Meeting Times, Location, & Course Delivery Details
Contact Information
Upon successful completion of this course…
1. The student will be able to demonstrate a basic knowledge of the content of the Old Testament.
2. The student will be able to apply writing skills concerning the Bible in the contemporary world.
3. The student will be able to recognize, evaluate, and apply different critical approaches in your
interpretation of the Bible.
4. The student will be able to apply biblical research tools to assist in study of the Bible.
The New Oxford Annotated Bible. 4th Edition., New Revised Standard Version. Oxford: Oxford UP.
Harris, Stephen L. Exploring the Bible. 2nd Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2014.
Welcome to Mysteries and Miracles of the Old Testament! As described in the course catalogue, this course surveys some of the most famous and inspiring characters and stories in the Christian Old Testament (known in the Jewish faith as the Torah or Tanak). As a Global “G” course, Mysteries and Miracles of the Old Testament aims to deepen and enrich your understanding of world religious traditions and cultures by addressing how these traditions deal with issues of global importance like peace and social justice, women’s and human rights, and environmental ethics. Our study will also be guided by questions concerning the many moral dilemmas, mysteries and miracles the Old Testament presents: Where did the universe come from, and why do people die? Did God have a wife? What does the Old Testament say about charging interest, slavery, war, sexuality, and homosexuality? Where did Satan come from? Did other figures in biblical history besides Jesus heal and raise people from the dead? Guiding our study of the Bible will be the Core Values of Wilmington College, based in the teachings and example of Jesus, which help us to lead lives centered in purpose and meaning.
Course Goals
This course will:
- Introduce the major themes, events, people, and issues in the Old Testament
- Survey and explain current scholarly perspectives on the study of the Old Testament
- Examine the place and use of the Bible in faith communities
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you should be able to:
- Demonstrate a basic knowledge of the content of the Old Testament
- Think and write clearly about the Bible in the contemporary world
- Recognize, evaluate, and apply different critical approaches in your interpretation of the Bible
- Use biblical research tools to assist your study of the Bible
Global Education Goals
With reference to Wilmington College’s mission, vision, core values, and queries, students will
- develop knowledge of
- the perspectives of cultures other than their own
- global issues, especially as they relate to peace, social justice, and/or ecology;
- reflect upon the interconnectedness of the world and their own roles as engaged members of a global community.
Schedule of Topics and Readings (Subject to change)
Week 1
M 8/24 Introduction and Orientation HW: Harris 3-12
W 8/26 Bible: Description & Definitions HW: Harris 12-17 & 31-35
F 8/28 Yahweh and Covenant/Cultural Context HW: Harris 41-44
*Short Response Essay #1: Answer EITHER Review Question 5 OR 6, Harris page 17. 150 words minimum, double-spaced, due as Word doc on Blackboard Monday Aug. 31 by 9:00 AM.
Week 2
M 8/31 The Bible’s Buried Secrets HW: Harris 56-63 (skim), 65-68/Genesis Ch.’s 1-3 and Psalm 104
W 9/2 Stories of Creation HW: Harris 35-39/Genesis Ch.’s 6:1-9:17/Harris 429-434
F 9/4 Noah and Utnapishtim HW: Harris 69-73/Genesis 16:1-19:11/Genesis 22:1-19/Genesis 38
*Short Response Essay #2: Answer ONE of the following two questions below: 150 words minimum, double-spaced, due as Word doc on Blackboard Monday, Sept. 7, by 9:00 AM.
Quoting from the three creation stories we have read thus far (7 day, Eden, and Psalm 104), explain with examples the ethic of dominion and the ethic of stewardship. Why are both important in terms of our relationship to the natural world?
In the Noah story, why does God flood the earth, and how does this make him feel? How does God's character and view of violence change through the course of the Noah story? How does the covenant with Noah limit both human and divine violence?
Week 3
M 9/7 Labor Day Holiday
W 9/9 Ancestral Stories HW: Harris 39-41; 73-80/Genesis Ch. 37 & Ch.’s 39-45/Exodus
Ch.’s 1:1-6:9, Ch.’s 12-14, and Ch.’s 20-22
F 9/11 Moses & the Law HW: Harris 80-85; 86-88; Ch.’s 8-9/Ex. Ch.’s 25 & 32/Dt. Ch’s 22 & 28
*Short Response Essay #3: Read Exodus Ch. 21: 2-11 and 22: 21-27. What does the first passage about the treatment of slaves suggest about the status of women and the poor in ancient Israelite society? How might wealthy plantation owners in the American South before the Civil War have used this passage to justify owning slaves, and what story could/did enslaved people embrace which illustrates that God was a god of liberation? In what ways do the laws in the second passage uphold Wilmington College’s Core Values of Diversity and Respect for All Persons, and Peace and Social Justice? 150 words minimum, double-spaced, due as Word doc on Blackboard Monday, Sept. 14, 9:00 AM.
