Sioux Falls Atheists endorse The Old Testament course for describing
the many myths and inaccuracies of the Old Testament, and how
those deceptions colored our perception of history and of God.
The Old Testament
Lectures by Professor Amy-Jill Levine
The Old Testament (2001) - 24 lectures, 12 hours
The Old Testament at TheGreatCourses.com
The Old Testament, or Tanakh, was written in ancient Israel over 1,000 years by many authors. What can this book teach us about the ancient Israelites? What does our faith find in new scholarly understanding? As scripture or as the most influential piece of literature ever written, this book is a source of constant wonder, inspiration, and intrigue.
It is cited on the floor of the Senate and from the bench in the courtroom. Contemporary politics is inextricably intertwined with it, from conflict in the Middle East to the claim by many in the United States that a return to "biblical values" is warranted.
The Bible influenced the Pilgrims to leave England in the 17th century; it inspired the founders of the new republic in the 18th; it roused both slave and abolitionist to seek a new Moses and sponsor a new Exodus in the 19th and the Jews to establish a homeland in the 20th.
It has meant more to more people than any other book in history. The influence of ancient Israel's religious and national literature is evident in everything from medieval mystery plays to modern novels, art, music, theater, film, and dance.
As Professor Amy-Jill Levine observes: "The Old Testament is endlessly fascinating because it offers everything to explore: myth, saga, and history; tragedy, comedy, and farce; economics and politics; literature and poetry of surpassing beauty; court intrigue and prophetic morality; heavenly miracles and sometimes heavenly silence; questions of theodicy; answers that satisfy and answers that may not; destruction and rebuilding; despair and hope."
Professor Amy-Jill Levine is the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Professor of New Testament Studies at the Vanderbilt University Divinity School. A widely sought-after speaker, she has delivered talks on biblical subjects and issues to academic and nonacademic audiences around the world. Professor Levine's invaluable expertise has won her grants from the Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
24 Lectures - 30 minutes each
| 1: In the Beginning |
13: The Book of Judges, Part I |
| 2: Adam and Eve |
14: The Book of Judges, Part II |
| 3: Murder, Flood, Dispersion |
15: Samuel and Saul |
| 4: Abraham, Sarah, and Hager |
16: King David |
| 5: Isaac |
17: From King Solomon to Preclassical Prophecy |
| 6: The Jacob Saga |
18: The Prophets and the Fall of the North |
| 7: Folklore Analysis and Type Scenes |
19: The Southern Kingdom |
| 8: Moses and Exodus |
20: Babylonian Exile |
| 9: The God of Israel |
21: Restoration and Theocracy |
| 10: Covenant and Law, Part I |
22: Wisdom Literature |
| 11: Covenant and Law, Part II |
23: Life in the Diaspora |
| 12: The "Conquest" |
24: Apocalyptic Literature |
(Comment by Webmaster) A very frank, objective, and reality-based assessment of the stories in the Old Testament. Members of any religious or non-religious group would learn much from this course.
The Old Testament
Lectures by Professor Amy-Jill Levine
Sioux Falls Atheists endorse The Old Testament course for describing
the many myths and inaccuracies of the Old Testament, and how
those deceptions colored our perception of history and of God.
