OT 520 Foundations for Old Testament Study

Basic Textbook: Dillard, R. B. and Trempor Longman, An Introduction to the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994. This text is a traditional OT introduction written by two evangelical scholars. An “introduction” to the OT is not a guide to the uninformed, but is a summary of current scholarly opinion about the authorship, date, origins, and composition of each OT book and the essential issues and problems involved in their interpretation. This book is to be read through the term and completed by the end of term. Supplementary Required Texts: Two additional textbooks are required for this course: W. W. Klein, C. L. Blomberg, R. L. Hubbard, Introduction to Biblical Interpreatation. Waco: Word, 1993. This book introduces the student to the essential issues involved in biblical interpretation and the methods employed with specific types of material. Students may omit sections dealing explicitly with the New Testament. V. H. Matthews, D. C. Benjamin, Social World of Ancient Israel: 150-587 BCE. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1993. In the lectures, we will take a rapid overview, in chronological order, of the world of the OT. This book complements that overview by covering the world of the OT from the perspective of social settings and institutions instead of merely moving chronologically. The two presentations complement and reinforce one another. Recommended: Bauer, David. Biblical Resources for Ministry. Wilmore, Revised 2nd Edition, 1995.https://place.asburyseminary.edu/syllabi/1588/thumbnail.jp