Liberation and Formation of the Identity of the POG

Course Code: BBO14 & BBO15

Liberation and Formation of the Identity of the People of God: A Study of Pentateuch

(An Exegetical Study of Selected Texts in English/Regional language (BBO14)/ Hebrew (BBO 15))

BD II, Semester II, 4 Credit Hours, Senate Paper

Objectives:

• To help the student to understand the nature and formation of the Pentateuch in the light of Pentateuchal criticism.
• To expose the students to the liberation-core of the biblical faith as witnessed by the People of God and recorded in the narrative text of Torah—from Genesis to Deuteronomy.
• To become familiar with the various methodologies employed in the study of the Pentateuch.
• To find the relevance of the witness of the people in the narrative of Torah with the present context, by doing an exegetical study of the text.

Course Requirements:

• Class attendance
• Assignments are mandatory
• Teachers are encouraged to give readings, assignments, etc. as part of the requirements
• Final Examination: 100%

Course Outline:

1. The Nature and Formation of the Pentateuch
   • General introduction to the books of the Pentateuch
   • Enlightenment Scholarship – Historical & Literary studies (JEDP, Archaeology, etc.)
   • Sociological Studies – Models
   • Postcolonial Studies: Hebrew Epistemology – studying the Hebrew Bible with the help of Hebrew thought-pattern, Hebrew logic, and narrativity.
2. Defining the Terms:
   • The Alternative Vision of God – The alternative vision of God as the Co-sufferer, God as the Liberator, and God as “Journeying God”
   • The Alternative Vision of a Community: A Covenant Community – community of men & women welcoming the poor, widow, fatherless, and the aliens.
   • The Alternative Ethics of Manna Economy: God’s economy of sufficiency, sharing, and sustainability
   • The Alternative Articulation of Divine-Human Partnership “The Torah”: Study of the literary structure & character – narrative, and theological purpose of the whole Torah.
3. Creation Narratives as the Beginning of Liberation-Faith:
   • The counter claim of the Origin of the universe and human beings against the Colonial meta-narratives of Egypt & Mesopotamia
   • Creation of the World and the Family
   • The beginning of the Inter-connected, inter-dependent elements of nature, eco-system, human, animals, plants, rivers, with the divine.
4. The Called Out Community (ies): The Liberation Experience of the Ancestors
5. Exodus and Sinai: Celebrating God’s Liberation and Establishing Identity as the People of God
   • Hebrew Pathos: Bravery Under Slavery
   • God’s Plan of Liberation under the participation of both men & women
   • Liberation as Going-Out, and The Consolidation of Liberation Faith by establishing Institutions:
     • Judiciary: Justice to be practiced (Exod. 18)
     • The Law (Ten Commandments and other laws): Liberative perspective (Exod. 19-23 & Deut. 6-26)
     • Covenant: The oath of loyalty with God & people (Exod. 24)
     • Ratification of the Covenant (Deut. 27-34)
     • Tent of Meeting / Tabernacle: To settle disputes by coming to the tent for justice & reconciliation (Exod. 25-31 & 35-40)
   • Reading the gender roles and man-woman relationships in the ancestral narratives and the law from feminist perspectives
6. The Ethical Requirement for the Covenant Community:
   • The Holiness (Separated by the demands of Liberation faith)
     • Commitment to the holiness by the Priests (Lev. 1-16)
     • Commitment to the holiness by the people (Lev. 17-27)
7. Wilderness Experiences: Preparation and Entry to the Land
   • Socio-political & religious context during the wilderness
   • Yahweh as a God who struggles along with people
8. Exodus: The Paradigm of Liberation
   • Exodus story as the story of People’s struggle for liberation not as the story of leaders and heroes
   • The space for the ‘Others’ in Torah – alien, widow, sojourners, slaves, Lot, Esau, Hagar, Dalits, tribals, Àdivasis (marginalized)
9. Exegetical Study of Selected Texts in English/Hebrew/Regional Languages
   • English: Genesis 1:1-10; 1:24-31; 12:1-10; Exodus 1:13-20; 2:23-3:8; 12:27-36; Deut. 6:3-11; 26:1-10; 23:19-25
   • OR Hebrew: Genesis 1:1-10; 1:24-31; 12:1-10; Exodus 1:13-20; 2:23-3:8; 12:27-36; Deut. 6:3-11; 26:1-10; 23:19-25

