bbst 515 exegetical skills i - drew university · bbst 515 – exegetical skills i ... students are...
TRANSCRIPT
BBST 515 – Exegetical Skills I
Instructor: Dong Sung Kim E-mail: [email protected]
Class meetings: Thursdays 4:00 – 5:15 p.m. @ Seminary Hall 1091
Exegesis. See Reading. – “Index,” The Bible Culture & Collective, The Postmodern Bible.
[S]ometimes we just have to learn how to read. – Jonathan Magonet, A Rabbi Reads the Bible.
I. Course Description
This course is designed as a companion course to BBST 101 - Biblical Literature I. The course
will provide the members of the class with basic introduction to biblical exegesis and various
opportunities to practice the knowledge they would gain from both courses. Specifically, the
course content includes: 1) guidance in the practices of exegetical analysis (e.g., various
practices including the following: comparing and contrasting various translations, investigating
the semantic ranges of words and grammatical constructions, formulating critical questions,
exploring literary and socio-historical context, and learning how to do basic research in the field
of biblical studies); 2) incorporation and use of biblical studies research tools and, 3) an
introduction of the rudimentary features of Biblical Hebrew.
II. Course Objectives
Your primary objectives for this course would be:
- to understand the notion of “exegesis” with awareness of its contested and nuanced use in
the recent scholarly reception.
- to be able to read a biblical text critically, with close attention to textual details, lexical
meanings of words, historical and literary contexts, as well as with awareness of various
methodological angles attested in the secondary scholarly literature (i.e. commentaries,
journal articles, scholarly monographs and edited volumes, etc.).
- to be able to write a precise and critical notes about a given passage from the Hebrew
Bible.
By the end of the semester you should be able to:2
1. Use standard research tools such as lexicons, commentaries, and other relevant resources.
1 In case of inclement weather, please call 973-408-DUSC for announcements regarding campus closings. 2 The numerical orders in the following list does not reflect the priorities in the course.
2. Understand the basic rudiments of Biblical Hebrew that can be instrumental to one’s
exegetical work (for example, the alphabet, grammar, and syntax of the language).
3. Formulate a set of critical questions (some of which you might not have previously
considered or permitted yourself to ask) that can help you engage the scholarly discussion
on the text at your exegetical inquiry.
4. Identify the importance of context on a number of levels: as it relates to ancient
communities behind the biblical texts; as it relates to the placement of a biblical passage,
for example, within a larger story; and as it relates to the role of the reader/interpreter.
5. Engage in, and lead, discussion on a biblical passage with competence and confidence in
articulating the text’s complexity, as well as its reception in both religious and academic
traditions.
III. Required Text
Gunn, David M. and Danna Nolan Fewell. Narrative in the Hebrew Bible. Oxford: Oxford
University Press, 1993.
The Jewish Study Bible featuring The Jewish Publication Society TANAKH Translation.
Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press, 2004. (JSB TNK in schedule)
The Harper Collins Study Bible. New Revised Standard Version. Wayne Meeks, ed. New York,
NY: Harper Collins, 2006. (NRSV in schedule)
IV. Course Requirements, Assignments, and Grading
This course will be most beneficial when you are well prepared for class and all the assignments
are completed on time. Each new skill builds upon previous weeks’ work. Thus, failing to
complete assignments or missing classes is will adversely affect your development.
Generally, students are expected to spend approximately 4 hours weekly outside of class in
preparation for this course.
Students will be expected to check regularly their Drew e-mail and our Moodle site for updates
or changes to our class schedule and weekly topics.
Grading will be determined as follows:
This class is Pass-or-Fail: Unexcused absences will result in a lowered grade; 3 or more will
result in a forfeiture of course credit. An average of 73% (or C) and above will be considered
a passing grade. The following grading scale will be used for the final assignment and course
grade: 93-100 A; 90-92.99 A-; 87-89.99 B+; 83-86.99 B; 80-82.99 B-; 77-79.99 C+; 73-76.99 C;
70-72.99 C-; 67-69.99 D+; 60-66.99 D; 0-59.99 F.
