Introduction to the Talmud

Associate Professor Barry Scott Wimpfheimer (Northwestern University) is the instructor for an online course (MOOC) on the Talmud, commencing April 18, 2016. The course is called “The Talmud: A Methodological Introduction“, and may be taken either at certificate level (for US$50) or audited for free.

The Talmud is one of the richest and most complicated works of literature the world has ever known. Since being composed around 1500 years ago it has inspired not only religious reverence but significant intellectual engagement. In this course learners will be introduced to the unique characteristics of this text and the challenges that inhere in studying it while studying a chapter of the Talmud. Students of the course can expect to develop an appreciation for how the Talmud works and why it continues to inspire religious and intellectual devotion. They will be challenged to employ critical reading skills and to analyze legal and historical concepts.

Enroll online here.

 

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Introduction to Hebrew Bible Course: Missouri State University

Dr. John T. Strong (Missouri State University) presents a series of 37 lectures introducing the Hebrew Bible, as part of his course, REL 101: Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible.

 

			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 1 – Introduction and Overview 1 by Missouri State University 30:58
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 2 – Introduction and Overview 2 by Missouri State University			41:33
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 3 – The Geography of Palestine by Missouri State University			30:17
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 4 – A Brief History of Ancient Israel 1 by Missouri State University			43:08
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 5 – A Brief History of Ancient Israel 2 by Missouri State University			48:10
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 6 – Authorship and Writing in Ancient Israel by Missouri State University			47:25
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 7 – Intro to Deuteronomistic Literature & Book by Missouri State University			32:55
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 8 – Discussion of Selected Laws of Deuteronomy by Missouri State University			41:53
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 9 – Overview of the Deuteronomistic History by Missouri State University			53:28
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 10 – Archaeology 1 by Missouri State University			48:28
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 11 – Archaeology 2 by Missouri State University			21:48
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 12 – Joshua by Missouri State University			50:57
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 13 – The Book of Judges by Missouri State University			33:21
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 14 – Warfare in the Ancient Near East by Missouri State University			41:37
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 15 – Life Under the Israelite Monarchy by Missouri State University			49:46
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 16 – Overview of the Priestly Literature by Missouri State University			49:55
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 17 – Ancient Near Eastern Parallel Literature by Missouri State University			50:32
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 18 – The Primeval History and the Pentateuch by Missouri State University			46:30
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 19 – Stories of Israel’s Ancestors by Missouri State University			36:45
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 20 – The Exodus from the Land by Missouri State University			46:22
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 21 – Leviticus and Numbers by Missouri State University			45:15
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 22 – Sampling: Ezra, Nehemiah & Chronicles by Missouri State University			46:42
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 23 – Warrior Imagery: Ancient Near East by Missouri State University			34:30
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 24 – The Tradition of D and P by Missouri State University			37:15
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 25 – Overview of Prophecy in Israel by Missouri State University			44:02
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 26 – Amos and Hosea by Missouri State University			44:14
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 27 – Isaiah by Missouri State University			34:37
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 28 – Jeremiah by Missouri State University			37:12
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 29 – Ezekiel by Missouri State University			46:10
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 30 – Haggai and Zechariah by Missouri State University			33:01
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 31 – The Religions of Israel by Missouri State University			48:34
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 32 – Job by Missouri State University			38:55
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 33 – Apocalypticism by Missouri State University			36:46
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 34 – The Book of Daniel by Missouri State University			48:21
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 35 – The Dead Sea Scrolls 1 by Missouri State University			49:02
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 36 – The Dead Sea Scrolls 2 by Missouri State University			59:47
			Literature and World of the Hebrew Bible: Lecture 37 – Summary of the Course by Missouri State University			33:48

Yale Bible Study on Second Isaiah, with Stephen L. Cook and Robert R. Wilson

Over eight videos, Stephen L. Cook (Virginia Theological Seminary) and Robert R. Wilson (Yale Divinity School) discuss Second Isaiah.

The conversation is part of the Yale Bible Study Series presented in cooperation with The Congregational Church of New Canaan in New Canaan, CT.

The videos are accompanied by study materials on Second Isaiah, made available by the Congregational Church of New Canaan.