Basic Books:

• Baden, Joel S. The Composition of the Pentateuch: Renewing the Documentary Hypothesis. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2012.
• Blenkinsopp, Joseph. The Pentateuch: An Introduction to the First Five Books of the Bible. The Anchor Bible Reference Library, New York: Doubleday, 1992.
• Clines, David J. A. The Theme of the Pentateuch. Second Edition. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series, vol. 10. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1997.
• Esler, Philip, ed. Ancient Israel: The Old Testament in its Social Context. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2005.
• Gottwald and Horsley, eds. The Bible and Liberation. Orbis, 1993.
• Harrington, Daniel J. Interpreting the Old Testament: A Practical Guide. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1991.
• Lemche, Niles Peter. The Israelites in History and Tradition. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 1998.
• Watts, James W. Reading Law: The Rhetorical Shaping of the Pentateuch. Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic, 1999.
• Wright, Christopher J.H. God’s People in God’s Land: Family, Land, and Property in the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, Michigan: W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1990.

Bibliography:

• Alexander, T. Desmond, and David W. Baker, eds. Dictionary of the Old Testament: Pentateuch. Downers Grove, InterVarsity Press, 2003.
• Alexander, T. Desmond. From Paradise to the Promised Land: An Introduction to the Pentateuch. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012.
• Antonelli, Judith S. The Image of God: A Feminist Commentary on the Torah. Northvale, NJ: Jason Aronson, 1995.
• Avishur, Yitzhak. Studies in Biblical Narrative: Style, Structure, and the Ancient Near Eastern Literary Background. Tel Aviv-Jaffa: Archaeological Centre Publication, 1999.
• Baden, Joel S. The Promise to the Patriarchs. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013.
• Balentine, Samuel E. The Torah’s Vision of Worship. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1999.
• Ball, Milner S. Called by Stories: Biblical Sagas and their Challenge for Law. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2000.
• Berman, Joshua. Created Equal: How the Bible Broke with Ancient Political Thought. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2008.
• Blenkinsopp, Joseph. Treasures Old and New: Essays in the Theology of the Pentateuch. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004.
• Brenner, A and C. R. Fontaine, eds. A Feminist Companion to Reading the Bible: Approaches, Methods and Strategies. England: Sheffield Academic Press, 1997.
• Brueggemann, Walter. Genesis. Atlanta: John Knox Press, 1982.
• Campbell, Antony F. & Mark O’Brien. Sources of the Pentateuch: Texts, Introduction and Annotations. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1993.
• Cassuto, Umberto. The Documentary Hypothesis and the Composition of the Pentateuch: Eight Lectures. New York: Shalom Press, 2006.
• Ceresco, Anthony R. The Old Testament: A Liberation Perspective. Bombay: St. Pauls’ Publications, 1993.
• Childs, B. S. Introduction to the Old Testament as Scripture. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1982.
• Clements, R. E. “Pentateuchal Problems” in Tradition and Interpretation: Essays by Members of the Society for Old Testament Study, ed. G.W. Anderson. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1919.
• Craigie, Peter C. The Book of Deuteronomy. NICOT, Grand Rapids, Michigan: W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1976.
• De Vaux, Roland. Ancient Israel: Its Life and Institutions. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1961.
• Edayadiyil, G. Exodus Event: Its Historical Kernel. Bangalore: ATC, 2007.
• Eissfeldt, Otto. Old Testament Introduction. Trans. Peter R. Ackroyd. Oxford: Blackwell, 1974.
• Frankel, Ellen. The Five Books of Miriam: A Woman’s Commentary on the Torah. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1998.
• Fretheim, Terence. The Pentateuch. Interpreting Biblical Texts. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996.
• Gottwald, Norman K. The Hebrew Bible: A Socio-Literary Introduction. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1985.