In order to keep each member of the class accountable and responsible for their learning, the
instructor will require them to fill out the Learning Performance Agreement (which can be
found on the Moodle).
The students’ progress in the course will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
1. Homework Assignments (40%)
Unless there is a legitimate excuse, late homework assignments (either turned in or posted after
the start of class) will not be accepted. Two or more missed homework assignments will
result in a lowered final grade for the course.3
Written homework assignments are due each session and may consist of completing worksheets,
reading and writing essays. Throughout the semester, a number of assignments will be given and
counted as part of your grade. These assignments should be posted on the Moodle before the
class begins.
2. Class Participation (30%)
Regular attendance and active participation in class discussion are crucial to your learning. Your
contributions in class should be informed and relevant to our topics and be expressed in language
that is respectful of other’s viewpoints. When the instructor or another student is speaking,
attentive and courteous listening is expected.
3. Final Assignment (30%)
Students are to produce an exegetical paper on Gen. 16, 21, or Joshua 9, in which they would
demonstrate a close-reading of the biblical text as well as their engagement with the original
language, historical and literary contexts, and various methods employed by biblical scholars.
Specific guide will be offered as the semester progresses. An outline of the essay with
bibliography must be submitted by November 28. The due date for the final paper is 6:00 pm
on December 11.
V. Instructions for Accessing Library Resources
In this course, you will be expected to access library resources on a weekly basis.
3 ESOL students may upload their first draft by each due date, and post the proofread version within a week after
they work with Prof. Brown or other ESOL TAs.
To access the library catalog:
1. Go to http://www.drew.edu/home/ and log in. Click on the Library Catalog icon in
the upper right corner.
2. For a search of materials in the Drew library, you may do a “Simple Search” by
entering a title, author or keyword. You may also do a more detailed search by
clicking on “advanced” or “exact” search in the upper right corner.
3. To access library databases (e.g. ATLA), click the “Research Resources” tab at the
bottom of the Library Catalog page. At the top of the Resource Research page, click
“Subject Databases.” You may then search the databases by title or by subject.
4. Once you have located a resource in a database such as ATLA, you will need to
check to see if the material is available in the Drew Library (if it is an article, it may
be available in PDF to download directly from the database). Otherwise, for journals,
click “Journal List” at the top of the “Research Resources” page and conduct a
search. For books, return to the Library Catalog page and conduct a search.
Instructions for posting homework assignments to the Moodle forums:
1. Complete the homework assignment in MS Word. Save it with your full name and the
assignment number included in the file name.
2. Go to our class the Moodle site.
3. Click on the appropriate forum link.
4. Click "Add a new discussion topic."
5. Give your post a title
6. Copy and paste your homework assignment into the "message" section.
7. Near the bottom of the page, find the "attachment" option. Click "choose file" and
select the MS Word file containing your assignment and attach it to your Moodle
post.
8. Click "Post to forum"
VI. Academic Accommodations
Students who require accommodations are instructed to contact the Office of Accessibility
Resources (formerly Office of Disability Services) , BC 119C, 973-408-3962, for a private,
confidential appointment. Accommodation Request Letters are issued to students after
documentation, written by a qualified professional, is reviewed and accommodations are
approved by OAR. Accommodations are implemented by faculty only after the student presents
the Accommodation Request Letter issued by OAR. Letters should be presented to the faculty at
least one week before the accommodation is needed. No accommodation can be implemented
retroactively.
VII. Academic Integrity
Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Students are expected to adhere to the Academic Honesty policy
of the University. The University standards of Academic Honesty will be enforced fully. If you
are uncertain as to what constitutes plagiarism, please consult the instructor.
Course Schedule
Week One (August 27): What is Exegesis?