Week 4
M 9/14 Taboos, Curses & Jubilee HW: Harris Ch.’s 10-11; 230-233/Joshua Ch.’s 1-2 & 5:13-6:27/
Judges Ch. 11:29-40 and Ch.’s 19-21/Book of Ruth
W 9/16 Into Canaan: God the Warrior HW: Harris 123-127; I Sam. 4:1-5:5/7:15-10:8/16:1-18:15/Ch. 31
II Sam. 1:1-2:4
F 9/18 Saul, David, and Kingship HW: Harris 127-137/II Sam. Ch. 7, Ch.’s 11-13 & Ch. 18:1-15
I Kings Ch.’s 3 & 6/Ch.’s 17-19
*Short Response Essay #4: Contrast the different views of kingship presented in I Samuel 7:3-8:22 and I Samuel 9:1-10:1. What negative aspects of kings are identified in the first passage, and what positive one in the second passage? Is God happy with Israel’s desire for a king? 150 words minimum, double-spaced, due as Word doc on Blackboard Monday, Sept. 21, by 9:00 AM.
Week 5
M 9/21 King Solomon/Elijah HW: Harris Ch.’s 14-15 & 162-167/Amos 2:4-8 & 5:18-24/Hosea 1:1-2:20,
4:1-14, 6:1-6 & 11:1-9/Isaiah 1:1-2:4, 6:1-8, 7:1-17, and 9:1-7
W 9/23 Amos/Hosea/First Isaiah HW: Harris 172-176 & 180-185/Jeremiah Ch.’s 7, 27, 28, 31, 38, & 39
Ezekiel Ch. 1/Ch. 5:1-4/Ch. 18/Ch.’s 36 & 37/Ch. 43:1-7/Ch. 47:7-12
F 9/25 Jeremiah/Ezekiel/Bab. Exile HW: Harris 185-187 & 193-195/Book of Jonah/
Isaiah 44:24-45:8/52:13-53:12/Ch.’s 54 & 55
*Short Response Essay #5: Answer ONE of the following two questions. 150 words minimum, double-spaced, due as Word doc on Blackboard Monday, Sept. 28, 9:00 AM.
Explain the symbolic significance of Hosea’s marriage to Gomer, including in your answer an explanation of who Baal is, and of the rahamim and hesed God promises to Israel.
Explain the prophetic theme of social justice, including two quotes from Amos, Hosea, and/or Isaiah to support your explanation.
Week 6
M 9/28 Ruth-Jonah Paper Workshop/Second Isaiah and Jonah
HW: Harris Ch. 20, 214-216 & 219-224 /Job Ch. 1/9:15-24/10:1-8/20:4-11/21:1-26/Ch. 25/ Ch. 31/
Ch.’s 38-42
W 9/30 Job and Theodicy HW: Harris 217-219; 233-234/Proverbs Ch. 8/Ch. 10:27-30/
Ch. 22:17-23:11/Ch. 23:29-35/Song of Solomon 4:9-6:3/
Ruth and Jonah Reflection Paper
F 10/2 Ruth-Jonah Reflection Paper Due/Proverbs and Song of Solomon HW: Harris 209-213
*Short Response Essay #6: Explain who Sophia/Hokmah is as described in Proverbs 8. What is her relationship to God, and what role does she play in the creation of the universe? 150 words minimum, double-spaced, due as Word doc on Blackboard Monday, Oct. 5, 9:00 AM.
Week 7
M 10/5 Psalms HW: Harris Ch. 26/Daniel Ch.’s 1-6
[T10/6 Attend Westheimer Symposium]
W 10/7 Westheimer Discussion/Daniel and Hellenistic Tyrants HW: Daniel Ch.’s 7-12
F 10/9 Daniel as Apocalyptic Visionary
HW: Final Exam Westheimer Essay: Discuss at least two examples of social justice and/or nonviolence you learned about at the Westheimer Peace Symposium, and relate these examples to at least two quotations from two different Old Testament prophets we have read. 150 words minimum, double-spaced, due as Word doc on Blackboard Monday, October 12 by 8:00 AM.
Week 8
M 10/12 FINAL EXAM (Westheimer Essay Due)/Last Day of Class
Course Requirements
The major requirements for this course are six short response essays (minimum 150 words each), a 750 words (minimum) reflection paper, and attendance/participation in the final exam. The final exam for this course will be held Monday, October 12, the last day of class, and will consist of sharing of insights from the Short Response Essays and Ruth and Jonah reflection paper.
Workload Expectations and Success in the Course
To succeed in this course, you must read the assigned readings in the Bible and in the Harris textbook listed on this syllabus in advance of every class. In planning your reading and study time for the course, factor in a minimum of two hours out-of-class for every in-class hour.
