Biblical Studies
Biblical Studies
BBCL1001 Reading Bible: Narrative, Law and Ritual
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Assoc Prof Ian Young Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x2-hr lecture/week, 1x1-hr tutorial/week Assessment: tutorial participation (10%), 1xtutorial presentation (equivalent to 500wds) (10%), 1xessay (2000wds) (40%), 1x2-hr exam (40%)
This unit provides an introduction to the study of the Bible, focusing on understanding the literary techniques biblical authors used to convey their message when writing narrative, legal and ritual texts. The first five books of the Bible are the focus of textual study in this semester.
BBCL1002 Biblical Themes: Joshua to Kings
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Assoc Prof Ian Young Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x2-hr lecture/week, 1x1-hr tutorial/week Assessment: tutorial participation (10%), 1xtutorial presentation (equivalent to 500wds) (10%), 1xessay (2000wds) (40%), 1x2hr exam (40%)
This unit focuses specifically on narrative books of the Hebrew Bible including Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings. The unit focuses on the themes of these biblical books, as well as exploring the historical background of the texts and the events they describe. Attention will be directed to other relevant writings of the period in the Ancient Near East.
BBCL2603 Messianism in Biblical Prophetic Texts
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Ari Lobel Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x2hr lecture/week, 1x1hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: (BBCL1001 or BBCL1002) or (HBRW1112 or HBRW2632) or (RLST1002 and RLST1005) Prohibitions: BBCL2003 Assessment: 1x1500wd tutorial report (30%), 1x3000wd essay (60%), tutorial participation (10%)
This unit presents an overview of prophetic works of the Hebrew Bible, examining literary, socio-political, and religio-historical aspects of the texts, with special emphasis on the theme of Messianism in the biblical prophets.
BBCL2609 Historical Jesus to Written Gospels
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Assoc Prof Ian Young, Dr John Dickson Session: Semester 1 Classes: 1x2-hr lecture, 1x1-hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: (BBCL1001 or BBCL1002) or (RLST1002 and RLST1005) Assessment: 2000wd research essay (40%), 1xtutorial presentation and 1000wd paper (25%), 1x1.5hr exam (equivalent to 1500wds) (35%)
This unit examines the relationship between the historical person of Jesus of Nazareth and the literary-theological achievement of the early Christian Gospels (including non-canonical Gospels). Students are encouraged to apply rigorous historical method and careful literary analysis in order to gain a nuanced understanding of how the leader of a Jewish renewal movement became the object of devotion in earliest Christianity. The unit will read Biblical texts in English translation.
BBCL2610 The New Testament as Literature
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Assoc Prof Ian Young, Dr Greg Clarke Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x2-hr lecture/week, 1x1-hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: BBCL1001 or BBCL1002 or RLST2624 or MGRK2675 or MGRK2676 Assessment: 1x2000wd research essay (40%), 1xtutorial presentation and 1000wd paper (25%), 1x1.5hr exam (equivalent to 1500wds) (35%)
This unit of study provides an overview of the New Testament as a literary and theological work, seeking to understand both the early Christian 'story' and the various modes in which it was retold and applied in the first century CE. Students explore the various genres of NT literature, including 'gospel', epistolary forms, parable and apocalyptic. Particular attention is paid to reader-response criticism of the Gospels and intertextuality in the NT epistles. Documents will be read in English translation.
BBCL3601 Daniel and Revelation as Apocalypses
Credit points: 6 Teacher/Coordinator: Assoc Prof Ian Young Session: Semester 2 Classes: 1x2-hr lecture/week, 1x1-hr tutorial/week Prerequisites: (BBCL2603 or BBCL2607) or (HBRW2623, HBRW2624, HBRW2625, HBRW2626 or HBRW2632) Prohibitions: BBCL2606 Assessment: 1xexegesis assignment (1500wds) (30%), 1x3000wd research essay (60%), tutorial participation (10%)
The books of Daniel in the Hebrew Bible and Revelation in the New Testament are the only "apocalypses" found in any western Bible. In this unit students will apply advanced methods in analysis of biblical texts (literary, thematic, linguistic, and text critical) in order to analyse these texts in the context of the most relevant extra-biblical apocalyptic texts, such as 1 Enoch, 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch.
BBCL4011 Biblical Studies Honours A
Credit points: 12 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Ari Lobel Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Classes: two seminars in semester 1 and one seminar in semester 2, each two hours per week Prerequisites: Credit average or better in 48 senior credit points from Hebrew, Biblical and Jewish Studies including completion of the major. These credit points must include 24 senior credit points from Biblical Studies and at least 12 senior credit points in Classical Hebrew. Assessment: A thesis of 15000 words and 5000 words of written work or its equivalent for each seminar
Note: Department permission required for enrolment
The Honours program in Biblical Studies consists of:
1. a thesis written under the supervision of one or more members of academic staff
2. two seminars in semester 1 and one seminar in semester 2, each two hours per week.
The thesis should be of 15000 words in length. Each seminar will require 5000 words of written work or its equivalent.
The thesis is worth 40% of the final Honours mark and each of the seminars is worth 20%.
The following seminars are on offer in 2014:
Biblical Themes (Dr Ari Lobel)
Biblical Texts in Hebrew (Assoc Prof Ian Young / Dr Ari Lobel)
The Book of Daniel (Assoc Prof Ian Young)
For more information, contact Dr Ari Lobel, Honours coordinator.
1. a thesis written under the supervision of one or more members of academic staff
2. two seminars in semester 1 and one seminar in semester 2, each two hours per week.
The thesis should be of 15000 words in length. Each seminar will require 5000 words of written work or its equivalent.
The thesis is worth 40% of the final Honours mark and each of the seminars is worth 20%.
The following seminars are on offer in 2014:
Biblical Themes (Dr Ari Lobel)
Biblical Texts in Hebrew (Assoc Prof Ian Young / Dr Ari Lobel)
The Book of Daniel (Assoc Prof Ian Young)
For more information, contact Dr Ari Lobel, Honours coordinator.
BBCL4012 Biblical Studies Honours B
Credit points: 12 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Ari Lobel Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Corequisites: BBCL4011
Refer to BBCL4011
BBCL4013 Biblical Studies Honours C
Credit points: 12 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Ari Lobel Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Corequisites: BBCL4012
Refer to BBCL4011
BBCL4014 Biblical Studies Honours D
Credit points: 12 Teacher/Coordinator: Dr Ari Lobel Session: Semester 1,Semester 2 Corequisites: BBCL4013
Refer to BBCL4011