Isaiah 6:1-9:21: The Prophetic Messenger and his Message

Isaiah 10–12: God’s Felling of Pride, Making Way for New Growth

Isaiah 34—39: Promise in the Context of Renewed Judgment

Isaiah 40:1-31: The Fulfillment of the Divine Word: God’s Faithfulness to Israel

Isaiah 41:1–44:23: God’s Coming Vindication and Deliverance

Isaiah 44:24-48:22: The Agents of God’s Redemption

Isaiah 49:1–52:12: God’s Servant and God’s Bride

Isaiah 2, Isaiah 52:13–55:13: The Arm of God Manifest in Suffering

Yale Bible Study on Exodus, with Joel S. Baden and John J. Collins

Over eight videos, Professor Joel S. Baden (Yale Divinity School) and John J. Collins (Yale Divinity School) discuss the book of Exodus.

The conversation is part of the Yale Bible Study Series presented in cooperation with The Congregational Church of New Canaan in New Canaan, CT.

The videos are accompanied by study materials on Exodus, made available by the Congregational Church of New Canaan.

Introduction to the Dead Sea Scrolls, with Andrew B. Perrin

Trinity Western University have made public a series of videos developed primarily for students enrolled in the “Introduction to the Dead Sea Scrolls” (RELS 320) course, lectured by Dr Andrew B. Perrin in 2015.

The course provides an introduction to the Dead Sea scrolls within the context of early Judaism.

 

			Welcome to RELS 320, Introduction to the Dead Sea Scrolls, at Trinity Western University by TWU Dead Sea Scrolls Institute			6:19
			1.1 Orientation to Ancient Judaism by TWU Dead Sea Scrolls Institute			25:25
			1.2 Survey of Qumran Library by TWU Dead Sea Scrolls Institute			38:29
			1.3 Qumran Archaeology by TWU Dead Sea Scrolls Institute		46:29
			1.4 ReDiscoveries in the Judaean Desert: New Dead Sea Scrolls Finds by TWU Dead Sea Scrolls Institute			20:20
			2.1 Jewish Groups and Qumran Identity: Pharisees, Sadducees, or Essenes? by TWU Dead Sea Scrolls Institute			47:02
			2.2 A Sketch of Qumran Practice and Belief by TWU Dead Sea Scrolls Institute			49:56
			3.1 The Scope and Shape of Scripture among the Dead Sea Scrolls by TWU Dead Sea Scrolls Institute			44:41
			3.2 Insights on the Evolution of Scriptural Commentary from the Dead Sea Scrolls by TWU Dead Sea Scrolls Institute			36:43
			4.1 Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha at Qumran by TWU Dead Sea Scrolls Institute			32:08
			4.2 The Dead Sea Scrolls, Jesus, Paul, and the New Testament by TWU Dead Sea Scrolls Institute			31:43

Notre Dame edX Course: Jesus in Scripture and Tradition

The University of Notre Dame is offering a free 8-week course called Jesus in Scripture and Tradition, available from June 1, 2015.

The instructors are Professor Gary Anderson (Hebrew Bible/Old Testament) and John C. Cavadini (Theology). The course can either be taken for free (audited), or at certificate level (at US$50), and in either case you will receive full access to the course materials.

About this course
The Bible says that Jesus was identified as God’s beloved son at his baptism. The same identification was made about Israel in the Old Testament and the disciples of Christ at their baptism. The striking similarity of these titles establishes a tight interrelationship between the people Israel, the person of Jesus Christ, and the church.

In this course, we will explore how a close reading of the book of Genesis, the Gospels, and early Christian writers can shed further light on these relationships and, in so doing, deepen our understanding of the figure of Jesus Christ. Unlike many other treatments, this course does not presume that Jesus’ character can be plumbed solely by an examination of the Gospel stories. The witness of the Jewish scriptures and the lives of the saints are also important sources for this task.

The course will be eight weeks in length and organized around three topical questions:

• Who is Israel? (primary source material: the book of Genesis)
• Who is Jesus? (primary source material: the Gospels and the Creeds)
• Who is the Church? (primary source material: a selection of post-Biblical Christian writers)

No matter what your background in the study of theology, this course will provide a fresh approach to the identify of Jesus Christ that will reveal how the church has explored the unmeasurable depths of his person.

