The Hebrew Bible and Old Testament are literary collections that modern Jewish and Christian traditions maintain as important, but these collections were initially produced by ancient Israelite scribes who composed and/or compiled the biblical texts at particular time periods in the ancient Near East. This course will introduce the academic study of biblical texts, which demands critical analysis of the literature and an openness to reading the literature from the perspective of ancient Israelite writers (who lived in a world far different from today). The course will spend considerable time on the literary (and scribal) composition of biblical prose texts; time will also be spent on the historical circumstances of biblical prophets and other writers of the biblical texts. This course will only address the ancient setting of the biblical texts and not re-interpretations in Jewish or Christian traditions. Given the scope of the course, modern interpretations of the biblical literature will not be discussed; we will only focus on this literature in its ancient setting. prereq: Knowledge of Hebrew not required

Does time, place, and culture affect our picture of Jesus? We'll start by constructing our own Jesus story and then go backwards in time to examine modern times (film, music, and modern art), pre-Civil War America (views of Jesus from enslaved people and their enslavers), Renaissance and Medieval Europe and North Africa (art and architecture), and finally end with the ancient world (art and writings about Jesus, including the biblical gospels). No background in religious studies required, and students of any, all, or no religious background are welcome.

Does time, place, and culture affect our picture of Jesus? We'll start by constructing our own Jesus story and then go backwards in time to examine modern times (film, music, and modern art), pre-Civil War America (views of Jesus from enslaved people and their enslavers), Renaissance and Medieval Europe and North Africa (art and architecture), and finally end with the ancient world (art and writings about Jesus, including the biblical gospels). No background in religious studies required, and students of any, all, or no religious background are welcome.

This course traces the development of Judaism and Jewish civilizations from their beginnings to the present. With over three millennia as its subject, the course must of necessity be a general survey. Together we will explore the mythic structures, significant documents, historical experiences, narratives, practices, beliefs, and worldviews of the Jewish people. The course begins by examining the roots of Judaism in the Hebrew Bible and the history of ancient Israel but quickly focuses on the creative forces that developed within Judaism as a national narrative confronted the forces of history, especially in the forms of the Persian, Greek, and Roman empires. Rabbinic Judaism becomes the most dominant creative force and will receive our greatest attention, both in its formative years and as it encounters the rise of Christianity and Islam. After studying the Jewish experience in the medieval world, we will turn to Judaism?s encounter with the enlightenment and modernity. The historical survey concludes by attending to the transformations within Judaism and Jewish life of the last 150 years, including a confrontation with the experience of the Holocaust. Woven throughout this historical survey will be repeated engagements with core questions: ?Who is a Jew?? ?What do Jews believe?? ?What do Jews do?? ?What do we mean by ?religion??? ?How do Jews read texts within their tradition?? And perhaps most importantly, ?How many answers are there to a Jewish question?? Students in this course can expect to come away with some knowledge of the Bible in Judaism, rabbinic literature and law, Jewish mysticism and philosophy, Jewish nationalism and Zionism, Jewish culture, ritual, and worship in the synagogue, the home, and the community, and Jewish celebrations of life cycle events and the festivals.

This course traces the development of Judaism and Jewish civilizations from their beginnings to the present. With over three millennia as its subject, the course must of necessity be a general survey. Together we will explore the mythic structures, significant documents, historical experiences, narratives, practices, beliefs, and worldviews of the Jewish people. The course begins by examining the roots of Judaism in the Hebrew Bible and the history of ancient Israel but quickly focuses on the creative forces that developed within Judaism as a national narrative confronted the forces of history, especially in the forms of the Persian, Greek, and Roman empires. Rabbinic Judaism becomes the most dominant creative force and will receive our greatest attention, both in its formative years and as it encounters the rise of Christianity and Islam. After studying the Jewish experience in the medieval world, we will turn to Judaism?s encounter with the enlightenment and modernity. The historical survey concludes by attending to the transformations within Judaism and Jewish life of the last 150 years, including a confrontation with the experience of the Holocaust. Woven throughout this historical survey will be repeated engagements with core questions: ?Who is a Jew?? ?What do Jews believe?? ?What do Jews do?? ?What do we mean by ?religion??? ?How do Jews read texts within their tradition?? And perhaps most importantly, ?How many answers are there to a Jewish question?? Students in this course can expect to come away with some knowledge of the Bible in Judaism, rabbinic literature and law, Jewish mysticism and philosophy, Jewish nationalism and Zionism, Jewish culture, ritual, and worship in the synagogue, the home, and the community, and Jewish celebrations of life cycle events and the festivals.

