Religion 211: Introduction to the Religion of Ancient Israel

Introduction to Religion of Ancient Israel examines selected texts from the Hebrew Bible employing tools of critical biblical scholarship, such as (but not limited to) literary analysis, textual criticism, feminist theory, socio-historical criticism, and biblical archaeology. One of the goals of biblical scholarship is to question the text, in that questioning, arrive at new insights, and develop further questions. We approach the texts by situating them within their ancient Near Eastern context; therefore, in addition to the Bible, we will also look at Mesopotamian and Egyptian literature and inscriptions, including cosmologies, myths, legal and economic texts as well as archaeological data. You are asked to analyze the texts from a fresh perspective and "willingly suspend your belief and/or disbelief" in order to try to see the world as the ancients did. We study the texts as ancient literature created within a specific historical, religions, political, and sociological context that reflects the ideologies and concerns of the human authors and editors, with a special emphasis on placing and understanding the texts within their ancient historical context. Use of this method allows us to explore the religious ideologies and practices of the ancient Israelites.

Religion 311: Archaeology & Biblical Studies

Does archaeology shed any light on the Bible? Is there archaeological evidence for the events depicted in the text? What more can we learn about the history of the region from other texts and discoveries? Archaeology and Biblical Studies (REL 311) addresses these and other questions as we survey the archaeology of the eastern Mediterranean region from the Neolithic period (ca. 8500 BCE) through the Early Roman period (ca. 135 CE), with special attention to the Bronze and Iron Age periods which are generally associated with ancient Israel, early Judaism, and early Christianity.   We will explore the history, geography, and chronology of the area, as well as the ideology of archaeology, the development of its techniques, and its key contributions to understanding the Bible. Settlement patterns, the material culture, fortifications, monumental architecture, domestic contexts, cultic and other objects will be discussed along with the question of the ethnic and religious identities of the various groups who settled this land

Julye Bidmead

during the different periods.   As Syro-Palestinian archaeologists dig up the past, their discoveries not only impact the interpretations of biblical texts but also the present political situation in the Middle East. Many of the tents of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam center on events that are detailed in the Bible and purportedly grounded in history. Yet recent archaeological data raises questions about the historicity behind these sacred texts. For example, if David and Solomon’s United Kingdom was so vast, why have archaeologists failed to uncover corroborating evidence? Was there an exodus from Egypt according to the archeological records? Have we found archaeological evidence of goddess worship in Ancient Israel?   This class investigates these and other controversies that occur when the archaeological and biblical “texts” are juxtaposed.

 

 

Religion 334: Women’s Religious Experiences in the Ancient Mediterranean World

This course is also a favorite because it introduces students to the role of archaeological data and inscriptions as fundamental sources for the common religious experiences of women. Here, in addition to what we can say about women in ancient Christianity and Judaism, we get to examine a range of ancient cults, their physical features, their sacred laws, and other literary evidence describing them. In terms of historical method, students will gain extensive experience in dealing with primary sources and the challenges such sources offer. This course also includes invited guest appearances by other faculty members who can contribute their own expertise in specific areas of our study. This course is team taught with Dr. Hanges.