COURSE
SYLLABUS:
OLD
TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
THEO
445 -- 3 Credits
William
P. Griffin, Ph.D.
Fall
2004
A. Catalogue Description: A study of the major themes in the Old Testament, with special attention to the hermeneutical issues in Old Testament study.
B. Clarifying Description: In particular, this course is a thematic study of Old Testament teachings concerning God's nature, human nature, and the relationship between people and God. Following the catalogue description of the Biblical Studies major, a subsidiary purpose of the course is "to prepare students for either graduate school or seminary." By the end of the course students should greatly improve their research and writing skills, especially as they pertain to Biblical Studies.
C. The Prerequisite: BIBL 337 Hermeneutics (if you are a minor who lacks this prerequisite, please see me). You are better off if you have also had ENGL 212. All exceptions must be discussed with me.
D. Plan of action:
(1) Introduction to the topic (5 weeks).
(2) 10 weeks: Theological topics. Fridays will include book summaries.
E. The workload.
(1) Quizzes, summaries, other small written assignments [about 100-150 points total] 1-page summaries will be required for weeks you are not writing papers [10 points each]. Some other short reflective essays will also be required [10 points each].
(2) Five 4-1/2 to 5 page research papers (1 of every 2 topics; Society of Biblical Literature format [modified Turabian; instructions to follow in class]), 12 point Times New Roman font. [500 total points (100 each)]
(3) One book summary/presentation [100 points].
(4) There will be no extra credit for any reason. Don't ask.
F. You are required to do quality research. This includes using the AGTS library for some of the research for each paper.
G. You must hand in your essays on the Wednesday prior to the topic week at noon, and ordinarily returned on the Monday of the topic week.
H. I will evenly divide the number of students doing each essay. This will be decided early in the semester and, once determined, cannot be changed.
I. The weight of your grade depends almost entirely on daily and weekly work. Cramming is not a possibility in the class. Late papers will be penalized from 12:01 pm Wednesdays at 1 letter grade per day, and will become a low grading priority. Late reflections/summaries will not be accepted except in cases of extreme illness or emergencies.
2. THE PAYOFF: The final grade breakdown will be (yes, +/-):
A 94-100 A- 91-93%
B+ 88-90 B 83-87 B- 80-82
C+ 77-79 C 73-76 C- 70-72
D+ 67- 69 D 63-66 D- 60-62
F 0- 59
You much achieve a percentage to get the grade (i.e., I don't round up).
To obtain an "A" or "A-" your work must IMPRESS the professor on a regular basis.
3. PAPER TOPICS (one 1rom each set).
A. Set 1:
(1) GOD AS AN ACTING AGENT (DIRECT AND INDIRECT ACTIVITY)
(2) GOD'S LOVE, GOD'S HATE (?), AND GOD'S JUSTICE
B. Set 2:
(1) GOD AS A PSYCHOLOGICAL BEING
(2) THE ORIGIN AND NATURE OF HUMANITY
C. Set 3:
(1) RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD—AS A COMMUNITY AND AS INDIVIDUALS
(2) GRACE, LAW, AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP
D. Set 4:
(1) HOLINESS/RIGHTEOUSNESS/JUSTICE/ETHICS—GOD’S EXPECTATIONS FOR HUMANS (I.E., THE GOOD AND THE RIGHT, AND RESULTS)
(2) COVENANT BREAKING/EVIL/SIN—PEOPLE DOING EVIL (I.E., THE BAD AND THE WRONG, AND CONSEQUENCES)
E. Set 5:
(1) THE PROPHETIC (PROPHETS AND PROPHECY)
(2) DEATH AND THE FUTURE STATE
4. REQUIRED
TEXTS:
A. William Dyrness, Themes in Old Testament Theology (Downer's Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1979).
B. Walther Eichrodt, Theology of the Old Testament Vols. I & II (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1961, 1967).
C. Richard Soulen, A Handbook of Biblical Criticism 3rd edition.
D. The SBL Handbook for Style (ed. Patrick Alexander; Peabody, MA: 1999).
E. Resources on the internet.
(1) Go to the Evangel homepage (www.evangel.edu), find the faculty-staff directory, find William Griffin, then go to Old Testament Theology Materials.
F. A reading and resource packet (bookstore)--AVAILABLE LATER.
5. CONTACTING THE PROFESSOR: Feel free to contact me with your concerns.
A. I may be contacted at:
(1) Office: 865-2815 XT 7251
(2) Home: 832-1754 Monday-Saturday until 9pm. Sunday is my Sabbath. Please do not contact me with course concerns on Sunday. However, you may feel free to contact me with personal concerns on this day.
B. Appointments should be made at the Biblical Studies office in building 31.
(1) My office hours will be posted on my door in building 32.
C. As for e- mail, I really prefer to discuss issues in person (I do not like chat rooms), and please do NOT add my address to your joke or "touching stories" list.
6. THE MEAN,
NASTY, AND UGLY STUFF:
A. I expect you to operate with integrity and dedication in this course.
B. This is an upper division course, and you are expected to be present, on time, and prepared. Poor attendance, habitual tardiness, or sleeping in class will have a deleterious effect upon your overall grade.
C. There will be no extra credit in this class.
D. I will not curve in this class. It is possible (but unlikely) that everyone will earn an A, and it is also possible (but unlikely) that everyone will earn an F.
E. I reserve the right to be lenient in any and all areas as long as this leniency is within Evangel University guidelines.
F. Specific attendance policies.
(1) You are big girls and boys. I will not give extra credit for good attendance. (When I write recommendations I consult attendance records.)
