Area I: Biblical Studies

This area is concerned with the interpretation of the Christian Scriptures in the broadest sense, including the study of the classical biblical languages (Hebrew and Greek), the content of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament, critical methods of interpretation, biblical history, cultural and historical milieu of the Bible, and the theological and pastoral implications of the text.

  1. Introductory courses are offered in the critical study of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. Except for the language courses, all courses in Area I normally have these foundation courses (or their equivalent) as prerequisites.
  2. Language courses are offered at the elementary, intermediate, and advanced levels. Generally, elementary biblical languages are eligible for elective credit only.
  3. Three types of exegesis courses are offered: those based on the English text; those based on the original text and requiring a working knowledge of the biblical language; and advanced exegesis seminars that require at least an intermediate knowledge of the biblical language. Exegesis courses of each type are offered each term on selected books or topics from the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. It is possible, therefore, during the course of one’s program, to engage in detailed exegesis of representative sections of the biblical text.
  4. Thematic courses are offered on a wide range of theological and historical issues raised by the scriptures. These include courses on the cultural and historical milieu of the Bible.
  5. Advanced seminars are designed for YDS students with the requisite background and qualifications, and for doctoral students. Permission to enroll in these seminars must be received from the individual instructor.
  6. Area I is also concerned with examining the implications of the scriptures for the contemporary church. In addition to doing this in courses offered specifically in Area I, members of the faculty in Area I join with other faculty members in offering courses dealing with the use of the Bible in Christian ministry.

YDS offers intensive courses in elementary Biblical Hebrew and elementary New Testament Greek for six weeks during the summer. Such work earns six hours of academic credit and prepares the student for the course in exegesis. Summer work will satisfy most denominational language requirements.

REL 502a, Bounty and Duty: The Hebrew Bible and Creation  Gregory Mobley

The course explores ideas about creation and the interconnectedness among the created realms in the Hebrew Bible, then juxtaposes the ancient worldview with the science and ethics of contemporary ecological concerns. Area I.  3 Course cr
M 9am-10:50am

REL 503a, Hebrew Bible Interpretation I  Joel Baden

An introduction to the contents of the Hebrew Bible (Pentateuch and Historical Books) and to the methods of its interpretation. The course focuses on the development of ancient Israelite biblical literature and religion in its historical and cultural context as well as on the theological appropriation of the Hebrew Bible for contemporary communities of faith. The course aims to make students aware of the contents of the Hebrew Bible, the history and development of ancient Israel’s literature and religion, the methods of biblical interpretation, and ways of interpreting the Hebrew Bible for modern communities of faith. Area I.  3 Course cr
MWF 10:30am-11:20am

REL 518a, Intermediate New Testament Greek Language and Exegesis  Judith Gundry

This course is the sequel to Elementary New Testament Greek. The course goals are to help students acquire the necessary skills for reading the New Testament and other Hellenistic texts in Greek and doing Greek exegesis of the New Testament. The course covers intermediate grammar, or syntax (the relationship of words to each other in a sentence), New Testament vocabulary, sight-reading of a variety of texts outside the New Testament, and a basic introduction to methods and resources for Greek exegesis. The course aims to provide a solid foundation for using scholarly literature based on the Greek text of the New Testament and working with primary sources for the study of the New Testament and collateral literature. Essential prep for advanced Greek exegesis courses. Area I. Prerequisites: REL 3605 and REL 3606; GREK 110 and GREK 120; or REL 3609.  3 Course cr
TTh 9am-10:20am

REL 527a, The Hebrew Bible, Race, and Racism  Joel Baden

In this course we explore the ways that the Hebrew Bible, race, and racism have been aligned and constructed from ancient Israel to the present. Topics for the course include biblical texts related to slavery, ethnicity, and foreignness; race and the Bible in early interpretation and in modern discourse; the racializing of biblical characters; black, womanist, and Africana interpretations of the Bible; and the whiteness of traditional biblical scholarship.  Prerequisite: REL 503 and REL 504 or the equivalent.  3 Course cr
W 1:30pm-3:20pm

REL 560a, Death, Memorial, and Immortality in the Hebrew Bible and Its World  Jacqueline Vayntrub

This course considers the development of biblical and ancient Near Eastern concepts of death and life-after-death. Among the topics covered are the depiction of human mortality and divine immortality in literature, dying as a social process, the development of the notion of an afterlife and the concept of the “soul,” and communication with the dead. The course examines the history of how ancient texts have shaped inherited ideas of the immortality of the soul, human suffering, and divine justice. A central aim of the course is to foster an awareness of the ancient historical and cultural context in which these texts were written, and to deepen an understanding of modern views of mortality brought to bear on ancient literary traditions. Area I. Prerequisite: REL 503 or REL 504 or equivalent.  3 Course cr
M 1:30pm-3:20pm

REL 567a, Revelation and Imagination  Yii-Jan Lin

Ernst Käsemann famously stated that “Apocalyptic…was the mother of all Christian theology.” While he was urging a return to the study of apocalypticism in the teachings and life of Jesus, this course takes seriously a broader read of this statement: apocalyptic and the Apocalypse of John, via their protean nature, birth theologies, movements, art, film, violence, and further visions. Students consider both ancient contexts of Revelation (literary, sociohistorical) and its influence since in movements, times of crisis, art, and activism. Area I.  Prerequisite: REL 505 or REL 506.  3 Course cr
M 9:30am-11:20am

REL 570a, Historical Grammar of Biblical Hebrew  Eric Reymond

The course examines the development of the sounds and forms of Biblical Hebrew, paying particular attention to the following (partially hypothetical) stages of the language and its predecessors: Proto-Semitic, Proto-Hebrew, Hebrew in the Iron Age, and Hebrew in the Second Temple Period. The course begins with an introduction to Hebrew in relation to other Semitic languages and an introduction to the alphabet. It then addresses the phonology of Hebrew as attested in the time of the Masoretic scribes, in the time of early Judaism and Christianity, in the time of the Persian era, and in the time of the Iron Age and earlier periods. Finally, the course addresses specific morphologies of Biblical Hebrew: nouns, adjectives, verbs, and particles. Area I. Prerequisite: at least one year of Biblical Hebrew.  3 Course cr
M 1:30pm-3:20pm

REL 573a, Hebrew Exegesis: Ecclesiastes/Qohelet  Jacqueline Vayntrub

The course focuses on translation and critical analysis of Ecclesiastes (Qohelet) from Biblical Hebrew, with continuous reference to ancient translations, related biblical and parabiblical texts, and ancient Near Eastern literary texts as relevant. The translation and analysis of primary texts are accompanied by critical evaluation of biblical scholarship. Area I. Prerequisites: REL 503 and REL 504, or their equivalents, and at least one year—preferably two—of Biblical Hebrew.  3 Course cr
W 9:30am-11:20am

REL 574a, Intermediate Biblical Hebrew and Exegesis I  Eric Reymond

This course focuses on the reading of biblical texts but also offers a review of the elementary grammar of Biblical Hebrew and the introduction of more complicated grammatical concerns. More specifically, the course focuses on prose texts and reviews the morphology of verbs and nouns as well as basic components of Hebrew syntax. In addition, the form and function of Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (BHS) are introduced. Area I. Prerequisites: REL 3603 and REL 3604 or the equivalent (i.e., one year of an introductory course in Biblical Hebrew).  3 Course cr
TTh 9am-10:20am