What you’ll learn

• Recognize major people, places, and events of the Old and New Testament as related to the narratives of Israel and Jesus
• Reflect on the mysteries of Christ
• Examine the Church’s relationship to Christ
• Explore religious questions through study of themes and selected biblical passages
• Reflect on ways major biblical themes apply to modern life

 

Enroll here.

OOTLE15: The Open Old Testament Learning Event 2015

OOTLE15, or the 2015 Open Old Testament Learning Event, is a 13-week introductory course to the Hebrew Bible. The course instructor is G. Brooke Lester, Assistant Professor of Hebrew Scriptures, and Director of Digital Learning, at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.

To join the course, you will need to have a blog and twitter account, and sign up here. The course begins on February 3, 2015, but you can start at any time.

Thirteen-Week Schedule:

Week One (February 3): Orientation to the course and to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament

Week Two (February 9): The Writings: Psalms

Week Three (February 16): The Writings: Wisdom

Week Four (February 23): The Writings: Apocalyptic

Week Five (March 2): The Latter Prophets: 8th century prophecy

Week Six (March 9): The Latter Prophets: 7th century prophecy

Week Seven (March 16): The Latter Prophets: Prophecy after Exile

Week Eight (March 23): The Former Prophets: The Deuteronomistic History

Week Nine (March 30): The Former Prophets: Emergence of Israel

SPRING BREAK!

Week Ten (April 13): The Former Prophets: United Monarchy & divided monarchies

Week Eleven (April 20): The Pentateuch: Genesis, and the “documentary hypothesis”

Week Twelve (April 27): The Pentateuch: Ancestral Tales, and “Covenant”

Week Thirteen (May 4): The Pentateuch: Sinai, and the “Law”

Free Online Course: The Bible’s Prehistory, Purpose, and Political Future, with Jacob L. Wright

Professor Jacob Wright of Emory University is to present a 7-week Coursera MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) on the development of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament: “The Bible’s Prehistory, Purpose, and Political Future”.

The course will commence Monday, May 26, 2014, and enrolments are now open.

About the Course

The objectives of the course are to show:
—how the Bible emerged from large-scale corporate crisis and rupture;
—that in our present state of uncertainty and instability we have much to learn from the various strategies the biblical authors adopted to create an enduring “people of the book”;
—that one doesn’t have to believe in God or accept the historicity of the Bible in order to appreciate its profound political messages;
—that the Bible offers modern societies a model for creating communities around a shared collection of texts, songs, and laws;
—and that the Bible itself has a major role to play in our futures.

Course Syllabus

Week 1: The Riddle That Has Yet To Be Solved
The Bible’s Purpose
Books in Ancient Religions
Between “Church and State”
Theologies of the Bible
A Shared Text
The Bible as a “Pedagogical Program of Peoplehood”

Week 2: The Rise and Fall
Israel’s Place in the World of the Ancient Near East
The Emergence of Two Competing Kingdoms
Military Triumphs
The Onslaught of Imperial Powers
Defeat and Deportation
Conditions of Conquest

Week 3: The Making of the Bible as a Response to Defeat
Diaspora and Divided Communities
Creating a Shared Past and Common Ancestors
The Pentateuch and Historical Narratives
One People with Multiple Law Codes
Creating a Collection of National Songs and Laments
Reinterpreting Prophecies
Comparative Cases: English and German History

Week 4: Reinventing the Hero
Martial Valor, Masculinity, and Martyrdom
Long Life versus Glorified Heroic Death
The New Role of the Family
From Battles to Building
Comparatives Cases: From the Crow Nation to Jane Austen

Week 5: A Wise and Discerning People  
The Role of Education
National Education Programs: From 19th Century Germany to the Dalai Lama
From Deuteronomy to Ezra-Nehemiah
Freedom of Information and Open Access
Making Priestly Knowledge Public
The Attempts of the State to Control Prophets
Divine Knowledge for the People, Not Solely the King
The Reason Why Biblical Writings Survived Catastrophes

