OT 101 Survey of Old Testament Historical Books (3 Credit Hours)
Course DESCRIPTION:
This course provides a foundation for understanding and interpreting the Old Testament and Bible through an examination of the content, matters of introduction, and historical, social and religious contexts of the Pentateuch and historical books of the Old Testament. Attention is given to the relevance and message for the church today, particularly the African church.
An in-depth study of the Pentateuch, both in terms of individual books and the corpus as a whole. To deepen student knowledge and understanding of both the contents of the five books of the Pentateuch and the collection as a unit, through readings and discussions.
Course RATIONALE:
Why redirect rigours in revisiting relics resources?
· For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. – (Romans 15:4) RSV
· Now these things happened to them as a warning, but they were written down for our instruction, upon whom the end of the ages has come. (1 Cor. 10:11) RSV
Course OBJECTIVES:
This is a merger of two massive modules meant to be mastered within a very short moment of time.
THE PENTATEUCH or Torah as the foundation of the Old Testament canon provides the blueprint for the OT and functions as a special lens through which Scripture as a whole (OT and NT) is to be comprehended, interpreted and implemented. Given its peculiarity, the Pentateuch has received higher critical attacks, often seeking to ultimately undermine the accuracy, authority and reliability of the entire Bible. If the basis for belief “in the beginning” can be discredited, the rest of scripture can be disconnected, and therefore disregarded and discarded!
Thus, this course seeks to affirm the authenticity, authority, and theological richness and relevance of divinely inspired message of the Pentateuch and the historical books.
THE OLD TESTAMENT HISTORICAL BOOKS offer an integrated overview of Israelite history from its pre-history to the close of the Old Testament period. This will be undertaken as an exploration of the two great historical works of the Old Testament:
1) The Prophetic History from Joshua through Second Kings, and
2) The Priestly History from First Chronicles through Nehemiah - as well as the books of Ruth and Esther.
We should be examining the salvation history of Israel to discover therein the picture of God that arises from the records of His mighty acts of mercy and grace, and to also learn what it means to be His people from the accounts of the Israelites' interactions with their God -Yahweh Jehovah.
- Lecturer: Ayo Joseph Oluwagunna