Rising Hope, Inc. | Evaluated Learning Experience
Introduction to the Hebrew Bible
45 hours (15 weeks).
September 2012 – Present.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to: interpret the narrative flow of the Israelite ancestral genealogy, from Abram through the Hebrews in bondage in Egypt, and the role of the three ancestral cycles and their main characters; analyze secondary sources and critique their influence on the interpretation of the Hebrew Bible; and through an on-going process of personal self-reflection and analytical reason, synthesize aspects of the Hebrew Scriptures in order to articulate (in a final writing assignment), a deeper and broader understanding of God, creation, life, and the human purpose; and explain how that is relevant today.
Instruction is offered via classroom lectures accompanied by readings, essays, quizzes, homework, a mid-term exam, and final presentations. Major topics include: introduction to the Hebrew Bible through historical critical analysis and will cover its three main collections: the Torah, the Prophets and the Writings. This approach acknowledges the historically conditioned character of all products of human culture, including the scriptures. Therefore, through textual criticism, students can analyze biblical scriptures and identify the political, cultural, and moral ideologies that existed when the Hebrew Bible was written. This course emphasizes reading the biblical text to understand the story line of the Bible and to learn basic interpretation skills. Prerequisite: College Writing I.
In the lower division baccalaureate/associate degree category, 3 semester hours in Biblical Studies, Hebrew, or Religion (9/17) (4/22 revalidation).
