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DR555L: THE OLD TESTAMENT – MUNDANE MECHANICS & HEAVENLY CONCEPTS (2024-2025)

Last modified: 22 Aug 2024 14:16


Course Overview

From both Jewish and Christian theological perspectives, the Old Testament can be viewed as a record of human and divine interventions into matters of fundamental conceptual importance. What does it mean to confess and worship the One? How do we imagine God? How do we see the world as his creation? What is justice and what is love – both human and divine? Familiarized with relevant contexts and trained in disciplinary tools, in this course you will explore such questions in their timelessness.

Course Details

Study Type Postgraduate Level 5
Term Second Term Credit Points 30 credits (15 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Professor Joachim L. W. Schaper
  • Dr. Jakub Zbrzezny

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Masters In Theology (September Start)
  • Any Postgraduate Programme (Studied)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

  • DR505L The Old Testament - Mundane Mechanics & Heavenly Concepts (Passed)

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

Set in the broad context of Biblical Studies, this course explores the Old Testament as a part of both the Jewish and the Christian biblical canons. It focuses on fundamental conceptual questions that the OT poses and that remain focal points of Jewish and Christian theology. Among such major themes are monotheism, sacrificial worship, iconophobia, creation, justice, love human and divine. These will be discussed in their multifaceted contexts, whose understanding require looking into data provided by auxiliary disciplines such as history, archaeology, art history, culture studies, or social sciences.

The discussion will be carried out in dialogue with other theological disciplines such as systematics or ethics. It will be further facilitated by training the student in theoretical and practical skills related to the textual criticism and textual history of the Bible. This training will include its major ancient versions – cornerstones of Christianity in its Western and Eastern manifestations.


Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

A critical edition of a selected biblical passage

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 30
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

1,500-word critical edition of a selected biblical passage, to be submitted in week 11 of teaching.

Feedback: written comments on the paper, discussion if required or helpful.

Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ProceduralEvaluateThe student is able to judge major variant readings of the Old Testament text.
ReflectionCreateThe student is able to create their own critical edition of a biblical passage, designed for their specific research purposes.

Essay

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 70
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

3,500-word essay, to be submitted in week 13 of teaching.

Feedback: written comments on the paper, discussion if required or helpful.

Word Count 3500
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ConceptualUnderstandThe student is able to determine major conceptual themes reflected in texts of the Old Testament.
ProceduralAnalyseThe student is able to integrate major scholarly disciplines within and outwith Theology in analysing the Old Testament text.
ProceduralEvaluateThe student is able to judge major variant readings of the Old Testament text.
ReflectionEvaluateThe student is able to reflect on major themes of Christian theology through the prism of the Old Testament.

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Resit Assessments

Essay

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 100
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

Look up Week Numbers

Feedback

5,000-word research essay.

Feedback: written comments on the paper, discussion if required or helpful.

Word Count 5000
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
ProceduralAnalyseThe student is able to integrate major scholarly disciplines within and outwith Theology in analysing the Old Testament text.
ConceptualUnderstandThe student is able to determine major conceptual themes reflected in texts of the Old Testament.
ReflectionEvaluateThe student is able to reflect on major themes of Christian theology through the prism of the Old Testament.
ProceduralEvaluateThe student is able to judge major variant readings of the Old Testament text.
ReflectionCreateThe student is able to create their own critical edition of a biblical passage, designed for their specific research purposes.

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