 Lab: 0 Clinic: 0 Credits: 3

This course is a survey of the literature of the Hebrews with readings from the law, prophets, and other writings. Emphasis is placed on the use of literary, historical, archeological, and cultural analysis. Upon completion, students should be able to use the tools of critical analysis to read and understand Old Testament literature.

This course has been approved for transfer under the CAA as a general education course in Humanities/Fine Arts.

Pre-requisite(s): C or better in ENG 111.
Course is typically offered in Fall and Spring.
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)
At the completion of the course, the students should be able to do the following:

Analyze the historical, archaeological, and literary nature of the Old Testament.
Analyze critically Biblical text from an academic prospective.
Apply vocabulary of terms associated with Biblical criticism.
Deconstruct literary styles (such as myth, law, poetry, and prose) of the Old Testament to interpret the biblical narrative.
Demonstrate analytical and exegetical skills through formal and informal writing assignments.
Interpret the “Old Testament” as the Hebrew Bible, noting the shared Christian and Jewish interpretations of this text as well as the differences in their understanding and resulting practices.