Syllabus Information |
Winter 2016
May 18,2024 |
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| REL 211 - Introduction to the Bible |
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Associated Term:
Winter 2016
Learning Objectives: Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to: 1. Apply analytical skills to social phenomena in order to understand human behavior. Understand the history, content and organization of the Jewish and Christian scriptures that make up the canon of the Bible. Be able to use historical and critical analysis to explore the authorship, worldviews, and values found in key texts of the Bible. 2. Apply knowledge and experience to foster personal growth and better appreciate the diverse social world in which we live. Discover to what extent the original meaning in historical and cultural context of the Bible may differ from interpretations of modern believers. Understand how differing interpretations of the Bible give rise to a myriad of cultural norms and institutional expressions of religion. 3. Understand the role of individuals and institutions within the context of society. Students learn how Biblical authors were influenced by their culture and how their works in turn influenced later cultures. They also see how emphasis on group identity and responsibility in the Old Testament gave way to an emphasis on the individual in the New Testament. 4. Assess different theories and concepts, and understand the distinctions between empirical and other methods of inquiry. Students evaluate different theories on how to interpret Biblical texts and what they mean. They learn to study the Bible from scholarly point of view and how this differs from approaching it through the presupposition of faith. 5. Utilize appropriate information literacy skills in written and oral communication. Students learn to interpret the Bible as literature, reading particular passages in the context of the larger work and in their historical and cultural contexts in critical written work. They also learn express informed opinions about the meaning and interpretation of Biblical texts in class a scholarly, objective and respectful manner. 6. Understand the diversity of human experience and thought, individually and collectively. Students learn a variety of Biblical concepts, such as sin, atonement, law, ritual cleanliness, idolatry, prophecy, the Messiah, resurrection, Satan, the Anti-Christ, salvation, the afterlife and the apocalypse. 7. Apply knowledge and skills to contemporary problems and issues. Students will apply a careful, scholarly reading of Biblical texts with modern theologies which claim to be based upon them. They also learn to critically evaluate popular conspiracy theories about how the Bible was written and compiled. Students explore how Biblical beliefs affect global society, how Biblical concepts might be applied to modern life and how the Bible's teachings might even be of value to a non-religious person. Required Materials: Technical Requirements: |
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