• Gottwald, N. K. and Horsley, eds. The Bible and Liberation. Philadelphia: Orbis, 1993.
• Gunkel, B. Legends of Genesis: The Biblical Saga and History. New York: 1964.
• Hamilton, Victor P. The Book of Genesis. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1990.
• Harrison, R.K. Introduction to the Old Testament. London: Tyndale, 1969.
• Hayes, John H. An Introduction to Old Testament Study. London: SCM Press Ltd., 1979.
• Hnuni, R.L. The People of God in the Old Testament: Three in One, A Guide for Theological Students. New Delhi: Laksht Publishers and Distributors, 2012; Reprint 2013.
• Hyatt, J. Philip. Exodus. New Century Bible. London: Oliphants, 1971.
• Keil, C.E. and Delitzsch, F. The Pentateuch, Commentary of the Old Testament, Vol. I. Grand Rapids, Michigan: W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1986.
• Laffey, Alice. The Pentateuch: A Liberation-Critical Reading. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1998.
• Livingston, G. Herbert. The Pentateuch in its Cultural Environment. Second ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1987.
• Levenson, John D. The Hebrew Bible, The Old Testament and Historical Criticism. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 1993.
• Mann, Thomas W. The Book of the Torah: The Narrative Integrity of the Pentateuch. Atlanta: John Knox, 1988.
• Matthews, Victor H. and Don C. Benjamin. Social World of Ancient Israel 1250-587 BCE. Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publisher, Inc, 1993.
• Nicholson, Ernest W. The Pentateuch in the Twentieth Century: The Legacy of Julius Wellhausen. New York: Oxford University Press; Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1998.
• Noth, Martin. The Deuteronomistic History. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament, vol. 15. Sheffield, England: JSOT Press, 1981.
• Pomykala, Kenneth, ed. Israel in the Wilderness: Interpretations of the Biblical Narratives in Jewish and Christian Traditions. Leiden: Brill, 2008.
• Rad, Gerhard Von. The Problem of Hexateuch and Other Essays. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd, 1966.
• Robinson, Gnana. The Origin and Development of the Old Testament Sabbath: A Comprehensive Approach. Frankfurt: Peter Lang, 1988.
• Rofe, Alexander. Introduction to the Composition of the Pentateuch. Translated by Harvey N. Bock. Sheffield, UK: Sheffield Academic Press, 1999.
• Rogerson, John. Beginning Old Testament Study. London: SPCK, 1998.
• Rowley, H.H. Faith of Israel: Aspects of Old Testament Thought. London: SCM Press Ltd., 1956.
• Sailhamer, John. The Pentateuch As Narrative: A Biblical-Theological Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992.
• Schmidt, W. H. Old Testament Introduction. Bombay: St. Pauls Publications, 1992.
• Shectman, Sarah. Women in the Pentateuch: A Feminist and Source-Critical Analysis. Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2009.
• Ska, Jean-Louis. Introduction to Reading the Pentateuch. Translated by Pascale Dominique. Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2006.
• Tucker, Gene M. Form Criticism of the Old Testament. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1971.
• Vasanta Rao, Chilkur. Ecological and Theological Aspects of Some Animal Laws in the Pentateuch. New Delhi: ISPCK, 2005.
• Von Rad, Gerhard. From Genesis to Chronicles: Explorations in Old Testament Theology. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 2005; Reprint of The Problem of the Hexateuch and Other Essays. Translated by E. W. T. Dicken. London: SCM Press, 1984.
• Whybray, R.N. The Making of the Pentateuch: A Methodological Study</ em>. Sheffield: JSOT, 1992.
• Walton, John H. and Victor H. Matthews. The IVP Bible Background Commentary: Genesis-Deuteronomy. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1997.
• Wellhausen, Julius. Prolegomena to the History of Israel. Translated by Menzies and Black. Gloucester, MA: Peter Smith, 1983.
• Wright, C. Living as the People of God: The Relevance of the Old Testament. London: IVP, 1983.
• Wright, G. Ernest. The Old Testament Against Its Environment. London: SCM Press Ltd, 1957.

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