Class Discussion:
Course Introduction
Discussion: What is Exegesis?
PowerPoint Presentation: What does the word, Exegesis, mean?
Introducing Hebrew Alphabet
Assignment for Week Two (Due Sept. 3):
Read David Gunn and Danna Fewell. Narrative in the Hebrew Bible. New York:
Oxford, 1993. Pp. 46-89 and pp. 101-128. Using the worksheet, “Discerning the Logic
of An Article” (posted on Moodle), answer the questions for either Chapter 3
(“Characters and Narrators”) or Chapter 5 (“Designs on the Plot”) of Gunn and Fewell.
Post your responses on Moodle.
Download the Hebrew alphabet information from the Moodle and begin to familiarize
yourself with them (you should begin with the Hebrew alphabet song and the PowerPoint
presentation explaining the differences between similar looking letters).
Week Two (September 3): Reading Hebrew Biblical Narratives
Class Discussion:
A close reading of Genesis 21:1-7.
Discussion on the passage with the new insights gained from the reading assignments.
Practice Hebrew Alphabet and Pronunciation.
Assignment for Week Three (Due Sept. 10):
Read the Abraham cycle (Genesis 11:26 – 23:20). Write a paragraph discussing the
broader literary context of Genesis 21:1-7, using the following questions as a guide. Post
your paragraph on the Moodle.
o How does the broader context of the Abraham story influence the way we read
Genesis 21:1-7? Does the context answer questions raised in the text or create
more questions for you? Does it offer more information about the characters or
change our perspective on them? Does it change the arc of the plotline in any
way? Do similar themes emerge and/or do other concerns come to light?
For a further thought, read Fewell and Gunn, “Keeping the Promise,” Gender, Power,
and Promise: The Subject of the Bible’s First Story (Nashville, TX: Abingdon Press,
1993, pp. 39-55 (posted on the Moodle).
Week Three (September 10): Translations
Class Discussion:
Hebrew Alphabet Quiz
Briefly discuss broader literary context of Genesis 21:1-7 and then specifically discuss
the relationship between Genesis 21:1-7, Genesis 21: 8-14, and Genesis 16:1-6. How
does the rivalry between Sarah and Hagar (and where it appears in the plot) influence
how we read the story of Sarah’s pregnancy?
In pairs, read Genesis 16 in parallel translations. List words and phrases that differ across
English translations. What concerns arise when the translation differs? What are the
implications for the overall meaning of the passage?
Assignment for Week Four (Due Sept. 17):
Database Scavenger Hunt - Use the library’s catalog and the ATLA database to find the
following items (See section III above for an overview of using the Library Catalog
online). When you have found them, jot down the call number (or download the article
from ATLA) and send your instructor your findings. If you have trouble with the
assignment, do not lose sleep, simply write down the questions you have about how to
use the library resources (however basic or complex your questions may be) and send
those to your instructor, along with whatever items you were able to find. We will be
meeting with Dr. Jesse Mann, our theological librarian, for a session on utilizing library
resources for exegesis. Be sure that Dr. Mann addresses your questions when you meet
with him! (Note: You can complete this assignment from home, using your computer
and web browser to access the library’s online catalog and databases).
Please find the following items and record the call number or download the PDF and
send your findings to your instructor via email ([email protected]):
o Alter, Robert. Genesis: Translation and Commentary. New York: W.W.
Norton, 1996.
o Boolj, Thijs. “Hagar’s Words in Genesis 16:13b.” Vestus Testamentum
30, no. 1 (1980): 1-7. [Hint: Use ATLA]
o Brueggemann, Walter. Genesis: A Commentary for Teaching and
Preaching. Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1982.
o Claassens, L. Juliana M. “Laughter and Tears: Carnivalistic Overtones in
the Stories of Hagar and Sarah.” Perspectives in Religious Studies 32, no.
