OldTestamentSpiritualityOT3XH3/5XH5

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Old Testament

Spirituality

OT5XH5

ThiscoursebeginsonlineonJanuary7

Classmeetsinperson:FridayFeb22:9:00am-4:30pm;SaturdayFeb239:00am-1:30pm

CoursecontinuesonlineuntilconclusiononApril10

Professor.Dr.PaulS.EvansPhone.905.525.9140x24718E-mail.pevans@mcmaster.caOffice.236CourseDescription:ThiscourseexaminestheOldTestamentasakeysourceforChristianspiritualityandresourceforhowChristiansmayliveafaithfullifeincontemporarysociety.EmphasisisfirstplaceduponhistoricaldimensionofthetextwithancientIsraelitefaithandspiritualpracticeexaminedundertherubricsofCreation,Covenant,Cult,CommunityandCommission.KnowledgeofOldTestamentspiritualitywillenableonetoputtrueChristianspiritualityinperspective.ThiscoursewilldemonstratetheindebtednessofChristianspiritualitytotheOldTestamentandunderscoreitssignificanceforcontemporaryspiritualpracticeandfaith.ThecoursewillalsoreflectuponwaysinwhichcontemporaryChristianspiritualitycanbeinformed,sustained,andnourishedbytheOldTestament.Furthermore,afoundationofOTspiritualitywillaidindiscernmentoftruthfromerrorwithproblematicmodernspiritualities

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CourseObjectives:

Knowing• ToknowtheplaceofspiritualityinOTtheology• ToknowthecontentofOTCreationaltheologyandthesignificanceofthe‘goodnessof

creation’andtheimageofGodforChristianspirituality• ToknowtheOTcovenanttextsandtheirfoundationalroleforaspiritualityof

interconnectednessandrelationshipwithanddependenceuponGod• TounderstandtheOTtheologicalemphasisoncommunityasopposedtomodern

individualismandthecalltowardthecommunityofthefaith• TounderstandthecultofancientIsraelandthesignificanceofitsworshipandsacrificial

systemasameansofrestoringGod’speopleandallowingacloserelationshipwithGod• TounderstandthecommissioningofIsraeltobeakingdomofpriests,withamissionof

mercyandministrytothelargerworld.

Being• ToembracethecontemporaryrelevanceoftheOldTestamentforChristianspirituality

today• TogrowclosertoGodthroughstudyofOldTestamentspiritualityDoing• TobeabletodiscusstherelationofOTspiritualitywithmoderndiscussionsofspirituallife

andChristianpractice• TobeabletointerpretrelevantOTtextsintheiroriginalcontexts• TobeabletoapplyOTspiritualitytocontemporaryaudiences• TobeabletoapplyOTspiritualitytoourownlives

RequiredTexts:§ DeryckSherrifs.TheFriendshipoftheLord:AnOldTestamentSpirituality.(Eugene,OR;Wipf

andStock,2007).§ Brueggemann,WalterandWalterBrueggemann.SpiritualityofthePsalms.Minneapolis,

MN:FortressPress,2002.§ Lombaard,Christo,TheOldTestamentandChristianSpirituality:TheoreticalandPractical

EssaysfromaSouthAfricanPerspective.SocietyofBiblicalLiterature,2012.Availablefreeonline.https://www.sbl-site.org/assets/pdfs/pubs/IVBS-lombaard2012.pdf

TextbookPurchase:AllrequiredtextbooksforthisclassareavailablefromtheCollege’sbookservice,READOnBookstore,Room145,McMasterDivinityCollege.Textsmaybepurchasedonthefirstdayofclass.Foradvancepurchase,youmaycontactREADOnBookstores,5InternationalBlvd,Etobicoke,ONM9W6H3:phone416-620-2934;fax416-622-2308;e-mailbooks@readon.ca.Otherbookservicesmayalsocarrythetexts.

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CourseAssignmentsandSchedule

1.25%-AnnotatedBibliography:DueFebruary1The student will develop an annotated bibliography of approximately 15-20 resources (4000 pages) related to the spirituality of the Old Testament and write a 100-150 word annotation for each one. The required texts for the course can be included as part of the book list. The l iterature review wil l be approximately 2,000 words.

