REL 3210 - Biblical Poetry: Old Testament/Hebrew Bible

Goals: To study in depth a selection of the poetic literature of Jewish Scripture/Christian Old Testament with particular attention to poetic form, function, and transformative power. Students will learn to recognize interpretations embedded in translations, will develop close-reading skills, and will be challenged to deepen their vision of the world and open the self to transformation.

Content: Course content may vary from a sampling of psalms, prophetic oracles, and proverbial wisdom to a closer focus on a single book (e.g., Isaiah), or on a comparison-contrast of two books (e.g., Proverbs and Ecclesiastes), or on some specific theme (e.g., protest and praise).

Taught: Alternate years

Prerequisite: REL 1200 or REL 1220 or permission of the instructor

Credits: 4