RELIGIOUS STUDIES 3031
THE BOOK OF GENESIS
Instructor: Dr. K. I.
Parker Fall
Semester 2015
Office/Tel: Arts 5005/864-8594 Office Hours: M/T/R:
12:00 to 1:00
E-mail: kparker@mun.ca
Webpage: http://www.ucs.mun.ca/~kparker/
In recent years, biblical scholars
are becoming increasingly aware of the role ideology plays in the formation and
reading of biblical narratives. Biblical
narratives tend to promote certain points of view and reject others (for
instance, the text almost universally promotes the idea of a wise and
beneficent Deity), and biblical interpreters are often motivated by their own
preconceptions and tend to emphasize certain themes more than others. This is especially the case with Apolitical@ readings of biblical texts, be they
Marxist, feminist, or liberationist.
Such theoretical reflection on the part of the interpreter helps to
articulate the relationship between the questions or presuppositions brought to
the text and the types of readings that emerge from the text.
In this course, we will explore one
such theoretical approach to Genesis 1-11, that is, the question of whether a
theological-political reading of Genesis 1-11 can be sustained by a Aclose reading@ of the biblical text. The main purpose of the course is to develop
the ability to read the text carefully and critically. The approach is primarily literary, which is
to say that the received biblical text will be the primary focus of study. A study guide and a very literal translation
of the first 11 chapters is available to help you in
this process. Some attention will be
given (when the need arises) to a discussion of cognate biblical texts, and
texts from other ancient religions.
Readings for this course are from A.
E. Combs and K. H. Post, The Foundations of Political Order in Genesis and
the Chandogya Upanishad. A limited number of copies are
available at the bookstore and one copy will be on reserve at the QE II
Library. Students must come prepared to
have read the relevant material in advance of every class. There will be two short papers (20% each),
one mid-term test (20%), and a final exam (30%). Attendance, participation, and possible
in-class assignments will compose the remaining 10% of the grade.
Below is the course outline. While all effort will be made to stay to the lecture schedule, we may vary slightly from the dates given.
Course Outline
Sept. 10: Introduction: The Theological-Political Question
Readings: Foundations, Introduction, 1-32 (reserve, 1-29).
Sept. 15, 17: Genesis 1: The Creation Story
Readings: Foundations, 33-68 (reserve, 38-77).
Sept. 22, 24: Genesis 2: The Garden
of Eden
Readings: Foundations, 91-107 (reserve, 100-118).
Essay #1: Compare and contrast Genesis I and II. What are the stories trying to teach?
Approximately 1000 words, due October
01.
Sept. 29, 01: Genesis 3: The AFall@
Readings: Foundations, 123-142 (reserve, 134-155).
Oct. 06, 08: Genesis 4: Cain and
Abel and the city
Readings: Foundations, 159-183 (reserve, 172-197).
Oct. 15: Mid-term test.
Oct 20, 22: Genesis 5: The Book
of Generations
Readings: Foundations, 205-225 (reserve, 219-239).
Oct. 27, 29: Genesis 6: The
Decision to Destroy the World
Readings: Foundations, 235-254 (reserve, 249-271).
Nov. 03, 05: Genesis 7: The Flood
Readings: Foundations, 271-286 (reserve, 285-304).
Nov. 10, 12: Genesis 8: The
Receding Waters
Readings: Foundations, 309-325 (reserve, 328-344).
Nov. 17, 19: Genesis 9: Noah and
the Covenant
Readings: Foundations, 333-350 (reserve, 352-370)
Essay #2: What, ultimately, are the point and the result of the flood?
Approximately 1000 words, due November
26.
Nov. 24, 26: Genesis 10: The
Political Order of the Nations
Readings: Foundations, 359-373 (reserve, 380-394).
Dec. 01, 03: Genesis 11: Universal
Tyranny
Readings: Foundations, 383-400 (reserve, 405-425).