Week 6: Covenant and Kinship
The Rise of Empires
One God
A New “Political-Theology”
Covenantal Ethics of Peoplehood
The Power of Law
Protecting the Individual and Defending Difference
Caring for the Land

Week 7: The Bible’s Future
The Bible’s Pedagogical and Political Purpose
The Bible’s Radical Theology
The Bible as an Attempt to Unify Rival Communities
The Bible’s Impact on Political Identities Throughout the World
The Bible’s Role in the Public Sphere and in Secular Society
The Bible as a Model for New Forms of Community

Free Online Course: The Fall and Rise of Jerusalem, with Oded Lipschits and Ido Koch

Professor Oded Lipschits and Ido Koch of Tel Aviv University are to present a 6-week Coursera MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) on the archaeology and history of Jerusalem: “The Fall and Rise of Jerusalem”.

The course will begin on October 26, 2014, and enrolments are now open.

About the Course

The period of the demise of the Kingdom of Judah at the end of the sixth century B.C.E., the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians, the exile of the elite to Babylon, and the reshaping of the territory of the new province of Judah, culminating at the end of the century with the first return of exiles – all have been subjects of intense scrutiny in modern scholarship. This course takes into account the biblical textual evidence, the results of archaeological research, and the reports of the Babylonian and Egyptian sources and provides a comprehensive survey and analysis of the evidence for the history of this 100-year-long era. The course includes a detailed discussion by Prof. Oded Lipschits of Tel Aviv University, with guest lectures by leading scholars dealing with the archaeological and biblical aspects of this debated topic.

 

Course Syllabus

Week One
Introduction to geopolitics and geography of the Ancient Near East
Week Two
The turmoil of the seventh century BCE
Week Three
Judah under Babylonian rule
Week Four
The days of the destruction of Jerusalem
Week Five
Archaeology of the sixth century BCE
Week Six
The restoration of Jerusalem in the early Persian Period and Summary

Robert R. Cargill – Jerusalem: The Holy City

Lectures from Dr Robert R. Cargill’s course “Jerusalem: The Holy City:  A History of Jerusalem from Ancient Canaan to Modern Israel” (University of California, Los Angeles; Spring 2010) are freely available for viewing on iTunes. The course consists of 18 lectures, on 27 videos, and is accompanied by a syllabus.

This course surveys the religious, political, and cultural history of Jerusalem over three millennia as a symbolic focus of three faiths: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The course content will focus on the transformation of sacred space as reflected by literary and archaeological evidence by examining the testimony of artifacts, architecture, and iconography in relation to the written word. We will study the creation of mythic Jerusalem through event and experience. Course requirements will focus on developing advanced writing skills.