Six Short Response Essays (150 words each, minimum, typed, double-spaced)
At the beginning of weeks 2-7 of this course, you will submit a short essay, written in response to a question provided for discussion in class the previous Friday. These short essays will allow you to review and take stock of important points and information covered in class that week, and are due Monday morning by 9:00 AM.
To receive an A on these essays, you must at a minimum 1) answer all parts of the question; 2) quote directly from the Bible and/or Harris to support your points; 3) meet the length requirement; 4) list the Harris textbook and Bible in a bibliographic entry; 5) submit your essay on time; and 6) steer clear of AI like ChatGPT in writing your papers.
Ruth & Jonah Reflection Paper (750 words minimum, double-spaced, due Friday, October 2)
The Ruth and Jonah Reflection Paper asks you to compare and contrast the stories of Ruth and Jonah in the Bible in terms of their main characters, and what they teach about the nature and character of God. First, how are Ruth and Jonah different in terms of their cultural identities? Who is the foreign immigrant, and who is the Israelite? How would you describe the character of each of these two figures? Finally, what does each of these stories illustrate or imply about the nature and character of God, especially in terms of his relationship to (or attitudes toward) people of other religions and cultures?
Evaluation of Ruth/Jonah Reflection Paper
The Reflection Paper will be evaluated based on 1) how well you develop and organize your ideas; 2) how effectively you use and integrate evidence (quotations from the Bible and Harris) to support your conclusions; 3) organization, coherence, and consistency of your argument; 4) accuracy of information; 5) creativity and originality of ideas and approach; and 6) proper acknowledgement and citation of all terms, ideas, concepts, and words not your own.
As with the short response essays, you must also answer all parts of the question. This assignment does not require you to use any sources outside of Harris and the Bible itself, but if you do use any other sources, whether websites or print resources (books, articles, etc.), you must cite these sources (in addition to the Bible and Harris) in your text and list them in a bibliography at the end of your paper. Copying and pasting text from a website and integrating it into your paper without proper citation and use of quotation marks is plagiarism, a serious violation of the academic conduct code which could result in a zero for the paper and a failing grade for the course. Essays and papers written using generative AI will receive a zero—I want to read what you think and feel, not your computer!
Grading Scale
A=90-100 B=80-90 C=70-80 D=60-70 F=59 or less
Schedule of Requirements Course Grade Breakdown
- Mondays 2-7: Short Response Essays 6 Short Essays: 60%
- Friday, Oct. 2: Reflection Paper Due Refl. Paper: 20%
- Monday, Oct. 12: Final Exam Final Exam: 10%
- Participation: 10%_________________________________
Total: 100%
Instructor Course Policies
Students who do well on reading quizzes/exercises, participate actively in class discussions and test design, and attend every class will generally receive a full ten points for participation. To succeed in this course, you must attend all classes, but I will not reduce your grade unless you accumulate more than one week of unexcused absences. Please see the current Student Handbook for the College’s attendance policy, especially as it pertains to excused absences.
Please let me know (in person, or by phone/email) as soon as possible if you must miss a class. If you have scheduling conflicts due to athletic competition or other collegiate activities, please let me know right away.
No make-up exams will be allowed except in the rarest of circumstances. For make-up exams to be approved, they must be arranged in advance, and must be taken within one week of the originally scheduled date. Make-up exams will be significantly more demanding and comprehensive than regularly scheduled ones. In the interest of fairness, late papers will be docked a fraction of a grade for each class period they are late.
Students engaging in academic misconduct (cheating on a test, turning in another person’s work as your own, using generative AI) will receive a zero for the assignment and possibly fail the course. Please see the current Student Handbook for the College’s Academic Integrity policies as they pertain to examinations, plagiarism, classroom behavior, and the process for handling academic misconduct charges.
Institutional and Program-Level Policies
All exams will follow the Final Exam Schedule. Students scheduled to take three or more final examinations on one day may request to arrange their examination schedule, so no more than two exams occur on one day.
Requests for early or late exams are considered only under extreme circumstances. Prior to the exam period, the student must file a written request on the Early/Late Exam Form available in the Student One Stop Center, Academic Records, and on the WC portal. The form must be signed by the Instructor and the Academic Dean, approving the alternate exam time. This process must be completed prior to the scheduled exam period.
Undergraduate: FA26 Final Exam Schedule
Out-of-class Work Expectation A minimum of 2 hours of out-of-class student work is expected for each hour of in-class time for traditional face-to-face courses. For online and hybrid courses, the combination of face-to-face time and out-of-class work should be equal to 3 hours per credit hour per week. |
Instructional Course Delivery Definition of Courses |
Academic Integrity Policy The use of generative AI is prohibited except where expressly allowed in assignment instructions. Academic Integrity Policy |
Class Attendance Policy Institutional Class Attendance Policy |