Christianity and the Old Testament

A course for the STM degree program at Nashotah House, a theological seminary of the Episcopal Church.

The class was held:

• 19-30 July 2004
• at Nashotah House

This course explored the role of the Old Testament in the life of the church. Among the topics considered were the relationship of the Old and New Testaments, the canon of Scripture, and the authority of Scripture for the contemporary church. We dealt with specific applications in practical preaching, interfaith relationships, ethical decision making, and community formation.

Required reading before classes began:

1. Old Testament Theology: Flowering and Future, ed. Ben C. Ollenburger. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 2004. If you are unable to get this volume, the previous edition (The flowering of Old Testament theology. Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1992) may be substituted. The purpose of this reading assignment is to provide background in the modern and contemporary discussion of the theological interpretation and uses of the Old Testament.
2. The Jewish people and their sacred scriptures in the Christian Bible Also available in print from Pauline Books and Media. The purpose of this reading assignment is to provide entry into recent ecclesiastical viewpoints on the roles of the Old Testament in the life of the Church, including the question of the relationship to the Jewish people and tradition. This also raises the question of the relationship between Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible) and the Christian Old Testament.

Required texts:

1. A modern translation of the Old Testament or complete Bible, preferably a "study Bible". List of suggested Bibles.

Additional readings were assigned.
A select bibliography, including list of books on reserve is available.

Schedule of classes

The first week of classes was primarily lectures and discussion, with time spent in reading and interpreting appropriate biblical texts. Topics considered included the relationship between canon and criticism, the use of the Old Testament in contemporary social ethics, the relationships between Old Testament wisdom and modern science, and an introduction to the history of the Old Testament in the church and in the academy.

The details of content and structure of the second week of classes were determined by the class on the second day of class. This week centered in sessions led by the students, either as presentations or as seminar discussions.