current Catalog - Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago

COURSE OFFERINGSB-600 Classical Prophecy (Isaiah; Amos)What was at the heart of Old Testament prophecy? Were Amos andIsaiah-- among the oldest prophets-- messengers of doom, or did theyalso proclaim salvation? This course reads the poetry of Isaiah andAmos, elucidating their relation to historical contexts and how theprophetic message was handed down to further generations. Studentswill practice their interpretative skills, including the use of Hebrewdictionaries, and will train their text-critical and form-critical analysis.B-600 Deuteronomistic HistoryHow and why did the past in the view of the biblical writers affect thepresent? This course examines how the central relationship of Israeland Judah with their God needed a redefinition after the breakdownsof 733/597 BCE, through studies of the narratives from Deuteronomyto the end of Judah in 2 Kings. Out of this reading participants willdevelop an understanding how considering our past is relevant for ourpresent.B-600 The Books of SamuelThis course reads key passages of the Books of Samuel from theSuccession Narrative and from the early years of David and itdiscusses the scholarly debates about these passages. The narratives,their historical contexts and their elaborate literary forms provideideal examples to train interpretive skills in narratology and offeropportunities to study how Israel’s and Judah’s glorious and less gloriouspast is reflected in their narrative traditions.B-640 New Testament Graduate Seminar: RomansThis course will engage in a close reading of and critical conversationabout Paul’s letter to the Romans in its ancient cultural context. Theprimary focus will be on understanding the content and rhetoricalimpact of the letter on the community of Christ believers in Rome.Special attention will be given to the Roman imperial situation of theletter and the relational dynamics between Christ believers and Jews inRome and in the letter.B-640 New Testament Graduate Seminar: Gospel of MatthewThis course will engage in a close reading of and critical conversationabout the rhetorical impact of the Gospel of Matthew in its ancientcultural contexts. Students will work with a Gospel Parallels to examinehow Matthew reworks the Gospel of Mark. The focus will be onreading Matthew as a document of “Christian Judaism” that presents analternative and inclusive vision of life in Greco-Roman society.126