Justice, Mercy and Theodicy in the Old Testament
|
BS326/426 |
| Mark O'Brien op |
Semester 1, 2012 Wednesday 6.00pm — 9.00pm |
This unit will examine how the Old Testament portrays God as just and merciful and the criteria whereby Israel is called to be the just and merciful society. It will consist of an analysis of the terms Justice and Mercy and associated terminology within their literary, historical and theological contexts. It will consider how these terms and the contexts in which they are used contribute to Theodicy—the notion of the just God.
Undergraduate Prerequisites (BS326)
BS101 and BS102, and two Biblical Studies units at second level
Graduate and Postgraduate Prerequisites
| third level: | BS101 or BS350 |
| fourth level: | BS101 or BS350 and as required by the MCD University of Divinity Coursework Studies Committee, including proficiency in appropriate biblical languages |
Requirements
3 hours per week
Undergraduate Assessment (BS326)
| one 1,000 word seminar presentation | 20% |
| one 2,500 word exegesis | 40% |
| one 2,500 word essay | 40% |
Graduate and Postgraduate Assessment
| third level: | Equivalent to 6,000 words see Coursework Assessment for Graduate and Postgraduate Students |
100% |
| fourth level: | one 6,000 word essay | 100% |
Bibliography
- Birch, Bruce C. Let Justice Roll Down: The Old Testament, Ethics, and Christian Life. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 1991.
- Boda, Mark J. A Severe Mercy: Sin and Its Remedy in the Old Testament. Siphrut: Liturgy and Theology of the Old Testament Scriptures. Winona Lakes, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2009.
- Botterweck, G. Johannes, and Helmer Ringgren, eds. Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament, vols 1–15. Translated by John T. Willis. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1974–2004.
- Crenshaw, James L. Defending God: Biblical Responses to the Problem of Evil. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005.
- Gerstenberger, Erhard. Theologies in the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2002.
- Houston, Walter J. Contending for Justice: Ideologies and Theologies of Social Justice in the Old Testament. London: T. & T. Clark, 2006.
- Jenni, Ernst, and Claus Westermann, eds. Theological Lexicon of the Old Testament. 3 vols. Translated by Mark E. Biddle. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1997.
- O’Brien, Mark A. A God Merciful and Gracious: Justice and Mercy in the Old Testament. Alexandria, NSW: Australian Catholic Social Justice Council, 2008.