PhD/THS Courses
Old Testament
Advanced Master’s/Doctoral Level
OT 7710 (745) Intertestamental Period
Cross-list as NT. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.
OT 8000 (845) Seminar: Current Issues in Old Testament Studies
Topics chosen deal with significant issues in Old Testament content, history, introduction, and/or interpretation, and seminar discussion and presentation of advanced research papers. Course titles include the following: Biblical Theology; New Testament Use of the Old Testament; Theological Themes: Isaiah; Old Testament Backgrounds to the Book of Revelation; Issues in Old Testament Ethics; Expository Preaching: Psalms; Poetry in the Pentateuch; History of Old Testament Exegesis; Priestly Theology of the Old Testament; Translation Technique and the Ancient Versions; Synoptic Passages in Old Testament Theology; Use of Critical Methods in Old Testament Study; Puritan Old Testament Exposition; Historiography; Old Testament and Modern Interpreters; History and Theology of Jerusalem; and Rabbinics and Old Testament Interpretation. May not be audited. Prerequisites determined by seminar topic. Two to four hours, doctoral as posted.
OT 8210 (733) Exegesis of Genesis
Consideration of the historical, historical-critical, interpretative, and theological issues in Genesis in the context of careful exegesis of selected passages. May not be audited. Prerequisite: OT 5242. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.
OT 8230 (735) Exegesis of Psalms
Overview of the Psalter’s structure, major genres, themes, theology, and exegesis of representative psalms. May not be audited. Prerequisite: OT 5242. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.
OT 8250 (736) Exegesis of Isaiah
A text-linguistic study of selected portions of the Hebrew text of Isaiah. May not be audited. Prerequisite: OT 5242. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.
OT 8720 (744) Advanced Hebrew Exegesis: (Book)
Exegesis of selected texts with special attention to relevant theological issues. Attention to the book’s structure, central themes, and historical, cultural, and literary contexts may also be included. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: OT 5242. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.
OT 8722 (776) The Septuagint and the New Testament
Cross-list as NT. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.
OT 8723 (741) Old Testament Textual Criticism
Introduction to the textual critical study of the Old Testament and its relationship to other areas of Old Testament study. Consideration is given to the goals and methodology of Old Testament textual criticism and the ancient versions as translations. Analysis of selected texts, comparing the readings of the Masoretic Text with selected ancient versions. Prerequisite: OT 5242. Offered on demand. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.
OT 8729 (742) Advanced Hebrew Studies: (Topic)
Study of linguistic, methodological, and historical issues related to the Hebrew language. Course titles include Advanced Hebrew Syntax, Historical Hebrew Grammar, Hebrew Lexicography and Semantics, and Postbiblical Hebrew. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: OT 5242. Master’s three hours, doctoral 3+1 hours.
OT 8911 (840) Old Testament Studies I: Pentateuch and Historical Books
The course provides participants committed to the field of Old Testament studies with a disciplined approach to the language, grammar/syntax, methodology, and rigors of the academic study of the Old Testament. Offered each fall. No auditors. Two hours, master’s or doctoral.
OT 8912 (841) Old Testament Studies II: Poetic and Prophetic Books
The course provides participants committed to the field of Old Testament studies with a disciplined approach to the language, grammar/syntax, methodology, and rigors of the academic study of the Old Testament. Offered each spring. No auditors. Two hours, master’s or doctoral.
Doctoral Seminars
OT 9000 (910) Issues in Old Testament Theology
Topics reflect research interests of faculty or program participants or that explore matters of concern to Old Testament theology. May be repeated. One to four hours.
OT 9210 (914) Exegesis of Genesis 1–11
A seminar on Genesis 1–11 that focuses on the five primary features of biblical exegesis: textual criticism, grammar and syntax, semantics, literary analysis, and biblical theology. 3+1 hours.
OT 9410 (913) History of the Hebrew Bible
A study of the textual evidence and theories regarding the compositional growth, progressive canonical development and recognition, and manuscript transmission of the books of the Old Testament from the 15th century B.C. down through the Masoretic period. The course will also consider the issue of intertextual reference and interpretation within the Old Testament and its contribution to our understanding of the historical growth and development of the Hebrew Bible. 3+1 hours.
OT 9710 (911) Old Testament Theological Systems
Analysis and critique of the goals of various Old Testament theological systems and their methodologies. Special emphasis on the role of the exegetical method in the formulation of Old Testament theological concepts. 3+1 hours.
OT 9925 (923) Historiography: The Theology of Writing History
This course will focus on the problems of general historiography and consider biblical historiography. Questions of selectivity, literary artistry, point of view, purpose, use of sources, and the author’s theology that emerges from these will be studied. Course content will focus on biblical historiography in 1–2 Samuel, 1–2 Kings, and 1–2 Chronicles. 3+1 hours.