Biblical Studies

BIB 600NE
Creation, Call, and Covenant: Studies in Genesis
Credits: 2

This course is designed to immerse the student in a literary, historical, and theological analysis of selected passages in the first book of the Hebrew and Christian Bible. Special attention is given to exploring the significance of the Genesis narratives for the contemporary Church. While the class sessions are based primarily on the English text, students wishing to pursue the Hebrew text are given the opportunity to do so.
[Elective]

BIB 605NE
History of Israel
Credits: 2

It is impossible to understand fully or properly interpret the Holy Scriptures without some grasp of the flow of biblical history. This course, which is only a survey, will march chronologically through this grand story, beginning with the patriarchs of Genesis and concluding with the disastrous second war of Judea with Rome in A.D. 132-135. We will consider such topics as the geography, politics, cultural influences, and economics associated with this history. Through this means, we hope to understand the “settings” for the great theological contributions of the scriptural authors.
[Elective]

BIB 607NE
1 and 2 Kings
Credits: 3

This course, taught by a historian, will examine the books from a rigorous historical perspective, but it will be constructed to find a “middle way”: the students and professor will together examine the theological trajectory of the books—especially the ways in which they point to their fulfillment, and Israel’s fulfillment, in Christ and His church. The students will not simply be left with the stories, finally, as disparate units, but as narratives constructed—in their pre-Christian context—with tremendous theological sensitivity. A bridge will be made between the theological sensitivity and meaning of the Jewish writers and redactors on the one hand and, on the other hand, the historic Christian theological interpretations of these books. No reading knowledge of Hebrew will be required.
[Elective]

BIB 615NE
The Wisdom Tradition Credits: 3

Israel and the church have both cherished, within distinct limits, a “natural” mode of discovering some of God’s truth, and this is embodied in the Wisdom books. This course will examine the main stream of this theological “tradition” as it is reflected in selected portions of the Wisdom books from both Testaments and from intertestamental Judaism (Proverbs, Wisdom of Solomon, Ben Sirach, James).
[Elective]

BIB 620NE
Introduction to the Minor Prophets
Credits: 3

This course provides the student with an historical and theological introduction to the twelve books of the so-called prophetic voices found in the Old Testament. Our study will attempt to assess what makes these witnesses so unique, compelling, and relevant, especially for the sacred work of preaching and pastoral ministry. The first half of the course will focus on Hosea and Amos, the two primary writings in this collection. The second half of the course will survey Joel, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi (with emphasis on Habakkuk and Malachi).
[Elective]

BIB 625NE
The Life and Writings of the Prophet Jeremiah
Credits: 3

This course will examine the writings of the prophet Jeremiah who lived during tumultuous times. In his early years, he supported the great reform of King Josiah; however, after Josiah’s death and the return of Judah to its idolatrous ways, Jeremiah prophesied during the final years of the nation and its humiliating defeat by the Babylonians. From this historical matrix, the prophet declared truths that are timeless: the certain judgment of God, the inclination of humans to return to sinful ways, the agony of speaking for God among a people bent on doing evil, and the promise of God to establish a new covenant that will address human sinfulness.
[Elective]

BIB 635NE
Journeying with the Old Testament in a Postmodern World
Credits: 2

The contemporary world, often referred to as “postmodern,” is the context where Christians are called to serve God today. The postmodern world with the intersection of conflicting values and worldviews can be a place of disorientation and suspicion. Likewise, many Christians find the Old Testament to be a complex and bewildering book, full of violence, distasteful laws, and archaic ideas. Many wonder about its relationship to the New Testament and what its value might be for those who desire to follow Christ. It is the premise of this course that understanding both the Old Testament and the postmodern world, in their full abrasive complexity, is essential for vibrant Christian discipleship and ministry today. Indeed, this course claims that the Old Testament (as part of Christian Scripture) provides indispensable pastoral resources for addressing the postmodern condition with the power and compassion of the Gospel.
[Elective]

BIB 639NE
Apocalypse Now: Daniel and Revelation
Credits: 2

This course will begin with a survey of apocalyptic literature, non-biblical as well as biblical (students will read selections from primary texts). A series of introductory lectures will explore the literary features, historical perspectives, and theological convictions typical of this literature. The centerpiece of the course will be an inductive study of the two major biblical apocalypses: Daniel (OT) and Revelation (NT). Various interpretations of these books will also be examined, as well as current uses of apocalyptic themes in both secular and Christian literature/theater/art/music. Some attention also will be given to the history and current status of predictions of the end times.
[Elective]

BIB 640NE
The Gospel According to Saint Matthew
Credits: 3

The Gospel according to Saint Matthew has been one of the two Gospel accounts most studied throughout church history, instructing millions of Christians on both the life of Jesus and his teaching. This course will briefly consider various topics of modern Gospel studies (the synoptic problem, redaction criticism, the Jesus Seminar). Its main focus, however, will be on Matthew itself. We will look carefully at the evangelist’s account of Jesus’ infancy, the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus’ miracles, His directives to the church for its mission, and Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. We will also reflect on what classic Christian teachers (such as Saint John Chrysostom, Calvin, and Wesley) have believed Matthew teaches us.
[Elective]

