Syllabus for Religion 4002/6002
Prophetic
Literature
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8:00-9:15am
Beth
LaRocca-Pitts, Instructor
Dr. LaRocca-Pitts can be reached at mblp@charter.net. Office hours are arranged by appointment.
Goals of the Course:
To familiarize the student with the Prophetic literature of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
To introduce the student with issues surrounding the phenomenology of prophesy
To introduce the student to the wider ancient Near Eastern world of which prophesy was a part
Course Requirements: Complete two of the following paper options (each is 30% of your grade)
Paper one: The social functions of prophecy, 8-10 pages
Paper two: Prophecy and its historical setting, 8-10 pages
Paper three: Prophecy and its relation to other Israelite traditions, 8-10 pages
Paper four: Prophetic literary forms, 8-10 pages
The first paper is due on or
before February 7th and the Midterm in scheduled for February 26th
so that students may know 60% of their
grade by the midterm withdrawal deadline of March 4th. The
second paper is due at the end of the course, April 24th.
In Class Midterm: February
26th 30% of
your grade
Attendance: 10% of your
grade
Please Note: All academic work must meet the standards contained in ÒA Culture of Honesty.Ó Students are responsible for informing themselves about those standards before performing any academic work. For more information about academic honesty see: http://www.uga.edu/ovpi/honesty/acadhon.htm. Also, please be aware that the course syllabus is a general plan for the course; deviations announced to the class by the instructor may be necessary.
Required Texts:
Harper Collins Study Bible (or other analytical reference edition, i.e. The Oxford Annotated).
Joseph Blenkinsopp, A History of Prophecy in Israel (Louisville: John Knox/Westminster Press, 1983).
Robert R. Wilson, Prophecy and Society in Ancient Israel (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1980).
Classroom Agenda and Assignments:
Classroom time will be divided between lectures on, and discussion of, various prophetic phenomena. This will require that students have read the material for each class and come prepared to enter into the discussion. The assignments are designed to get the student involved in larger issues related to prophesy beyond the simple content of the prophetic books. See below for instructions regarding the paper assignments.
Tu 1/8 Introduction to the course
Readings: Wilson pp. 1-19
Section 1: The
background of prophecy as a phenomenon
Th 1/10 The wider world of prophecy: Israel and beyond.
Readings: Blenkinsopp pp. 30-48; Wilson pp. 89-134
Tu 1/15 & Th 17 The origins of prophecy in Israel: Seers, Ecstatics, and ÒMen oÕ God.Ó
Readings: Blenkinsopp, pp. 26-30; Wilson pp. 21-88, 253-63
Biblical Readings: 1 Samuel 1-10, 28; 2 Samuel 14; 1 Kings 13
Section 2:
Prophets without books
Tu 1/22 The first political prophets: Samuel, Nathan, Gad, and Ahijah of Shiloh
Readings: Blenkinsopp, pp. 48-55; Wilson pp. 135-91; 263-66
Biblical Readings: 1 Samuel 11-15; 2 Samuel 11-12, 24; 1 Kings 1-3, 14
Th 1/24 Later political prophets: Michaiah, Huldah, and a cast of thousands!
