Course Overview

Biblical Wisdom Books (4 credits)

Wisdom is more precious than rubies. (Proverbs 8:11)

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)

Overview: This ministry training course examines the wisdom writings of Old Testament sages and poets: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, and Lamentations. The class shows the relevance of Old Testament wisdom for knowing God's wisdom in Christ and following Jesus today.

Course Outcomes:

1. Read and become familiar with Old Testament wisdom books and selected Psalms.
2. Understand the theological framework and main message of each wisdom book.
3. Know various types of Psalms: lament, curse, praise, instruction, royal, thanks, and confidence.
4. Recognize some literary techniques of Hebrew poetry.
5. Understand that Jesus is the source and focus of all wisdom.
6. Discern how Old Testament wisdom informs and guides Jesus’ followers today.

Required Assignments:

1. Read the Old Testament chapters assigned for each unit, either online or in your own Bible. 
2. View all online lectures and read all articles on each topic. Active engagement with course materials prior to attempting the quiz is required for each unit. If a resource is provided in multiple formats, simply choose whichever format best supports your learning. CLI’s system tracks your viewing history to determine meaningful engagement. Make sure you are logged into your student account when viewing or downloading the materials.
3. Use the discussion forum to ask questions and exchange ideas with others.
4. Take the online quiz for each unit. You will have 75 minutes to answer 20 multiple-choice questions for each quiz. Each quiz covers the readings and video lectures for that unit. Once a quiz has started, you must finish it, and you cannot retake it. 

5. At the end of the course, you will be invited to complete a brief Course Feedback Survey. Your feedback helps CLI evaluate the course and identify opportunities for improvement.

Course Forum

Each course forum is located near the beginning of the course, immediately before the first course-content section. The forum allows students to post course-related questions and comments for other currently enrolled students to view and discuss. You can also search previous posts to see whether your question or topic has already been addressed. 

The forum is intended primarily for peer discussion and may not receive an immediate response. Questions or concerns requiring timely assistance should be directed to the Help Desk at helpdesk@christianleaders.net.

Grading Scale

A  93-100%   A- 90-92%   B+ 87-89%   B  83-86%   B- 80-82%   C+ 77-79%   C  73-76%   C- 70-72%   D+ 67-69%   D  63-66%   D- 60-62%   F  0-59%

Students' final grade is based on the average of all required quizzes and assignments. Each graded activity is weighted equally unless otherwise stated. The single lowest quiz score will be excluded from the overall grade.

Your average for the course must be at least 60%. Otherwise, you will fail the class and will receive no credit.

Deadline

You have 180 days to finish the course. If you have not received a final grade for the course before your enrollment ends, you will be automatically unenrolled, you will receive an “Administrative Withdrawal” for the course on your transcript, and all coursework will be removed. You will have to start over and take the class again to receive credit.

To avoid potential administrative delays or additional fees, please complete all assignments at least three weeks before your enrollment end date.

If you believe you qualify for a two-week extension, as outlined in our Catalog policies, please contact the Help Desk at helpdesk@christianleaders.net as soon as possible, ideally at least three weeks before your enrollment end date.