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  • Old Testament Literature, History, and Theology (3 credits)

    Instructor: Dr. Ted Hildebrandt

    NOTE: THIS COURSE’S VIDEOS USE FLASH. IF YOU ARE USING YOUR MOBILE DEVICE TO GO THROUGH THIS COURSE, YOU MAY NEED TO DOWNLOAD A BROWSER CALLED PUFFIN. IT IS A FREE DOWNLOAD. TO DOWNLOAD THIS TO YOUR DEVICE CLICK HERE.

    Matricularme

    Overview: This class examines the literature of the Old Testament with careful attention to the historical, cultural, geographical, religious, and literary elements of ancient Near Eastern societies. This course will also show the influence of Old Testament literature on the New Testament and on Western culture. (This class can be used as a core requirement for the Degree program or as an elective in all programs. You can only use this course once in your program.)



    Course Outcomes:

    1. Recall the basic historical content of the Old Testament (OT).
    2. Comprehend the origin and transmission of the OT text.
    3. Understand and praise God’s character and actions in history.
    4. Comprehend OT cultural issues and their relevance to post-modern culture.
    5. Analyze, interpret and apply the meaning of OT texts from multiple perspectives.
    6. Critically evaluate and integrate your thinking with current OT research and historical and archeological discoveries.
    7. Distill, formulate and integrate your view of God, his working with individuals/nations throughout history in the development of his kingdom in heaven and on earth.
    8. Appreciate God’s use of and interaction with human culture and the value of the various disciplines of the liberal arts as supported by the OT.
    9. Comprehend, reflect on, understand and apply OT community and moral/ethical constructs. Embrace a worldview that includes a commitment to caring for the creation/environment and upholding basic human rights.


    Domain Objectives:

    1. Cognitive Objectives: 
      1. You will understand the basic historical framework of the OT and the factual details and stories that compose the OT. You will learn the process of how the Old Testament came to us, the customs and cultural issues manifested in the OT and the meaning and implications of the Old Testament stories for today. You will understand God’s character (mercy, justice, love, holiness) and actions in history (sovereignty, covenant, war, shalom, forgiveness, retribution, redemption, salvation, anger, wrath, divine suffering, et al.). You will see theological reasons for the care of creation and valuing of human life and basic human rights. You will learn the different stages of faith and spiritual formation and the nature of sin and its consequences collectively and individually.
    2. Affective Objectives:  
      1. You will appreciate the value of the Old Testament, the greatness of God, and human responsibility in terms of holiness and the pursuit of personal and collective justice and mercy. You will appreciate God’s use of and interaction with human culture and the value of the various disciplines of the liberal arts as supported by the OT
    3. Skill Objectives:  
      1. You will be able to identify major themes, genres, and styles of OT literature. You will be able to interpret texts according to their original intent and setting and apply the meaning and significance of the Old Testament stories to life within the post-modern culture. You will be able to critically evaluate interpretive options of some of the major “difficult” passages in the Old Testament and ask big questions (the meaning of life, death, suffering, destiny, happiness, choices, etc.) of the text and pursue answers.


    Resources:

    1. The Bible in an accurate translation (NIV, NLT, NRSV, NASB, KJV, NKJV, Net Bible are all valid choices. Dr. Hildebrandt has prepared a DASV (Digital American Standard Version) which is available in text and audio on the website. These and other versions are available online at www.biblehub.com, www.biblegateway.com, and www.eSword.net among others.
    2. Digital Resources: All of the resources will be made available online in the form of PowerPoint, video, and audio.


    Required Assignments

    1. 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.

    2. 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. 

    Quizzes must be completed independently. The use of AI tools, search engines, other websites, or assistance from other individuals is prohibited.

    Quizzes are open-note. You may reference your own notes or any of the provided CLI course materials during the quiz. However, you should plan to study materials prior to attempting the quiz.

    Quiz Tip: First answer the questions you know. Then use your own notes or the provided CLI course materials to help answer any questions you are unsure about.

    3. 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.


    DISCLAIMER: Old Testament Studies can be controversial. Issues such as creation, Levitical laws, holy wars, and other subjects come into play. Engage in the topics with an eye toward apologetics. In today’s world, you are not only living and believing the truth but also proclaiming the truth as a Christian leader. Christian Leaders Institute thanks Dr. Ted Hildebrandt for his voice and his attempts to give clarity to the meaning of Old Testament Literature. As you take this class and many more at CLI, our hope is that you come to Biblical and humble opinions about these controversial subjects so that you will be an active Christian leader! 

    Finally, please note to view the lectures as videos you will need to download the Puffin web browser, especially for your phone. Otherwise, use the audio and written text of the lectures.