Readings: Wilson pp. 191-212, 219-23
Biblical Readings: 1 Kings 22; 2 Kings 19-20; 22-24
Tu 1/29 Elijah and Elisha
Readings: Blenkinsopp, pp. 55-64
Biblical Readings: 1 Kings 18-21; 2 Kings 1-13
Th 1/31 The prophetic books that arenÕt really prophetic: Jonah and Daniel
Readings: Blenkinsopp, 240-45; Wilson pp. 213,
Biblical Readings: Jonah, Daniel
Section
3: The editorial life of the prophetic books
Tu 2/5 & Th 2/7 The prophets and the Deuteronomist and the Chronicler
Readings: Blenkinsopp, pp. 7-16; Wilson pp. 213-19, 224-5; 292-94
First Paper Due 2/7
Tu 2/12 The book of the twelve minor prophets
Th 2/14 Three Isaiahs, two Jeremiahs, two Ezekiels, and two Zechariahs
Section 4: The minor prophets
Tu 2/19 Amos
Readings: Blenkinsopp, pp. 72-82; Wilson pp. 266-70
Biblical Readings: Amos
Th 2/21 Hosea
Readings: Blenkinsopp, pp. 83-90; Wilson pp. 225-231
Biblical Readings: Hosea
Tu 2/26 In Class Midterm
Th 2/28 Micah
Readings: Blenkinsopp, pp. 91-97; Wilson pp. 274-76
Biblical Readings: Micah
Tu 3/4 Joel
Readings: Blenkinsopp, pp. 157-63; Wilson pp. 289-90
Biblical Readings: Joel
Withdraw Deadline
Th 3/6 Nahum
Readings: Blenkinsopp, pp. 122-124; Wilson pp. 276-77
Biblical Readings: Nahum
Tu 3/11 & Th 3/13 No Class: Spring Break
Tu 3/18 Zephaniah
Readings: review Blenkinsopp, pp. 157-63; Wilson pp. 279-82
Biblical Readings: Zephaniah
Th 3/20 Habakkuk
Readings: Blenkinsopp, pp. 124-29; Wilson pp. 278-79
Biblical Readings: Habakkuk
Tu 3/25 Obadiah
Readings: Wilson pp. 287
Biblical Readings: Obadiah
Th 3/27 Haggai
Readings: Wilson pp. 287-88
Biblical Readings: Haggai
Tu 4/1 Zechariah
Readings: Wilson pp. 288-89
Biblical Readings: Zechariah
Th 4/3 Malachi
Readings: Wilson pp. 290-92
Biblical Readings: Malachi
Tu 4/8 Isaiah of Jerusalem
Readings: Blenkinsopp, pp. 98-110; Wilson pp. 270-74
Biblical Readings: Isaiah 1-23, 28-39
Th 4/10 Second Isaiah and the Isaianic Apocalypse
Readings: Blenkinsopp, pp. 182-93; 226-39
Biblical Readings: Isaiah 24-27, 40-55
Tu 4/15 Third Isaiah
Biblical Readings: Isaiah 56-66
Th 4/17 Jeremiah
Readings: Blenkinsopp pp. 130-47; Wilson pp. 231-51
Biblical Readings: Jeremiah 1-24
Th 4/22 Jeremiah
Readings: Blenkinsopp, pp. 148-60
Biblical Readings: Jeremiah 25-52
Tu 4/24 Ezekiel
Readings: Blenkinsopp, pp. 166-80; 282-86
Biblical Readings: Ezekiel
Second Paper Due
Paper Assignment
Descriptions
Note: These are
research papers. They are required to demonstrate research, meaning, they must
have footnotes and bibliography for the sources of information you use.
Paper Option One:
The social functions of prophecy
Select one of the questions below and write 8-10 pages in answer to it:
Option one: Discuss how prophets functioned as healers. How was this different from the way priests functioned as healers?
Option two: Discuss how a particular prophet functioned as an oracle. How was this different from the way diviners and other omen takers functioned as oracles?
Option three: Discuss how the presence and influence of prophets in Israelite society served to uphold older covenant law in the face of royal encroachment on that law.
Paper Option Two:
Prophecy and its historical setting
Select any one of the prophetic books and spend 8-10 pages discussing the major historical events that occurred in that prophetÕs time. Give chapter and verse references for the historical events your prophet discusses. After your discussion, include a map of Israel on which you:
1. Outline the geographical boundaries of Judah and or Israel at the time of your prophetÕs work.
2. Label the cities, countries or other locations discussed by your prophet.
To assist you in this project, refer to any bible atlas or historical introduction to ancient Israel. Suggested introductions include:
John
Bright, A History of Israel
John Hayes and Max Miller, Israelite and
Judean History
John Hayes and Max Miller, A History of
Ancient Israel and Judah
Donald Redford, Egypt, Canaan and Israel in
Ancient Times
Paper Option Three:
Prophecy and its relation to other Israelite traditions
Select one of the questions below and write 8-10 pages in answer to it:
Option one: Discuss the relationship between the Deuteronomist and the prophetic corpus, especially Isaiah. How do scholars explain the relationship between the editing of the historical books and editorial activity in the prophetic books?
Option two: Discuss the relationship between Ezekiel, the Priestly Writer, and the author of the Holiness Code. Why do some scholars think they were all a part of a larger ÒschoolÓ within ancient Israel?
Paper Option Four:
Prophetic literary forms
Pick one of the prophetic literary forms listed below and write an 8-10 page discussion of it. Make sure you provide chapter and verse examples of the form you are discussing. More than one prophetÕs work can be included.
Covenant lawsuits Futility curses Parables Disputations
Riddles laments War oracles x, x + 1 structures
Polemic Allegory Chiastic Structure Acrostics
Satire Proverbs Puns Fictive Legal Cases