Religion 235: Introduction to the Literature, History and Religion of Ancient Israel

Bates College Robert W. Allison Office Hours:
Fall, 2000 73 Campus Ave. No. 7 T 1:00 -2:30 p.m.
W 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Th 11:00 -12:30 a.m.
or by appointment

Calendar OF READINGS & SUBJECTS

Introduction

Sept. 6 (W)
Oral Tradition & Sacred History
Humphreys, pp. 1-15
OAB, pp. xv-xxxvi, 407-424 (skipping portions related to the New Testament)

To be read now for general historical and geographical overview. Take time to orient yourself with the OSB maps following this reading. To be reviewed during the course at your discretion for mastering the dates and events of he five historical epochs

The Patriarchal Era (ca. 1700-1250 BCE)

Sept. 8-22
(F-F)
Stories of the Ancestors of the Ancient Israelite Tribes.
Social & Story-Telling Conventions
Religion in the Patriarchal Era
Genesis, chapters 12-50 (44 pages )
OAB p. 1 (Introduction to Genesis
Humphreys. pp. 73-78 (Documentary Hypothesis, Pentateuch)
Sept. 25 - 29
(M-F)
The Story of Moses and the Exodus Beginning of the Israelite Nation
Exodus, chapters 1-24, 32-34
Numbers, chapters 11-16, 20-25
Deuteronomy, chs. 25-33 (Moses' death)
(total of about 70 pages )

The Era of the Settlement in Palestine (ca. 1250-1000 BCE)

Oct. 2-6
(M-F)
Stories of Conflict between the Hebrews and their Neighbors (the Canaanites; the Philistines)
Tribal life and religion in Canaan
Pastoral nomadism vs. urban monarchy
Humphreys, pp. 25-42
Deuteronomy, chapter 26 (review)
Joshua, chapters 1-24
Judges, chapters 1-16
(total of about 67 pages )
Oct. 9-11 (M-W)
The Story of David
The capture of Jerusalem and the formation of an Israelite urban monarchy
Humphreys, pp. 47-56
Judges, chapters 1-21
1st Samuel, chapters 1-31
2nd Samuel, chapters 1-24
1st Kings, chapters 1-11
(total of about 110 pages )

Read this history as a story, using the OAB essay (pp. 407-424 at the end of the OAB) together with the footnotes for mastering the major events of this epoch

The Era of the Monarchy (ca. 1000-587)

Oct. 13 (F)
The Zion Tradition
Humphreys, pp. 60-71
Genesis, chapters 14
2nd Samuel, chapters 5:6-10, 7:1-17, 22:1 - 23:7
Psalms, 2, 18, 20, 21, 45-48, 76, 84, 87, 101, 110, 132, 144
(total of about 30 pages )
Oct. 16 (M)
The Yahwist
Humphreys, pp. 73-89 (ch. 3)
Genesis, chapters 2-11
(total of about 24 pages, plus -- )

Look for examples of how Yahwistic ideas are expressed in the following (review) passages:
Genesis, chs. 12-16, 18-22, 24-34, 38, 49
Exodus, chapters 1-24, 32, 34
Numbers, chapters 11-12, 14, 20-25
Judges, chapter 1

October 18-22 FALL RECESS

Oct 23-27
(M-F)
Religious Ideology in the Northern Monarchy: the Moses-Sinai story as told in the North
Humphreys, pp. 111-130 (ch. 5)
Amos, complete
Hosea, complete
(total of about 41 pages, plus -- )

Review other Biblical readings regarding the northern monarchy listed by Humphreys, p. 111
Oct. 30 - Nov. 3
(M-F)
Prophetic Response to the Assyrian Crisis: Isaiah and Micah
Humphreys, pp. 132-149 (ch. 6)
Isaiah, chapters 1-23, 28-29
Micah, complete
(total of about 50 pages, plus -- )
preview 2nd Kings, chapters 18-20
Nov. 6-8
(M-W)
Prophetic response to the Babylonian Crisis and the Fall of Jerusalem: Jeremiah and his contemporaries
Humphreys, pp. 151-167
Jeremiah, complete

optional/reference as you read Humphreys:
Nahum, chs. 1-3 Zephaniah, chs. 1-3
Habakkuk, chs. 1-3

 Obadiah, complete
Nov 10 (F)
The "Deuteronomic reform" (or should we say "Purge?")
Humphreys, pp. 168-175 (epilogue)
Nov. 13 (M) In-class preparation for re-enactment of Jeremiah's Trial for Treason
Nov. 15-17 (W-F) Dramatic In-class re-enactment of Jeremiah's Trial for Treason

Nov. 18-26 THANKSGIVING RECESS

The Babylonian Exile (587-538) and the Restoration (538-334)

Nov. 27 - 29
(M - W)
A New Wisdom: disillusion with traditional responses to evil & suffering
Humphreys, 221-239 (ch. 9, 18 pp.)
Ecclesiastes (10 pp.)
Proverbs, chs. 1-9 (10 pp.)

Optional/reference for Humphreys: Job (42 pp.)

Dec. 1 - 4
(F - M)
Jewish Heroes and Heroines in the Diaspora: preserving cultural identity in foreign lands
Humphreys, pp. 255-265 (ch. 11)
Ruth Jonah
Esther Daniel, chapters 1-6

Dec. 6-8
(W-F) 		READING PERIOD 

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235_calendar.html