1	Syllabus for Spring 2010 ANNEA 10W: Jerusalem, the Holy City (CARGILL)	—	4/20/10	Free	View In iTunes
2	VideoLecture 1.1: Jerusalem as Sacred Space (Part 1) (4/1/2010)	—	4/2/10	Free	View In iTunes
3	VideoLecture 1.2: Jerusalem as Sacred Space (Part 2) (4/6/2010)	—	4/7/10	Free	View In iTunes
4	VideoLecture 2: Canaanite Jerusalem (4/8/2010)	—	4/8/10	Free	View In iTunes
5	VideoLecture 3.1: David’s Jerusalem (Part 1) (4/8/2010)	—	4/8/10	Free	View In iTunes
6	VideoLecture 3.2: David’s Jerusalem (Part 2) (4/13/2010)	—	4/13/10	Free	View In iTunes
7	VideoLecture 4.1: Solomon’s Jerusalem (Part 1) (4/13/2010)	—	4/13/10	Free	View In iTunes
8	VideoLecture 4.2: Solomon’s Jerusalem (Part 2) (4/15/2010)	—	4/15/10	Free	View In iTunes
9	VideoLecture 5.1: Hezekiah’s Jerusalem (Part 1) (4/15/2010)	—	4/15/10	Free	View In iTunes
10	VideoLecture 5.2: Hezekiah’s Jerusalem (Part 2) (4/20/2010)	—	4/21/10	Free	View In iTunes
11	VideoLecture 6.1: Josiah’s Jerusalem (Part 1) (4/20/2010)	—	4/20/10	Free	View In iTunes
12	VideoLecture 6.2: Josiah’s Jerusalem (Part 2) (4/22/2010)	—	4/22/10	Free	View In iTunes
13	VideoLecture 7.1: Exilic Jerusalem (Part 1) (4/22/2010)	—	4/22/10	Free	View In iTunes
14	VideoLecture 7.2: Exilic Jerusalem (Part 2) (4/27/2010)	—	4/27/10	Free	View In iTunes
15	VideoLecture 8: Persian Jerusalem (5/4/2010)	—	5/4/10	Free	View In iTunes
16	VideoLecture 9: Hellenistic Jerusalem (5/6/2010)	—	5/7/10	Free	View In iTunes
17	VideoLecture 10.1: Hasmonean Jerusalem (Part 1) (5/6/2010)	—	5/7/10	Free	View In iTunes
18	VideoLecture 10.2: Hasmonean Jerusalem (Part 2) (5/11/2010)	—	5/11/10	Free	View In iTunes
19	VideoLecture 11: Herodian Jerusalem (5/11/2010)	—	5/11/10	Free	View In iTunes
20	VideoLecture 12: Jerusalem in Revolt (5/13/2010)	—	5/14/10	Free	View In iTunes
21	VideoLecture 13: Byzantine Jerusalem (5/18/2010)	—	5/18/10	Free	View In iTunes
22	VideoLecture 14: Islamic Jerusalem (5/20/2010)	—	6/7/10	Free	View In iTunes
23	VideoLecture 15: Crusader Jerusalem (5/25/2010)	—	5/25/10	Free	View In iTunes
24	VideoLecture 16: Mamluk and Ottoman Jerusalem (5/27/2010)	—	5/31/10	Free	View In iTunes
25	VideoLecture 17.1: 20th Century Jerusalem (Part 1) (6/1/2010)	—	6/1/10	Free	View In iTunes
26	VideoLecture 17.2: 20th Century Jerusalem (Part 2) (6/3/2010)	—	6/5/10	Free	View In iTunes
27	VideoLecture 18: 21st Century Jerusalem (6/3/2010)	—	6/5/10	Free	View In iTunes
28	VideoRandom Questions for/about Dr. Cargill (6/3/10)	—	6/5/10	Free	View In iTunes

David Penchansky – Old Testament Introduction

Professor David Penchansky, of the University of St. Thomas, Minnesota, provides a series of videos from his Old Testament Introduction course. The videos are not complete lectures, but segments on select topics, and are able to be viewed on YouTube:

1.  7:22

   Introduction to the Old Testament – Language of the Bible

   This video introduces the Hebrew Bible and discusses the languages in which its various texts were originally composed.

2.  13:06

   Introduction to the Old Testament – How the Bible Was Written

   This video clip briefly explains the authorship of the Hebrew Bible.

3.  8:04

   Introduction to the Old Testament – Inspiration of the Bible

   This video clip offers an introduction to the question of whether or not the Hebrew Bible presents the inspired Word of God and, if so, to what extent it does.

4.  10:58

   Introduction to the Old Testament – Geography of the Bible

   This video clip offers an introduction to the geography relevant to the study of the Hebrew Bible, focusing on the Ancient Near East (A.N.E.).

5.  7:26

   Introduction to the Old Testament – Documentary Hypothesis

   This video clip offers an introduction to the Documentary Hypothesis, or the leading scholarly hypothesis of the Hebrew Bible’s authorship.

6.  5:20

   King David – pt. 1 (Introduction)

   This video clip introduces my series on King David and presents David’s so-called “happiest times.”

7.  10:12

   King David – pt. 2 (Rise to Power)

   This video clip continues my series on King David, describing how he ascended to the throne over all of Israel.

8.  6:27

   King David – pt. 3 (Nathan)

   This video clip continues my series on King David, describing his relationship with the prophet Nathan.

9.  8:36

   King David – pt. 4 (Bathsheeba)

   This video clip continues my series on King David, describing the “Bathsheeba Incident.”

10.  8:47

    King David – pt. 5 (Michal)

    This video clip concludes my series on King David, describing David’s relationship with Saul’s daughter Michal.