3 (2005): 295-308. [Hint: Use ATLA]
o De Troyer, Kristin. “Sarah and Hagar: What Have I To Do With Them?”
In Her Master’s Tools?: Feminist and Postcolonial Engagements of
Historical-Critical Discourse, edited by Caroline Vander Stichele, 159-
177. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2005.
o Fewell, Danna Nolan. “Changing the Subject: Retelling the Story of
Hagar the Egyptian.” In Genesis: A Feminist Companion to the Bible,
edited by Athalya Brenner, 182-194. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic
Press, 1998.
o Gossai, Hemchand. Power and Marginality in the Abraham Narrative.
Eugene: Pickwick Publications, 2010.
o Green, Roger. “Abraham and Archaeology: Anachronisms or
Adaptations?” In Perspectives on Our Father Abraham: Essays in Honor
of Marvin R. Wilson, edited by Steven A. Hunt. Grand Rapids: W.A.
Eerdmans Pub. Co., 2010.
o Kemp, Tracy Hartman. Letting the Other Speak: Proclaiming the Stories
of Biblical Women. Lanham: Lexington Books, 2012.
o Okoye, James C. “Hagar and Sarah: Genesis 16 and 21.” JSOT 32, no. 2
(2007): 163-175. [Hint: Use ATLA]
Week Four (September 17): Research & Bibliography
Class Discussion:
Library Visit with Dr. Jesse Mann. We will meet at 4:00pm in his office at the Drew
University Library (near where the copy machines are).
Assignment for Week Five (Due Sept. 24):
Identify one problem or question that has arisen for you in Genesis 16 so far.
Individually or in pairs, go to the library for a research scavenger hunt. Write a
bibliography of your resources reflecting the results. Be sure to find those resources that
are most relevant to the question or problem you have identified in the text. Find the
following:
o 2 academic commentaries
o 1 book/monograph
o 2 articles (in a journal or an edited volume)
o 1 entry in a Biblical concordance
o 1 entry in a Bible dictionary
o Hint: Use your reference librarians if you need help!
Week Five (September 24): Language, Part I
Class Discussion:
Overview: various types of academic texts and what they are used for.
Basics of Hebrew Grammar
Online Resources and Bible Software (e.g. Bible Hub and Bible Odyssey)
Assignment for Week Six (Due Oct. 1):
Look back on the translation comparison exercise and identify 5 Hebrews words from
Genesis 16 that you would like to investigate further. Look these words up in a
concordance, and answer the following questions for each word. Post your responses to
Moodle:
o Approximately how many times does this word appear in the Hebrew Bible?
Where does the word occur (Which books of the Bible? Does it occur more in the
Torah, Prophets or Writings? Does the word appear in a particular genre more
than others, such as narrative, poetry or law?
o What does the word seem to mean? Are there are a range of meanings?
o How does the word get translated in English in the NRSV and the Jewish Study
Bible? Looking at the range of meanings listed in the concordance, do you agree
with the translation? What additional questions arise for you?
Week Six (October 1): Language, Part II
Class Discussion:
Discuss research findings in pairs.
Lexicons
Wrap up grammar, software, and any other research topics covered thus far.
Assignment for Week Seven (Due Oct. 8)
Look at two of the following resources (on reserve at the library):
Rad, Gerhard von. Genesis: A Commentary. Old Testament Library. Philadelphia:
Westminster, 1972 (rev. ed.). Pp. 190-97; 230-35.
Sarna, Nahum. Understanding Genesis. New York: Schocken, 1966. Pp. 127-29; 154-57.
Vawter, Bruce. On Genesis: A New Reading. New York: Doubleday, 1977.
Speiser, E.A. Genesis. Anchor Bible. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1964/80.
Pp. 116-21; 153-57.
Make a list of any new and significant ideas or information presented in these two works.
