Introduction to the History and Literatures of the Bible (THE1109)

15 credits

Do you want to know why Adam was created from clay, but Eve was created from Adam? Or why the Ten Commandments had to be rewritten? Do you want to know why the Bible has only four gospels? Or what the book of Revelation is really about? This Level One core Theology and Religion module will introduce you to the Bible’s historical contexts and literary genres (narrative, poetry, gospel, apocalyptic, etc) by focusing on some of its prominent themes, including ideas about creation and destruction, identity and otherness, and the relationship between the human and the divine. The first half of the module will concentrate on the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, while the second half will be devoted to the New Testament. Designed for students who have little or no knowledge of the Bible, or of the early histories of Judaism and Christianity, the module is suitable for anyone with an interest in the topic, particularly those working  in disciplines such as History, Classics/Ancient History, Liberal Arts, as well as in Theology and Religion. This module will also be of value to those who know the Bible in a devotional or liturgical context, but lack an understanding of its various historical, cultural, and literary contexts. This module is also designed to introduce  two  types of assessments that you will encounter at university – essay writing and text analysis  – and the various strategies that can be adopted when facing them.