Syllabus

Short Course Description

Among the most creative and engaging areas of academic Bible studies to emerge in recent years is reception studies how the Bible has been received used, interpreted in art, music, literature, politics, popular culture and more. In this course we will explore challenging methodological and theoretical questions around reception studies: How should we navigate between the conscious, subconscious and unconscious, whether the receiver' s or the scholar's.Is academic scholarship itself reception? Who is qualified to be an expert in this complex field. What if anything can we learn about the Bible from reception studies? Mostly, though, this course will be hands on ; we will explore fascinating examples of how influential biblical texts and themes have been received ? from Adam and Eve and the Akedah, through Samson and Delilah and the book of Ruth, to Lamentations and Ezekiel's Dry Bones. This course will be taught and assessed in English.
Session 1: Reception Manifesto
Session 2: The Akedah Through Other Eyes
Session 3: Power and Gender
Session 4: Influencers
Session 5: Jews, Christians, and Muslims
Session 6: Challenging Authority
Session 7: Catastrophe
Session 8: In and Out
Session 9: Enemies
Session 10: The Land of Israel
Session 11: Class Presentations
Session 12: Class Presentations
Course Assessment:

The course will be assessed by an end of semester class presentation (76%) AND eight x 5-minute 'American style' (multiple choice) tests/quizzes, each with 6 questions worth 1/2% each, at the start of each class (24%).

Presentations should focus on ONE genre of reception (paintings, poems, songs, religious interpretations, films, advertising, popular culture etc), and ONE biblical text. They will ideally follow this format: (a) a short introduction to the biblical text under discussion; (b) a question, difficulty, theme, or idea generated by the text; (c) the reception item; (d) some conclusions. Possible presentation topics include: The creation story (Genesis 1), The Tree of Life (Genesis 3), Abraham, Sarah and Hagar (Genesis 16 and 21); Jacob?s Dream (Genesis 28);Jacob wrestling with the angel (Genesis 32); Moses is found by Pharaoh?s daughter (Exodus 2); Moses and the burning bush (Exodus 3); Moses striking the rock (Exodus 17/Numbers 21); The giving of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 19-20); The Golden Calf (Exodus 32); Amalek (Exodus 17 / Deuteronomy 23); The death of Nadav and Avihu (Leviticus 10); The spies enter the land (Numbers 13); Joshua and the battle of Jericho (Joshua 6-7); David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17); David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11-12); Solomon and the two prostitutes (1 Kings 3); Solomon?s Wisdom (1 Kings 5:9-14); Solomon and the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10); Miracles of the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 17) Naboth's Vineyard (2 Kings 21); Ezekiel's,chariot, (Ezekiel 1); Psalm 23,The Lord is my shepherd,; Proverbs 31:10-31 (?Eshet Chayil,, the woman of valor); The lovers in the Song of Songs; Queen Esther; The figure of Job (especially Job 1-2 and 42); The figure of Daniel or a specific scene from the book of Daniel (Daniel 1-6).