Course Description:
In order to understand and apply any passage of Scripture faithfully, one must begin with the foundational concepts and theology that precede and inform it. Perhaps the most foundational section of the canon is Genesis-Kings (the Pentateuch and Former Prophets). In this course, Dr. Richard E. Averbeck introduces the content and theology of these books, identifying the foundational themes that emerge and tracing them through the rest of the Bible. In this way, he does more than survey the Old Testament; he shows how the theology of the Old Testament is basic and essential for understanding Jesus Christ, the Church and the Christian life.
Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:
- Articulate the significance of Genesis 1-11 as the primeval historical and theological foundation for understanding our human experience in the world.
- Understand how the Pentateuch (Genesis-Deuteronomy) lays the historical and especially the theological foundation for the Former Prophets (Joshua-Kings) and for the rest of the Bible.
- Understand how the Pentateuch and Former Prophets fit together within the canon, and how they contribute to our understanding of faith experience in ancient Israel.
Course Texts:
Dyrness, William. Themes in Old Testament Theology. Downers Grove, IL:
InterVarsity Press, 1979.
Sandy, D. Brent & Ronald L. Giese, Jr., eds., Cracking Old Testament Codes:
A Guide to Interpreting the Literary Genres of the Old Testament . Nashville:
Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995.
Walton, John H. Chronological and Background Charts of the Old Testament.
Revised and Expanded. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994.
Students will also select additional readings from recommended texts and a bibliography.