11.  10:55

    Ancestors of Genesis 12-50 I – Abraham, Isaac, & Jacob

    This video clip introduces the patriarchs and matriarchs of Genesis 12-50, or Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and their respective wives and mistresses.

12.  8:28

    Ancestors of Genesis 12-50 II – Eponymous Ancestors

    This video clip describes Israelite eponymous ancestry.

13.  10:54

    Ancestors of Genesis 12-50 III – Dating & Geography

    This video clip offers a guide to appropriately dating and understanding geography while studying Israelite eponymous ancestry.

14.  20:03

    Ancestors of Genesis 12-50 IV – Literary Structure & Covenant

    This video clip introduces the 3 cycles of tales of Genesis 12-50 and explains the Abrahamic covenant.

15.  6:35

    Exodus – pt. 1 – Structure of Exodus & the Name of God

    This video clip introduces the structure of the Book of Exodus and Yahweh’s self-identification in its pages.

16.  5:15

    Exodus – pt. 2 – The Covenant

    This video clip introduces the Mosaic Covenant.

17.  4:11

    Exodus – pt. 3 – The Exodus Event I

    This video clip introduces the Exodus Event.

18.  8:43

    Exodus – pt. 4 – The Exodus Event II

    This video clip continues my introduction to the Exodus Event.

19.  10:46

    Exodus – pt. 5 – Animal Sacrifice

    This video clip describes the centrality of animal sacrifice to religious worship in the Ancient Near East and, in particular, to the Hebrew people’s worship of Yahweh.

20.  14:47

    Exodus – pt. 6 – Clean & Unclean

    This video clip introduces the ancient Hebrew concept of ritual cleanliness.

21.  45:24

    Ehud and Eglon

    This is my comedic, educational video covering the story of Ehud and Eglon from the 3rd chapter of Judges.

22.  10:49

    Syro-Ephraimite War – pt. 1

    This video clip introduces the Syro-Ephraimite War, providing historical context for the conflict.

23.  8:57

    Syro-Ephraimite War – pt. 2

    This video clip continues my introduction to the Syro-Ephraimite War.

24.  14:46

    Syro-Ephraimite War – pt. 3

    This video clip continues my introduction to the Syro-Ephraimite War.

25.  11:33

    Syro-Ephraimite War – pt. 4

    This video clip continues my introduction to the Syro-Ephraimite War.

26.  10:57

    Syro-Ephraimite War – pt. 5

    This video clip continues my introduction to the Syro-Ephraimite War.

27.  8:39

    Syro-Ephraimite War – pt. 6

    This video clip continues my introduction to the Syro-Ephraimite War.

28.  8:44

    Syro-Ephraimite War – pt. 7

    This video clip concludes my introduction to the Syro-Ephraimite War.

29.  13:04

    Prophecy pt. 1 – Definition

    This video clip defines Ancient Israelite prophecy.

30.  19:57

    Prophecy pt. 2 – Stages of Prophecy

    This video clip describes the 3 stages of the nebi’im, or prophets: the bene nebi’im, the former prophets, and the latter/written prophets.

31.  10:47

    Prophecy pt. 3 – Ecstasy

    This video clip describes prophetic ecstasy, or “God intoxication.”

32.  7:03

    Propechy pt. 4 – Royal Court

    This video clip describes the relationship between ancient Israelite prophecy and the royal court.

33.  8:36

    Images of God in Job – pt. 1 – Story of Job

    This video clip provides an introduction to the Book of Job, focusing on the Book’s first scene.

34.  2:41

    Images of God in Job – pt. 2 – Dialogue & Conclusion of Job

    This video clip discusses the dialogues of the Book of Job (the text’s center) and the Book’s conclusion.

35.  13:00

    Images of God in Job – pt. 3 – Majestic Thunderer & Enforcer

    This video clip introduces our discussion of the images of God in the Book of Job and discusses the Book’s images of God as the Majestic Thunderer and as the Enforcer.

36.  10:55

    Images of God in Job – pt. 4 – Bully & Buffoon

    This video clip discusses the images of God in the Book of Job as the Bully and as the Buffoon.

37.  20:58

    Images of God in Job – pt. 5 – How should we view God?