2.Pre-classDiscussions(Jan–Feb21):Online

Duetothisbeingahybridcourse,muchoftheclassdiscussionwilloccuronlineontheAvenuetoLearncoursewebsite.Studentsmustactivelyparticipateintheonlinediscussionandpostminimumonediscussiontopicatthebeginningofaweek(Sun-Tues).Studentpostsmustbeinregardtothepostedlectures/assignedreadingsthatweek.Aswell,tofurthertheonlinediscussionallstudentsmustrespondtominimumtwopostseveryweek.Sinceinitialpostswillbeonlineinthefirstpartoftheweek,therewilladequatetimeforallstudentstorespondtopostsinatimelymanner.Instructionsonhowtoparticipateintheonlineclassroomwillbesenttoeachstudentviaemailbeforethecoursebegins.

Participationinonlinediscussionisanassumedfoundationforthiscourse(likeclassattendance)ifastudentfailstoparticipateeveryweektheirfinalmarkwillbereducedbyonefulllettergrade(soAbecomesB,A-becomesB-).

3.In-ClassComponent(Feb22–23):AtMcMasterDivinityCollegeTheon-campusModuleswillconsistofsomein-classlectures,Q&A,presentations,andstudentpresentations.Attendanceismandatory.

StudentLedseminardiscussion:Aspartoftheon-campusmodules,eachDPTstudentwillleadtheclassina30-minutediscussionoftheirresearchtopicbasedupontheirannotatedbibliography.Studentswillintroducethetopictotheclassandgivesomeofthecontoursofpreviousresearch,commentingonkeytextsandstudies

4.25%-CriticalLiteratureReviewAssignment.DueMarch2

A formal paper will be prepared that summarizes the key learnings from the annotated bibliography and provides a cogent foundation for a theology and practice of the topic of the course. The paper wil l be approximately 3,000 words.

4.Post-ClassComponent(Feb24–Apr10):Online

A.OnlineDiscussionInthepost-classcomponentstudentsmustcontinuetoactivelyparticipateintheonlinediscussionbutnowonlyneedtopostonediscussiontopicatthebeginningofaweek(Sun-Tues)andrespondtooneotherposteachweek.

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Participationinonlinediscussionisanassumedfoundationforthiscourse(likeclassattendance)ifastudentfailstoparticipateeveryweektheirfinalmarkwillbereducedbyonefulllettergrade(soAbecomesB,A-becomesB-).

B.40%-MajorAssignment.DueMarch23.Approximately8,000words.

Thepapershouldincludefourkeysections.Firstabrief,butclearexplanationofhowthepaperisrootedinaPracticeLed-researchapproach,secondanexplorationofthechallengesandproblemsthatprovokethisstudy(i.e.whydoesthisministrypracticeneedtobeaddressed?Whataretheproblemsthatyouwanttoidentify?)Third,aconsiderationofafoundationaltheologyofthepracticeofministryunderconsiderationinthiscourseandadeepconsiderationofhownewapproachestothispracticecanbeemployedinhelpingtoaddressandimproveministrypracticeinthisarea.Fourthsomereflectionontheapplicationoftheseideastothestudent’sownministrycontext(bothintermsofthelocalchurchandalsotheirministrybeyondthelocalchurch).

C.10%-ClassPresentation.DueMarch30.

Thestudentwillofferaclasspresentationoftheirfinalpaperanditsfindingstotheclass.Presentationsmaytakeoneofthefollowingformats:i.Videopresentation(postedtoYouTubeorVimeo)ii.PowerPointalongwithpdfhandoutwhichwillbeuploadedtoAvenuetoLearnfortherestofthestudentstoviewandread.**Classpresentationswillformthebasisfortheonlinediscussionforthefinalweekofclasses.

CollegeStyleforSubmissionofWrittenWork

Allstylisticconsiderations(includingbutnotlimitedtoquestionsofformatting,footnotes,andbibliographicreferences)mustconformtotheMcMasterDivinityCollegeStyleGuidelinesforEssaysandTheseshttps://mcmasterdivinity.ca/sites/default/files/documents/mdcstyleguide.pdfFailuretoobserveappropriateformwillresultingradereductions.Allpaperstobesubmittedinelectronicformatonly(apdffile)—nohardcopies!Emailtopevans@mcmaster.ca.Includeyourlastnameinthefilenameofyourattachment(e.g.,evans.researchpaper.pdf).Toavoidlatemarkspapersmustbereceivedbeforetheendofthecalendardayonwhichtheyaredue(i.e.,beforemidnightEasternStandardTime).

PolicyconcerninglatepapersExtensionsforpaperswillnotbegivenexceptinveryexceptionalcircumstances.(seriousillness,familycrises,etc.).Busy-ness,holidays,computerproblemsetc.arenotlegitimatereasonstograntextensions.Lateassignmentswillbedockedattherateof2%perdayforthefirst7days(includingweekends)and4%perdayafterthat.AllassignmentsmustbereceivedbyApril10inordertoavoidafailinggradeintheclass.

