A Theological Introduction to the Old Testament

For many Christians, the Old Testament can seem strange and even disturbing. How do we make sense of texts that portray God as wrathful? Why does the OT contain so much violence? What do we do with all of the strange laws and rituals? How can we respond to its portrayal of women, foreigners, and strangers? What do we best make sense of the OT’s presentation of topics like purity, holiness, sacrifice, lament, sabbath, suffering, trauma, and justice? In response to these and related questions about what it means to read the Old Testament as Christian Scripture, this course offers an introduction to: (1) key themes and theologies in the Old Testament; (2) the social, cultural, and historical contexts in which the texts of the Old Testament took shape; and (3) theological reflection on the relevance of the Old Testament to pressing issues facing the church and world today.