    This video clip concludes my lecture on the images of God in the Book of Job, discussing the hidden image of God in the Book of Job as a just God and exploring the implications of the lecture’s body.

38.  32:11

    Wisdom in the Old Testament – pt. 1 (Definitions & Wisdom Literature)

    This video clip presents the definitions necessary to discuss the topic of Wisdom in the Old Testament and introduces the Wisdom Literature.

39.  25:59

    Wisdom in the Old Testament – pt. 2 (Wisdom in Other Parts of the Bible)

    This video clip describes instances in which wisdom is seen in parts of the Bible outside of the Wisdom literature.

40.  40:01

    Wisdom in the Old Testament – pt. 3 (Book of Proverbs)

    This video clip discusses the Book of Proverbs.

Shaye Cohen: The Hebrew Scriptures in Judaism and Christianity

Professor Shaye Cohen, of Harvard University, delivers an introduction to both early Judaism and early Christianity, through the lens of their respective interpretations of the Bible.

“The Hebrew Scriptures in Judaism and Christianity” is available on iTunes. The course includes a syllabus and notes for each lecture, and exam papers. There are 26 lectures in total.

In 70CE the Romans destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem. Second Temple Judaism, whose worship consisted of animal sacrifice permitted by biblical command only at the Temple, would have to reinvent itself as Rabbinic Judaism.  Contemporaneously, the authors of the New Testament Gospels were writing about the Jewish apocalyptic prophet whom they believed was the awaited messiah.  For both the rabbis and the gospel writers, for both ancient Jews and ancient Christians, the central authoritative text was the Torah and the other books we now call the Hebrew Scriptures.  This course surveys how the interpretation (and reinterpretation) of these books spawned two rival cultural systems, Judaism and Christianity.  The issues addressed are: 1) What are the truth claims of Judaism and Christianity?  2) In the first centuries of our era, how did Jewish biblical interpretation differ from Christian?  3) What differences resulted in “the parting of the ways” between Judaism and Christianity?  4) How does each culture deal with the biblical passages concerning: circumcision, the food laws, the Sabbath, Passover, the manifestations of the deity (e.g., Logos), the messiah, atonement/redemption, and the concept of Israel as the chosen of God?

Lectures:

1. Introduction to the Course
2. What is the Bible?
3. What is Judaism?
4. What is Christianity?
5. Jewish Bible Interpretation in Antiquity
6. Christian Bible Interpretation in Antiquity
7. The Parting of the Ways
8. Justine Martyr and Early Christianity
9. Circumcision: The Jewish Understanding
10. Circumcision: The Christian Understanding
11. The Food Laws: The Jewish View
12. The Food Laws: The Christian View
13. The Sabbath
14. From Shabbat to Sunday
15. Pesah/Passover
16. The Seder
17. From Psah to Pascha
18. Melito of Sardis and the Christian Passover
19. The One God, Torah, and Logos
20. The One God who is Two
21. Messiah: The Restoration of the Davidic King
22. Christ as King and Messiah
23. Atonement through Sacrifice and its Surrogates
24. Atonement through the Sacrifice of Christ
25. Israel, the People of God
26. Who is the True Israel?

Daniel Fleming – “Ancient Israel”: An Introduction to the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible

Professor Daniel Fleming, of New York University, presents an introductory course on the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible called “Ancient Israel“, which is available to view on 27 videos (on YouTube).

1.  1:14:09

   Ancient Israel
2.  1:13:13

   Ancient Israel – Where to Begin: Israel in the Bible and Without it
3.  1:12:38

   Ancient Israel – Israel’s Roots
4.  1:10:19

   Ancient Israel – Another World Out There
5.  1:06:47

   Ancient Israel – What to do with Genesis
6.  53:56

   Ancient Israel – God and Us
7.  1:13:02

   Ancient Israel – What to do with the Bible
8.  1:11:05

   Ancient Israel: Israel Arrives
9.  1:12:23

   Ancient Israel: The Good Life: No Sovereign in Site
10.  1:09:45

    Ancient Israel: Women and Power
11.  1:06:00

    Ancient Israel: And then there were Kings
12.  1:14:39

    Ancient Israel: Love and Marriage
13.  59:17

    Ancient Israel: Archaeology’s 10th Century Solution
14.  1:09:44

    Ancient Israel: Israel and Judah: The Period of Two Kingdoms
15.  1:00:53

    Ancient Israel: The House of David
16.  1:12:33

    Ancient Israel: How the Other Side Lives (or, Israel in the East)
17.  1:09:11

    Ancient Israel: What if God was Married
18.  1:10:20

    Ancient Israel: Judah Alone
19.  57:25

    Ancient Israel – Yellow Journalism and Purple Prose: Writing Like a Prophet
20.  45:42

