OLD TESTAMENT                                                                         Please click here to return to TUA list 

     Course Guide-Undergraduate Level

     Theological University of America

  Online Study-Instructor:Dr. Miles Cotham

             (615-871-9924)  e-mail: miles.cotham@comcast.net

Course Number and Title:

OT 310 Introduction to the Old Testament

Description of Course:

Comprehensive overview of the literature, doctrines, and major figures carrying forward from creation through the prophet Malachi the revealed activities and will of God.

Course Objectives:

A) To acquaint the student with the overall purpose of God through the Old Testament

         writings from Genesis to Malachi

B) To examine the authenticity of  the books in the Canon by deductive reason and           evidence

C) To set each book in it historical context in world history

D) To gain a synoptic view of the theme and message of the 39 books of the Old   Testament

Requirements:

The student will need to read each of the following books over the fourteen weeks of the course and spend the fifteenth finalizing a paper on the third book of required reading, The Sacred Books of the  Jews (256 pp) by Harry Gersh (Stein and Day, New York: copyright 1968)

The following sections of the two other required readings,  A Year With the Bible(Old Testament portion only, 322 pp) by Dr. Joe  Hopper , edited by Dr. Miles  Cotham (Hopper Publishing, Smyrna, Tn: copyright 2007) and Old Testament Times(333 pp) by  R.K. Harrison(Baker Books: Grand Rapids, copyright 2005) should be perused carefully by the student on the suggested reading schedule:

Week one-Hopper, “The World of the Bible“, Bible History Introduction,”   “15 Periods of Bible History,”  “Inspiration of the Old Testament,” and “The Fertile Crescent” (19 PP); Harrison,  Preface; pp. 4-26-”Recovering Near East Antiquities”-stop at “Describing the Near Eastern Past.”

Week two-Hopper,  Genesis through Leviticus, 27 pp.; Harrison, pp 26-55  through “Ancient Mesopotamia“. Stop at “Period of Hammurabi:.

 Week three-Hopper, ”Introduction to Books of History” and Numbers through Joshua 28 pp.; Harrison, pp 55-88-through “The Patriarchal Period” Stop at “The Patriarchs of Palestine.”

Week four-Hopper, Judges through I Samuel  24 pp.; Harrison, pp 88-122 through “Ancient Egypt  to the Amarna Age” Stop at “The Date of Exodus”   

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Week five-Hopper, II Samuel through I Kings  21 pp.; Harrison, 122-144 through “The Wilderness and Canaan”  Stop at “The Work  of Moses.“

 Week six-Hopper, II Kings through II Chronicles 28 pp.; Harrison, pp 144-169 through “The Promised Land and the Nation.” Stop at “ The Conquest of Canaan.”

Week seven-Hopper, “Post Exile History” and Ezra through Esther plus “Poetic and Wisdom Books.” Harrison,  pp. 169-190 through “The Kingdom United and Divided”

 Week eight-Hopper, Job through Ecclesiastes 30 pp.; Harrison, pp.  190-218 to “Hebrew Prophetism.”

 Week nine-Hopper, Song of Solomon and “ Prophetic Books” plus  Isaiah 29 pp.; Harrison, pp. 218-237 to “The Fall of Judah”

Week ten-Hopper,  Jeremiah through Ezekiel 22 pp; Harrison, pp. 237-263 to “The Exile”

Week eleven- Hopper, Daniel through Joel  23 pp; Harrison, pp. 264-291 through “The Return and Restoration” Stop at “Chronological Problems of the Period.”

Week twelve-Hopper, Amos through Micah 22 pp; Harrison, pp. 291-315 through “The Period of the Maccabees.” Stop at “Syria Annexes Judea.”

 Week thirteen-Hopper, Nahum through Zechariah, 27 pp; Harrison, pp. 315-333.

 Week fourteen-Hopper, MalachI and “The Inter-Biblical  Period.” 9 pp .

 Week fifteen-finish paper on Gersh book

 Course Methodology and procedures

 In addition to the weekly readings the student is expected to answer from 15-20 questions per week by e-mail that the instructor will send each Sunday. It is highly suggested that each set be answered no later than each Saturday evening by e-mail. The answers with the number of the will suffice as the instructor will have knowledge of the  questions’ formats. The answers should in sentence form, and it is recommended that the questions be carefully perused before both the mid-term and final exams. No credit can be given if the questions are not answered. If the student finds it

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necessary to  take more than a week, it should be remembered that all work MUST be in before the end of the fifteenth week. It is difficult to catch up if

questions pile up unanswered. Answers are, of course to be based upon the readings for the course., and each weeks’ questions will be based upon the specific readings for the weeks just finished. Be sure to consult your Bible text itself as you look at the Hopper outline of each book. 25- 50 words will generally be sufficient to answer each question, but there may be some exceptions where a longer answer is required. Often the questions will be looking for answers based on deductive reasoning from information in the readings while others are specific in expectations.

 The paper on the Gersh book should be between four and five pages in length and is the student’s evaluation of the book(use third person language) as to content, theme, and the author’s skill in communication. The student will receive extra credit on the final exam from 3-8 points depending on the job done on the evaluation of this book.

 The student may communicate with the instructor by e-mail or phone as needed concerning any matters on the course as to understanding, procedures, content of the readings, or other general matters. It is, of course, necessary for all fees and tuition to be paid for credit to be given.

 Evaluation and grading scale

 T.U.A. allows the student to choose the pass-fail method or A,B,C,D, or F based  on a numeric scale.

 The mid-term and final exams will each have allowed two hours in length for administration by a proctor agreed upon mutually by both the student and instructor. The proctor will then forward the exams back to the instructor for grading. The student will receive the mid-term back with remarks, but not the final. The average of the two grades will constitute the final grade with consideration given for the paper from 3-8 points extra. The weekly questions MUST be sent in as well. The mid-term will come after the seventh week of the course. E-mails will clarify matters regularly.