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RLST 145: Introduction to the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible)

Lecture 1 - The Parts of the Whole next session >>

Overview:

This lecture provides an introduction to the literature of the Hebrew Bible and its structure and contents. Common misconceptions about the Bible are dispelled: the Bible is a library of books from diverse times and places rather than a single, unified book; biblical narratives contain complex themes and realistic characters and are not "pious parables" about saintly persons; the Bible is a literarily sophisticated narrative not for children; the Bible is an account of the odyssey of a people rather than a book of theology; and finally, the Bible was written by many human contributors with diverse perspectives and viewpoints.

Reading assignment:

Jewish Study Bible [henceforth JSB]: Introduction to Genesis, pp. 8-11; Gen 1-4

Class lecture:

Transcript
html
Audio Video

Resources:

Handout: A Brief Synopsis of the Tanakh [text]

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