    Ancient Israel: Judah the Ideal and the End of Judah
21.  1:09:47

    Ancient Israel: Empires, in the Biblical Context
22.  44:59

    Ancient Israel: Judah’s Bible
23.  40:31

    Ancient Israel: A World with One Power: The Impact of Empire
24.  1:08:44

    Ancient Israel: Away from Home: Jewish Refugees and Resettlement
25.  1:10:19

    Ancient Israel: When You Talk About Sex
26.  1:05:40

    Ancient Israel: We Need a Bible, Don’t We? The Work of the Early Jewish Community
27.  56:47

    Ancient Israel: Ancient Hebrew Psychology

For additional class materials, see the course page at New York University.

Michael Satlow – From Israelite to Jew

Professor Michael Satlow, of Brown University, offers a complete set of lectures on early Judaism (recorded 2011), available for free download on iTunes. The course, “From Israelite to Jew” covers the exile, return from exile, Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman periods, including Philo, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the destruction of the Temple.

 Name   Description   Released   Price 

 Episode 1 – Between Faith and Reason–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 Episode 2 – The Religion of Israel–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 Episode 3 – Exile–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 Episode 4 – Return–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 Episode 5 – Ezra–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 The Hedgehog, the Fox, and the Talmud–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 Episode 6 – The Torah–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 Episode 7 – Nehemiah–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

Episode 8 – Jews of the Persian Empire–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 Episode 9 – Hellenism Arrives–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 Episode 10 – Jubilees and 1 Enoch–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 Episode 11 – The Revolt of the Maccabees–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 Episode 12 – The Hasmonean Kings–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 Episode 13 – Origins of Jewish Sectarianism–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 Episode 14 – Hellenistic Judaism–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 Episode 15 – Herod the Great–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 Episode 16 – Philo–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 Episode 17 – The Dead Sea Scrolls–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 Episode 18 – Jesus and Other Strange Jews–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 Episode 19 – Josephus–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 Episode 20 – The First Century–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 Episode 21 – Destruction–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

 Episode 22 – After the Destruction: A Beginning or an End?–1/4/11 Free View In iTunes

Professor Michael L. Satlow specializes in Early Judaism and has written extensively on issues of gender, sexuality, and marriage among Jews in antiquity, as well as on the Dead Sea scrolls, Jewish theology, methodology in Religious Studies, and the social history of Jews during the rabbinic period. His latest book is entitled Creating Judaism.

Open Yale Course – Introduction to the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible), with Christine Hayes

Open Yale Courses offers an introductory course to the New Testament, called “Introduction to the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible)“. The course includes 24 lectures, available to view in video, audio, and transcript formats.

This course examines the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) as an expression of the religious life and thought of ancient Israel, and a foundational document of Western civilization. A wide range of methodologies, including source criticism and the historical-critical school, tradition criticism, redaction criticism, and literary and canonical approaches are applied to the study and interpretation of the Bible. Special emphasis is placed on the Bible against the backdrop of its historical and cultural setting in the Ancient Near East.

Christine Hayes is the Robert F. and Patricia Ross Weis Professor of Religious Studies at Yale. She received her Ph.D. from University of California, Berkeley in 1993. A specialist in talmudic-midrashic studies, Hayes offers courses on the literature and history of the biblical and talmudic periods. She is the author of two scholarly books:Between the Babylonian and Palestinian Talmuds, recipient of the 1997 Salo Baron prize for a first book in Jewish thought and literature, and Intermarriage and Conversion from the Bible to the Talmud, a 2003 National Jewish Book Award finalist. She has also authored an undergraduate textbook and several journal articles.