Session 2

The Old Testament

The Hebrew scriptures of the Old Testament make up a large portion of the Bible and provide an essential record of God’s interactions with humanity. They contain a mixture of legend, history, poetry, wisdom, allegory, and several other components that serve to remind of of God’s presence in our lives, but they also pave the way for the world into which God sent Jesus Christ.

In our Old Testament study, we will look at how these works came about as a way of creating the context for understanding their meaning for us.

 

Session Video Lecture

Suggested Resources

Please give attention to these suggested materials:

Some terms to look up (And follow any associated links…)
Primeval history, patriarchal narratives, J (Yahwist), E (Elohist), P (Priestly), Moses, Exodus, theophany, Decalogue, mosaic covenant, Gilgamesh epic, Saul, Jael, Deuteronomic history,, Maccabean Revolt, “Day of Yahweh,” Book of the Twelve

An ongoing resource for your “toolbox”:

The Open Access Theological Library. This is the “open” public version of the library that BSK uses for much of its work. The mission of the OADTL is to curate high-quality content in religious studies and related disciplines from publisher websites, institutional repositories, scholarly societies, archives, and stable public domain collections. The OADTL uses the world’s most advanced integrated library system (ILS) for cataloguing and discovery. This system, OCLC’s WorldShare, makes content easily discoverable and retrievable. The OADTL is staffed by professional librarians and curates content without regard for theological or confessional perspective. It is hoped that the increased access to high-quality religious studies content will serve scholars and students of religion.

USING WHAT WE'VE LEARNED (COME BACK TO THIS AFTER THE SESSION)

Bible Layers Project Part 2

Historical Context

Select a scholarly critical commentary of your passage. Read about the authorship, dating, and sources behind it. What was going on in the world when this text was written? What motivated the writing? Write a 250 to 500-word narrative describing how scholars believe this text came into existence.

Roger Jasper

Original Live Session Instructor – Project Designer

Roger Jasper has served as pastor of Living Faith since July of 2010 and has been in pastoral ministry since 2003. Roger holds a BA (double major in Religion and Philosophy) from Georgetown College, an MDiv from Baptist Seminary of Kentucky, and a Postgraduate Certificate in Baptistic Histories and Theologies from the University of Manchester. Currently, he is working toward a PhD at the International Baptist Study Centre in Amsterdam (formerly in Rüschlikon and Prague). Roger came to know Christ at a young age through the teaching of his grandmother and was later baptized into Slate Branch Baptist Church of Somerset, KY. Slate Branch also ordained him in 2004 during his first pastorate.

Dr. Dalen Jackson

Academic Dean and Professor of Biblical Studies

Dalen C. Jackson came to BSK in the Fall of 2002 and has served since 2007 as Academic Dean and Professor of Biblical Studies. He was ordained to Christian Ministry in 1987 and served churches in Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Indiana, and Georgia as pastor and interim pastor, youth minister, children’s director, recreation assistant and in a variety of lay roles. Prior to coming to BSK, he was chair of the Division of External Studies at Judson College in Marion, Alabama and chair of the Humanities Division and head of the Theology Department at Truett-McConnell College in Cleveland, Georgia.

flourish courses

Flourish courses offer great learning opportunities around key topics designed to help equip church leaders for vibrant ministry. These short-term courses are offered online and are affordable.

upcoming courses

Additional Flourish Courses are coming!