Among the most creative and engaging areas of academic Bible studies to emerge in recent years is ‘reception’ studies – how the Bible has been ‘received’, used, interpreted in art, music, literature, politics, popular culture and more.  In this course we will explore challenging methodological and theoretical questions around reception studies: How should we navigate between the conscious, subconscious and unconscious, whether the ‘receiver’s’ or the scholar’s? Is academic scholarship itself reception? Who is qualified to be an expert in this complex field? What if anything can we learn about the Bible from reception studies?  Mostly, though, this course will be ‘hands on’; we will explore fascinating examples of how influential biblical texts and themes have been received – from Adam and Eve and the Akedah, through Samson and Delilah and the book of Ruth, to Lamentations and Ezekiel’s Dry Bones. This course will be taught and assessed in English.

Session 1: Reception Manifesto

Session 2: The Akedah Through Other Eyes

Session 3: Other Women in the Bible

Session 4: The Bible and the Way We Are

Session 5: Jews, Christians and Muslims Read the Bible

Session 6: Challenging Authority with the Bible

Session 7: Responding to Crisis with the Bible

Session 8: Drawing Lines with the Bible

Session 9: Biblical Enemies

Session 10: The State of Israel

Session 11: Class Presentations

Session 12: Class Presentations

 Course Assessment

This course will be assessed by a class presentation with a power-point presentation, in English (75%), and a take-home multiple choice ‘American’ exam (25%), also in English.

Presentations should focus on THREE examples of ‘reception’– paintings, poems, songs, religious interpretations, films, advertising, popular culture etc. They will ideally follow this format: (a) a short introduction to the biblical text under discussion; (b) a question, difficulty, theme, or idea generated by the text; (c) the three ‘reception’ items; (d) some conclusions. Possible presentation topics include: The creation story (Genesis 1), The Tree of Life (Genesis 3), Abraham, Sarah and Hagar (Genesis 16 and 21); Jacob’s Dream (Genesis 28);Jacob wrestling with the angel (Genesis 32); Moses is found by Pharaoh’s daughter (Exodus 2); Moses and the burning bush (Exodus 3); Moses striking the rock (Exodus 17/Numbers 21); The giving of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 19-20); The Golden Calf (Exodus 32); Amalek (Exodus 17 / Deuteronomy 23); The death of Nadav and Avihu (Leviticus 10); The spies enter the land (Numbers 13); Joshua and the battle of Jericho (Joshua 6-7); David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17); David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11-12); Solomon and the two prostitutes (1 Kings 3); Solomon’s Wisdom (1 Kings 5:9-14); Solomon and the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10); Miracles of the prophet Elijah (1 Kings 17) Naboth’s Vineyard (2 Kings 21); Ezekiel’s ‘chariot’ (Ezekiel 1); Psalm 23,‘The Lord is my shepherd’; Proverbs 31:10-31 (‘Eshet Chayil’, the woman of valor); The lovers in the Song of Songs; Queen Esther; The figure of Job (especially Job 1-2 and 42); The figure of Daniel or a specific scene from the book of Daniel (Daniel 1-6).