Choose one commentator and answer the following questions regarding his work. Post your
responses to Moodle:
o What sorts of questions are being raised and addressed in this work?
o What critical methods are being employed? (Often reading the introduction or
preface to the book will help to clarify for you what the work is attempting to do
and how the author is going about her or his task.)
o What kinds of presuppositions underlie this commentator’s reading?
o How do the author’s presuppositions, cultural and religious background, and
choice of method affect his interpretation of the text?
o How does this commentator answer questions that you had previously raised
about these texts?
Week Seven (October 8): Social Location: Who’s Reading? Does It Matter?
Class Discussion
Recap & review the commentaries in the reading assignment list.
Discussion: the strength and weakness of historical critical methods; the strength and
weakness of commentaries as exegetical resource.
Assignment for Week Eight (Due Oct. 15)
Utilizing all your work on Genesis 16 and 21 so far, investigate further how other critical readers
have understood this text. The following essays have been put on reserve and/or on Moodle for
you:
Tamez, Elsa. “The Woman Who Complicated the History of Salvation.” In New Eyes for
Reading: Biblical and Theological Reflections by Women from the Third World. John S.
Pobee and Barbel von Wartenberg-Potter, eds. Geneva: World Council of Churches,
1986; Bloomington, IN: Meyer-Stone, 1987. Pp. 5-17.
Mbuwayesango, Dora R. “Childlessness and Woman-To-Woman Relationships in
Genesis and in African Patriarc[h]al Society: Sarah and Hagar from a Zimbabwean
Woman’s Perspective (Gen 16:1-16; 21:8-21).” In Reading the Bible as Women:
Perspectives from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. (Semeia 78). Phyllis A. Bird,
Katharine Doob Sakenfeld, and Sharon H. Ringe, eds. Atlanta: Society of Biblical
Literature, 1997.
Pp. 27-36. (This text is downloadable through Moodle or ATLAS.)
1. Read the essays above which critically engages in the interpretation of Gen. 16 & 21.
2. Make a list of any new and significant ideas or information presented in these works.
3. Choose one of the two articles and answer the following questions regarding her work.
Post your responses to Moodle:
a. Identify and summarize the author’s thesis. What are her major arguments regarding
Genesis 16 and 21? (Hint: Use the worksheet on “Discerning the Logic of An
Article”)
b. How does the author support her thesis? What is her process for reading the text?
What steps of exegesis has she performed and how? What specific questions or
problems (e.g. translation problems, textual uncertainties, literary context) does she
deal with?
c. Evaluate the scholar’s argument. Do the elements of her exegesis support her
argument? If so, how? If not, why not?
d. Are you persuaded by her conclusions? Are there gaps in her logic or questions she
does not address? How might you exegete the text differently?
e. How do the author’s presuppositions, cultural and religious background, and choice
of method affect her interpretation of the text?
Week Eight (October 15): Social Location (cont.)
Class Discussion:
Review homework assignment
Discuss on the methodological issues in exegetical works in general.
Assignment for Week Nine (Due Oct. 29):
Williams, Delores S. “Hagar in African American Biblical Appropriation.” In Hagar,
Sarah, And Their Children: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Perspectives. Phyllis Trible
and Letty M. Russell, eds. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2006.
Hassan, Riffat. “Islamic Hagar and her Family.” In Hagar, Sarah, And Their Children:
Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Perspectives. Phyllis Trible and Letty M. Russell, eds.
Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2006.
1. Read the essays above which critically engages in the interpretation of Gen. 16 & 21.
2. Make a list of any new and significant ideas or information presented in these works.
3. Choose one of the two articles and answer the following questions regarding her work.
Post your responses to Moodle:
a. Identify and summarize the author’s thesis. What are her major arguments regarding
Genesis 16 and 21? (Hint: Use the worksheet on “Discerning the Logic of An
Article”)
b. How does the author support her thesis? What is her process for reading the text?