BIB 641NE
The Jesus Seminar
Credits: 2

The course will assess current approaches to the life of the historical Jesus, in the light of scholarship over the last three centuries, and in the context of the Church’s scriptural and traditional affirmations over two millennia. Some prior acquaintance with the Synoptic tradition may be helpful, but students from various backgrounds will find a place in the course. N.T. Wright and M. Borg, in The Meaning of Jesus, offer a starting point for the discussion. (Borg is a leading scholar in the Jesus Seminar, and Wright was the professor’s advisor at McGill University.)
[Elective]

BIB 644NE
Gospel of John
Credits: 2

Throughout the history of the Church, the unique character of St. John’s gospel has intrigued and inspired countless theologians, philosophers, historians, and believers. The poignant, specific, and three-dimensional character of the materials selected and the author’s subtle and understated theological insights make for a rich meditative experience in Scripture study. This brief but substantive course will pay particular attention to two important aspects of the Gospel, while at the same time, of course, demanding mastery of the basic content: (1) We will be interested in how this Gospel has been read and interpreted over the centuries by the Church; (2) In so doing, we will focus on the (perhaps in some cases “mystical”—some would say “philosophical”) sacramental orientation of the Gospel, which pervades its meaning. Reading the English text, lecture, and class discussion will be part of the weekly rhythm. There will be one biblical-theological final paper.
[Elective]

BIB 650NE
Romans
Credits: 2 or 3

The Letter of St. Paul to the Romans has been formative throughout church history. Its teaching shaped major emphases of such luminaries as Saint Augustine of the early Church, Calvin of the Reformation, Wesley of the Great Awakening, and Barth of the modern era. This course will focus upon why Paul wrote this letter to that church, its content, how great teachers (such as those named above and others) have understood and appropriated its message, and what it has to say to us in the 21st century.
[Elective]

BIB 651NE
The Corinthian Church
Credits: 3

The early Church at Corinth was deeply troubled. Distortions of fundamental Christian teaching, persons proud of their spiritual gifts, and blatantly sinful conduct challenged the Apostle Paul in an extraordinary way. This course will examine selected passages from his letters to the Corinthians in which he analyzes and responds to these errors. As a part of this examination, we will also consider how great Christian teachers across the centuries have applied Paul’s thoughts to similar problems that the Church has faced.
[Elective]

BIB 653NE
The Prison Epistles
Credits: 2

The letters of the Apostle Paul to the churches of Philippi, Colossae, and Ephesus along with his personal letter to Philemon were written from prison, during his “mature” years; they are closely interconnected, historically and theologically. This course will begin with a scholarly introduction and careful reading of all four texts (in English translation but with reference to the Greek). The centerpiece of the course will be a thorough exposition of Colossians with a twofold purpose in view: (1) to acquire an in-depth understanding of this letter, and (2) to present a model for expositing other biblical books and passages. As a final project in the course, students will use this model to prepare an outline and message summaries for an expository preaching and/or teaching series in Philippians.
[Elective]

BIB 700NE
The Hermeneutics of Cultural Analysis
Credits: 2

It’s one thing to say we believe in and obey the Bible; it’s quite another to know how to interpret and apply the Scriptures rightly in our complex world. This course uses William J. Webb’s book Slaves, Women and Homosexuals: Exploring the Hermeneutics of Cultural Analysis as the central text. Together, we will ask the questions, “Which of the instructions from Scripture are still in force for us today exactly as they are articulated ‘on the page’, and why?” Taking the Scriptures related to slaves, women and homosexuals as test cases, we will investigate a “redemptive-movement hermeneutic” as a meta-framework for interpretation. We will explore how each of these three topics should be applied in the 21st century and then move on to ask the same questions of subjects rich in biblical data, but not covered by Webb’s book. The last two sessions of the course will involve class presentations of students’ research on such topics as divorce and remarriage, Christians’ involvement in combat, Sabbath observance, capital punishment, Christians’ responsibility to the poor, and alcohol consumption.
[Elective]

BIB 675NE
The Pastoral Epistles
Credits: 2

This course approaches Paul’s letters to Timothy and Titus from a pastoral perspective. We will begin with a careful study of the NRSV text of these three letters, utilizing the inductive Bible study method. Then we will explore how these books can inform our understanding and practice of ministry in the 21st century. The emphasis throughout will be practical, helping students apply these texts to their personal lives, and to specific ministry opportunities such as preaching, teaching, and exhorting. The role of Paul as a mentor will be explored, and the Pastoral Epistles will be considered as a model for engaging in similar mentoring relationships today.
[Elective]

BIB 695NE
Topics in Biblical Studies
Credits: 3

This course is a directed studies course in which a student will conduct an in-depth study of a biblical theme, collection of biblical books, or a single book. The course is offered each term during the second and third years of study. The course may involve independent study, reflection papers, and classroom instruction. Advisor and instructor approval required.
[Elective]