Course content

The course provides students knowledge of and methods for understanding the texts of the Bible based on their historical and cultural context. An essential part of the course is accessing current methods for biblical interpretation through the study of a selection of New Testament texts. A general survey of the Old Testament is also included.

Learning outcome

The student will acquire skills in scholarly work with New Testament texts by using a Bible dictionary, commentaries, and other works of reference.
The student should come away with an understanding of the New Testament in these areas:
- Theological main points of the Gospel of Matthew, Galatians, and 1 Corinthians, based on the study of a selection of texts. Information on the texts can be found in the curriculum list.
The course will also address these aspects of the Old Testament:
- A survey of the political and religious history of Israel.
- The main lines of the literary history of the Old Testament with an emphasis on textual and canonical history.
- Central issues of the Old Testament on the basis of a selection of texts. Information on the texts can be found in the curriculum list.
For more information about the assessment, we refer students to the section's description of the grading scale. The description of the grading scale is found on the department's web pages and in hard copy.

Learning methods and activities

Instruction consists of lectures and seminars.
The exam consists of a written assignment and a 2-hour written test. The written assignment will concern exegesis of a biblical text. In the semesters when the subject is taught, students are offered the chance to receive feedback on their essay. Information on time frames is provided at the start of the semester.

Required previous knowledge

This course is available only as a supplementary course for students with 30 credits in Christian studies from a Norwegian teacher training college.

Course materials

The required reading list will be available at the beginning of the semester.

Credit reductions