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AcademicHonesty.Academicdishonestyisaseriousoffencethatmaytakeanynumberofforms,includingplagiarism,thesubmissionofworkthatisnotone’sownorforwhichpreviouscredithasbeenobtained,and/orunauthorizedcollaborationwithotherstudents.Academicdishonestycanresultinsevereconsequences,e.g.,failureoftheassignment,failureofthecourse,anotationonone’sacademictranscript,and/orsuspensionorexpulsionfromtheCollege.Studentsareresponsibleforunderstandingwhatconstitutesacademicdishonesty.PleaserefertotheDivinityCollegeStatementonAcademicHonesty~http://www.mcmasterdivinity.ca/programs/rules-regulations

GenderInclusivelanguage:McMasterDivinityCollegeusesinclusivelanguageforhumanbeingsinworshipservices,studentwrittenmaterials,andallofitspublications.Inreferencetobiblicaltexts,theintegrityoftheoriginalexpressionsandthenamesofGodshouldberespected.TheNRSVandTNIVareexamplesoftheuseofinclusivelanguageforhumanbeings.ItisexpectedthatinclusivelanguagewillbeusedinchapelservicesandallMDCassignments.

Disclaimer

Thissyllabusisthepropertyoftheinstructorandispreparedwithcurrentlyavailableinformation.Theinstructorreservestherighttomakechangesandrevisionsuptoandincludingthefirstdayofclass.

Studentsareadvisedtoretainthissyllabusfortheirrecords.

SelectedBibliography

Anderson,BernhardW.,andStevenBishop.ContoursofOldTestamentTheology.Minneapolis,

MN:Fortress,1999.

Beale,G.K.ANewTestamentBiblicalTheology:TheUnfoldingoftheOldTestamentintheNew.GrandRapids,MI:BakerAcademic,2011.

Brueggemann,Walter.ThePsalmsandtheLifeofFaith.Minneapolis:AugsburgFortress,1995.

______.TheologyoftheOldTestament:Testimony,Dispute,Advocacy.Minneapolis,MN:Fortress,1997.

Brueggemann,Walter,andWalterBrueggemann.SpiritualityofthePsalms.Minneapolis,MN:Fortress,2002.

Ceresko,AnthonyR.IntroductiontoOldTestamentWisdom:ASpiritualityofLiberation.Maryknoll,NY:OrbisBooks,1999.

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Craghan,JohnF.LoveandThunder:ASpiritualityoftheOldTestament.Collegeville,MN:Liturgical,1983.

Eichrodt,Walther.TheologyoftheOldTestament.TranslatedbyJ.A.Baker.OldTestamentLibrary.Philadelphia,PA:Westminster,1967.

Gallares,JudetteA.ImagesofFaith:SpiritualityofWomenintheOldTestament.Maryknoll,NY:Orbis,1994.

Goldingay,John.OldTestamentTheology:Israel'sFaith.DownersGrove,ILL.:InterVarsity,2006.

______.OldTestamentTheology:Israel'sGospel.DownersGrove,ILL.:InterVarsity,2003.

______.OldTestamentTheology:Israel'sLife.OldTestamentTheology.DownersGrove,ILL.:InterVarsity,2009.

Graef,HildaC.TheLightandtheRainbow:AStudyinChristianSpiritualityfromItsRootsintheOldTestamentandItsDevelopmentthroughtheNewTestamentandtheFatherstoRecentTimes.London:Longmans,1959.

Holder,ArthurG.TheBlackwellCompaniontoChristianSpirituality.BlackwellCompanionstoReligion.Malden,MA:Blackwell,2005.

House,PaulR.OldTestamentTheology.DownersGrove,ILL.:InterVarsity,1998.

McCarthy,Carmel,andWilliamRiley.TheOldTestamentShortStory:ExplorationsintoNarrativeSpirituality.MessageofBiblicalSpirituality.Wilmington,DE.:M.Glazier,1986.

PaulMariedela,Croix.SpiritualityoftheOldTestament.3vols.CrossandCrownSeriesofSpirituality;.St.Louis,MO:Herder,1961.

Ralph,MargaretNutting.TheSpiritualityofthePsalms:PrayersforAllTimes.AdultFaithFormationLibrary.NewLondon,CT:Twenty-Third,2015.

Stuhlmueller,Carroll,CarolJ.Dempsey,andTimothyA.Lenchak.TheSpiritualityofthePsalms.Collegeville,MN.:Liturgical,2002.