(2) On the other hand, if you are borderline, perfect/excellent attendance and my mercy are directly related.
(3) Be on time.
(4) This is an upper division class. The 75% rule applies to 100 level courses. Attendance requirements are stricter in here. You will be dropped or failed on absence 10 (not 11)! (Graduating seniors, listen up!)
(5) Tardies count as 1/3 of an absence.
(6) Tardiness beyond 5 minutes and less than 20 minutes counts as 1/2 of an absence.
(7) Tardiness beyond 20 minutes is an absence.
(8) Leaving class early (with permission) counts as 1/2 absence.
(9) Leaving class early without permission can result in dismissal from the course.
G. If you miss class the day your paper is due, your essay will be counted as late.
H. Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty will result in dismissal from the course. It is better to over-cite than to under-cite, for to under-cite is a great oversight. Students must submit their papers and summaries to www.turnitin.com within 24 hours of submitting them in class in order to receive credit.
I. Do not bring cellular phones, pagers, or other similar devices to
class.
(1) Anyone whose device goes off in an audible (or otherwise disturbing) fashion in class will be asked to leave class that day and will be counted absent. Anyone whose device goes off in an audible fashion during a quiz or a presentation can count on the wrath of the professor. (If you feel you have a good reason to have one of these devices in the classroom, you need to explain the reasons and clear it with me.)
7. A BIBLIOGRAPHY RELATING TO
OLD TESTAMENT THEOLOGY
Otto J. Baab, The Theology of the Old Testament (New York: Abingdon, 1949).
J. Arthur Baird, Audience Criticism and the Historical Jesus (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1969).
Samuel E. Balentine, The Hidden God: The Hiding of the Face of God in the Old Testament (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1983).
James Barr, The Semantics of Biblical Language (London: Oxford University Press, 1961).
Hans M. Barstad, The Religious Polemics of Amos (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1984).
Walter Brueggemann, "Presence of God, Cultic," IDBSupp 682.
Millar Burrows, An Outline of Biblical Theology (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1946).
Martin J. Buss, Encounter with the Text: Form and History in the Hebrew Bible (Philadelphia: Fortress Press; Missoula, Scholars Press, 1979).
E. Cherbonnier, "The Logic of Biblical Anthropomorphism," HTR 55 (1962) 187-209.
Brevard S. Childs, Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1992).
David Clines, "The Image of God in Man," TynBul 19 (1968) 53- 104.
Frank M. Cross, Canaanite Myth and Hebrew Epic (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1973).
Walther Eichrodt, Theology of the Old Testament Vols. I & II (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1961, 1967).
Lyle M. Eslinger, Into the Hands of the Living God (Sheffield: Almond Press, 1989).
A. Joseph Everson, "Days of Yahweh," JBL 93 (1974) 329-37.
Terence E. Fretheim, The Suffering of God: An Old Testament Perspective (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1984).
Langdon Gilkey, "Cosmology, Ontology, and the Travail of Biblical Language," Journal of Religion 41:3 (1961) 194-205.
William P. Griffin, The God of the Prophets (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1997).
Gerhard F. Hasel, Old Testament Theology: Basic Issues in the Current Debate, 4th Ed. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991).
Paul Heinisch, Theology of the Old Tesament (St. Paul: The Liturgical Press, 1955).
Abraham J. Heschel, The Prophets Part II (New York: Harper and Row, 1962).
Edmond Jacob, Theology of the Old Testament (London: Hodder & Stoughton,958).
Jacob Jervell, Imago Dei (G"ttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1960).
Gordon Kaufman, "On the Meaning of `Act of God'," God the Problem (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1972).
Julius Laffal, A Concept Dictionary of English (Essex: Gallery Press, 1973).
Elmer A. Martens, God's Design (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1986).
J. Maxwell Miller, "In the `Image' and `Likeness' of God," JBL 91 (1972) 289-304.
Patrick D. Miller, Sin and Judgment in the Prophets (Chico: Scholars Press, 1982).
Sigmund Mowinckel, He That Cometh (Nashville, Abingdon Press, 1965).
Ernest W. Nicholson, God and His People (Oxford: Clarendon, 1986).
J. Barton Payne, The Theology of the Older Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1962).
Dale Patrick, The Rendering of God in the Old Testament (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1981).
Jaroslav J. Pelikan, Christianity and Classical Culture (New Haven: Yale Univ. Press, 1993).
Horst Dietrich Preuss, Theologie des Alten Testaments, Band I (Stuttgart: Verlag W. Kohlhammer, 1991).
Horst Dietrich Preuss, Old Testament Theology Vols. I and II (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1995-1996).
Gerhard von Rad, Old Testament Theology (New York: Harper and Row, 1965).
Rolf Rendtorff, Canon and Theology (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1993).
H. G. Reventlow, Problems of Old Testament Theology in the Twentieth Century (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1985).
John H. Sailhamer, Introduction to Old Testament Theology: A Canonical Approach (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995).
J. Scullion, "God," Anchor Bible Dictionary.
Claus Westermann, Elements of Old Testament Theology (Atlanta: John Knox, 1978).
Claus Westermann, Genesis 1- 11 (Minneapolis: Augsburg, 1984).
G. Ernest Wright, God Who Acts: Biblical Theology as Recital (London: SCM, 1952).
G. Ernest Wright, The Old Testament and Theology (New York: Harper, 1969).
Walther Zimmerli, Old Testament Theology in Outline (Atlanta: John Knox, 1978).
Avoid (way out of date): G. F. Oehler, Theology of the Old Testament (Minneapolis: Klock & Klock Christian Publishers, 1873 [1883; reprint 1978]).