HIST 5/337 The Book of Job and its Contexts

Lectures: Mondays

Credit Hours: 3

Cost: $555 Audit; $2,205 Credit

Recorded Lectures: Yes

Description

This course seeks to deepen and enrich students’ engagement with the Old Testament book of Job. To prepare for encountering the text of Job itself, we will consider relevant contexts, including questions surrounding Job’s setting, themes, genre, possible ancient Near Eastern parallels, and literary structure. The majority of the course will involve a Joban journey, progressing through each literary subsection of Job to explore the complex fabric of textual, hermeneutical, and theological issues present within each as the book unfolds. Upon completion of the journey, we will locate the book of Job within canonical Scripture and develop its connections to the Christian gospel. Throughout the course, Job’s impact on the reader and consequent importance for individual and communal lived faith will be an essential element of study.

Objectives

By the end of the course, a student should be able to:

• Internalize the contours of the content and structure of the book of Job.
• Situate Job within salient historical, literary, and canonical contexts.
• Navigate the major literary and hermeneutical issues arising from Job.
• Discuss the theological dimensions of Job and its place and contribution within the Christian Scriptures and Christian theology.
• Desire to grow in the fear of the Lord, prayerfulness, and perseverance.

Equivalencies

• History
• Biblical Studies
• Biblical Backgrounds
• Geography
• Old Testament

Instructor

Dr. Ellie Paley: B.A. in Biblical Studies, Gordon College; M.A. in Biblical Languages, M.A. in Old Testament, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; Ph.D. in Old Testament, University of Cambridge.