Continuation of 1001. Leads to speaking, listening comprehension, reading, and writing Hebrew. Emphasizes communication proficiency. Cultural materials. prereq: Grade of at least [C- or S] in [1001 or 4001] or instr consent

Progression to more sophisticated reading of narrative, prophetic, and legal texts. Presentation/discussion of multiple approaches to problems/issues in biblical scholarship. prereq: Grade of at least [C- or S] in [1101 or 4104] or instr consent

Continuation of 4001. Leads to speaking, listening comprehension, reading, and writing Hebrew. Emphasizes communication proficiency. Cultural materials. Meets with 1002. prereq: Grade of at least [C- or S] in [1001 or 4001] or instr consent

Progression to more sophisticated reading of narrative, prophetic, and legal texts. Presentation and discussion of multiple approaches to problems and issues in biblical scholarship. Meets with 1102. prereq: Grade of at least [C- or S] in [1101 or 4104] or instr consent

Preparation to read various kinds of authentic Hebrew texts and to develop higher levels of comprehension/speaking. Conducted entirely in Hebrew. Emphasizes Modern Israeli Hebrew. Introduction to earlier genres. Grammar, widening vocabulary. Contemporary short fiction, essays, articles on cultural topics, films, Hebrew Internet sites, TV. prereq: 3012 or instr consent

Guided individual reading or study. prereq: instr consent

Various authentic Hebrew texts. Comprehension/speaking. Conducted entirely in Hebrew. Emphasizes Modern Israeli Hebrew. Grammar, widening vocabulary. Contemporary short fiction, essays, articles on cultural topics, films, Hebrew Internet sites, TV.

In-depth reading, analysis, and discussion of classical Hebrew texts. Grammar, syntax. Introduction to text-criticism, history of scholarship, and scholarly tools. Format varies between survey of themes (e.g., law, wisdom, poetry) and extended concentration upon specific classical texts.

Readings in late-/post-biblical Hebrew literature of Persian, Hellenistic, and early Roman periods (e.g., Chronicles, Ezra-Nehemiah, Ecclesiastes, Daniel, Dead Sea Scrolls, apocrypha, pseudepigrapha). Focuses on historical development of Hebrew language and literature in relation to earlier biblical sources. prereq: Grad student or instr consent

Guided individual reading or study. Prereq instr consent, dept consent, college consent.

Prepares students for CLA language requirement. Speaking, reading, writing, and comprehension of modern Hebrew. Students read/discuss prose, poetry, news, and film. Important features of biblical/classical Hebrew. Taught primarily in Hebrew. prereq: Grade of at least [C- or S] in [1002 or 4002] or instr consent

Extensive reading of simplified modern Hebrew prose selections. Students discuss poetry, newspaper, film, and TV in Hebrew. Israeli cultural experiences. Hone composition, listening comprehension, and speaking skills to prepare for proficiency exams. Biblical prose, simple poetic texts. Taught in Hebrew. Meets with 4012. prereq: Grade of at least [C- or S] in in 3011 or instr consent

Text of Hebrew Bible. Basic research tools/commentaries. Close reading of narrative biblical texts. Reading fluency, methods of research in biblical studies. prereq: Grade of at least [C- or S] in [1102 or 4105] or instr consent

Text of Hebrew Bible, basic research tools and commentaries. Close reading of narrative biblical texts. Reading fluency, methods of research in biblical studies. Meets with 4107. prereq: Grade of at least [C- or S] in 3101 or instr consent

Research project using primary and secondary sources. Students select project in consultation with a faculty member, who directs the research/writing. prereq: [Hebr major, three 3xxx Hebrew courses], instr consent, dept consent