WESTERN SEMINARY

Portland, Oregon

BLS 562G/662G Studies in Deuteronomy

Summer Semester 2003

Jan Verbruggen, Instructor

 

Syllabus

Course Description

Deuteronomy is the last book of the Pentateuch, and as such, the canonical link between the Pentateuch and the Prophets.   It is also one of the greatest books in the whole canon.  Its influence on the believer’s life, by admonishments concerning one’s personal religion, one’s walk with God, one’s behavior in the larger community, is unequaled by any other book in the Bible.  It is quoted over eighty times in the New Testament, and it is a book to which the early Christians also made frequent reference.  A good number of manuscripts from Qumran have quotations or texts from Deuteronomy.  Any serious student of the Old Testament must study and ponder this book.  We will look at different issues important for the study of the book.  We will examine the influence of the book on the whole Bible.

Text books

Required

  • P.C. Craigie,The Book of Deuteronomy, NICOT, (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1976).
  • J. G. McConville, Deuteronomy, (Downers Grove, IVP, 2002)

Recommended

  • J.A. Thompson, Deuteronomy, TOTC, (London: Intervarsity Press, 1974)

 

Course Objectives

·        The purpose of this class is to get a good grasp of the book of Deuteronomy and show its relevancy for today.  In order to do that, we will examine the background of the book of Deuteronomy, its structure, its literary style, its treatment of the central place of worship, its the date and authorship and its theology, as well as provide a general overview of the book.  Some passages, will be examined more closely.     

·        In this class, we will also look at the overall message of Deuteronomy, in relation to the rest of the books of the canon. 

·        The student will read the whole book of Deuteronomy. 

·        The student will strive to gain a deeper appreciation of the legal texts in the Hebrew Scriptures. 

·        The student will be provided with a number of crucial articles, which deal with the text, theology, and message of Deuteronomy.

 

Course Requirements

1.      Reading Assignments (30 hours)

The students will follow the reading list handed out during the first class session.

 

2.       Written Assignments (30 hours) 

·        Short summaries of some of the reading will be required. (as they are marked on the reading list.)

·        All students will be required to write a paper on the present relevance of one of the texts of Deuteronomy.  The student will discuss with the teacher as to which text he/she will choose.  The paper must be between 8 and 10 pages long.  

·        The paper is due on the last day of class.  An in-class presentation of each paper will follow.   No papers will be accepted after that time. 

Course Procedures

The instructor will lead lectures and discussion.  The students will be involved with outside reading, research and the writing of papers.  Papers will be discussed in class.

Grading Scale

Reading assignment                               40 %

Relevance paper                                   40 %

Class interaction                                   20 % 

 

To receive audit credit, you must attend at least 80% of the class sessions.  Assignments turned in late will be reduced at the rate of one half-letter grade per class day and one letter grade per weekend up to a maximum deduc­tion of two letter grades.