This course introduces the student to the Old Testament Scriptures of the Orthodox Church. We begin with the development of the Old Testament canon. We discuss the difference between the canon of the Old Testament used by Orthodox Christians and those used by Jews, Protestants, and Roman Catholics. Students are introduced to the variety of literature found within the Old Testament. Primary focus is placed on understanding the overarching narrative of Scripture from Creation through the second-Temple period and how the Scriptures point forward to Christ and the New Covenant. We also cover some of the ways the Bible is used liturgically in the Orthodox Catholic Church and look at some of the problems (textual, historical, and theological) that arise in our interpretation of Scripture. As we consider these problems, we will survey various attempts by scholars to deal with them, as well as, when applicable, the Church’s understanding of these problems.
Required Texts:
Gray, Tim and Jeff Cavins. Walking With God: A Journey Through the Bible. Westchester: Ascension, 2009.
Students will need access to an English Bible. There are numerous translations available online if the student does not possess one.
Additional readings will be provided to the student as PDFs on the course site on Learndash.
Students are required to have an electronic journal that contains all of their notes for every content assignment in the course. There is a required minimum of one paragraph of notes per hour spent on a content assignment. The journal will be submitted in the Lesson Five Quiz when the course is completed.
Each week, students will perform a casual interview that relates to the content they are studying. A student can interview the same person as often as they want, and ideally, your interviewee is a person that is familiar with the current content you are studying. Students will submit a summary of their interviews at the end of the course.
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