What steps of exegesis has she performed and how? What specific questions or
problems (e.g. translation problems, textual uncertainties, literary context) does she
deal with?
c. Evaluate the scholar’s argument. Do the elements of her exegesis support her
argument? If so, how? If not, why not?
d. Are you persuaded by her conclusions? Are there gaps in her logic or questions she
does not address? How might you exegete the text differently?
e. How do the author’s presuppositions, cultural and religious background, and choice
of method affect her interpretation of the text?
Reading Week: October 19 - 23
No Class Meeting
Please read the following article and write your response and reflection (appx., 300 words) on
the Moodle by 6:00pm, October 23:
Phillips, Gary A. "Exegesis as Critical Praxis: Reclaiming History and Text from a
Postmodern Perspective." Semeia 51, (1990): 7-49.
Week Nine (October 29): Practice, Praxis, and Ethics: Exegetical Skills
Class Discussion:
Review/Discussion on the previous materials (i.e. exegesis, methods, and interpretation).
Read Joshua 9 together.
Assignment for Week Ten (Due Nov. 5):
Exegesis worksheet: For the next four weeks, we will be working through the exegesis
worksheet in order to perform an exegetical work on Joshua 9 together. Each week, you
should read the passage and select some library resources (commentaries, articles,
monographs, etc.) of your choosing to help answer the questions. We will review the
worksheet in class each week.
For the next week, answer questions 1-2 on the worksheet. Make sure to include your
study of two or more translations and a word study with the aid of lexicon and
concordance. Post your answers to Moodle.
Week Ten (November 5): Practice (cont.)
Class Discussion:
Review exegesis assignment.
Assignment for Week Eleven (Due Nov. 12):
Read Joshua 9 and offer your answers to the questions 3-6 on the exegesis worksheet.
In your answers, make reference to two or more commentaries or monographs/edited-
volumes on the academic study of the Book of Joshua. Make sure to make appropriate
citations.
Week Eleven (November 12): Practice (cont.)
Class Discussion:
Review exegesis assignment
Assignment for Week Twelve (Due Nov. 19):
Complete the exegesis worksheet (questions 6-8) using library resources.
Read one of the following articles/chapters (posted on the Moodle):
Miles, Johnny. “The ‘Enemy Within’: Refracting Colonizing Rhetoric in Narratives of
Gibeonite and Japanese Identity.” In Postcolonialism and the Hebrew Bible: The Next
Step, edited by Roland Boer, 129-168. Atlanta, GA: Society of Biblical Literature, 2013.
Warrior, Robert Allen. "Canaanites, Cowboys, and Indians." Union Seminary Quarterly
Review 59, no. 1-2 (2005): 1-8.
Thanksgiving Recess: No Class November 26
An outline of the final paper assignment must be submitted, including the bibliography, by the
end of the Thanksgiving break (Nov. 28). (Utilize the Exegesis Worksheet to make an outline of
your paper.)
Week Twelve (December 3): Recap & (Dis)Closure
Class Discussion
Review exegesis assignment
Write & share your response to the question 9 in the Exegesis Worksheet.
Share tips on “writing an exegetical paper.”
Final Assignment:
You may write an exegetical essay on Genesis 16, 21, (or 16 & 21) or on Joshua 9.
Write a brief essay (750-1,000 words). Be sure to consider the following checklist:
Does the essay reflect careful and close reading of the text (i.e. Hebrew text and other
several translations)?
Does the essay demonstrate my engaged effort in listening and responding to the
academic discussions on the passage as they appear in the secondary scholarly sources?
Does the essay display a study of the text’s literary and historical context?
Does the essay demonstrate my consideration of the ethical issues in the biblical text?
Does the essay include my (tentative) interpretive conclusion and application (i.e. my
voice)?
Does the essay display a skillful and precise manners of writing, citation, and formatting?
Please, submit your final paper by 6pm on December 11. Please, contact the instructor, in
advance, should you need an extension for a legitimate cause.
- The End -