TRS4502 - The Bible

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to demonstrate:
knowledge and understanding of key themes in the Bible;
knowledge and understanding of the historical and social contexts in which the biblical literature was written and diffused;
knowledge and understanding of historical-critical methods of biblical study;
awareness of the cultural influence of the Bible.

Content:

This module introduces students to the study of the Christian Bible. Taking a thematic approach, students will learn to read the Old and New Testaments. They will learn to demonstrate an empathetic understanding of socio-historical contexts in which the texts were written and to use the historical-critical tools of biblical study appropriately and empathetically. They will also engage with the Bible as a cultural artefact, examining its cultural influence in history.

Content will include:
- themes including covenant, prophecy, salvation, creation;
- the historical and social contexts in which this literature was created, redacted, and diffused;
- introduction to historical-critical methods of biblical study;
- the cultural influence of the Bible.

Learning and Teaching Information:

This module is taught in 10, 2x2-hour plenary classroom sessions. One session each week will consist of a lecture-style presentation by the tutor, and the other will be a seminar, with student-led discussion of topics and readings. Study skills, including presentations from colleagues in the Learning Hub, library, and Moodle support teams, will also be incorporated into these seminars. Guidance on preparatory reading will be provided via the VLE where appropriate, and some class time will also be devoted to developing the skills required for the assessments.

Seminars
Hours: 40 hours
Intended Group size: Cohort

Guided independent study
Hours: 160

Further details relating to assessment
One essay may be set as a blog or a series of tweets in order to introduce students to professional use of social media.

Students may also negotiate their assessment topic with the lecturer.