Course aims:

- knowledge of the general data of introduction in the study of the Old Testament;
- familiarizing the student with the basic teachings of the legislative and historical books;
- emphasizing the activity of the principal kings of Judah and Israel until the fall of the Assyrian captivity (721 BC) and the Babylonian captivity (586 BC).

Course Entry Requirements:

N/A

Course contents:

1. Introductory notions. The canonicity and the inspiration of the Holy Scripture. 2. Textual integrity and Old Testament manuscripts. 3. Old Testament translations. 4. Romanian translations of Holy Scripture. 5. The Pentateuch. Generalities. I. Welhausen's theory. 6. The book of Genesis and the book of Exodus. Contents and the history of the book. 7. The books: Leviticus, Nummeri, and Deuteronom. Theological ideas. 8. The book of Joshua Navi and the Judges. The conquest and the division of Canaan. 9. The book of Ruth and the books: I-II Samuel and I-II Kings. King Saul. 10. King David. The conquest of Jerusalem. Family issues. 11. King Solomon. Great constructions. Dividing the kingdom. 12. The kings of Judah. The Fall of Jerusalem (586 BC). 13. The kings of Israel. The 5 dynasties. The fall of the kingdom (721 BC). 14. Books I-II Paralipomena. Ezra and Nemia. The captivity of Babylon. Return from exile (538 BC).

Teaching methods:

Lecture, debate

Learning outcomes:

- To acquire the elementary notions of introduction in the Study of the Old Testament (canonicity, inspiration, textual integrity, etc.)
- To remember the most important translations of the Holy Scriptures (Greek, Latin, etc. and in Romanian).
- To define the main characteristics of the legislative books, of the related messianic prophecies.
- To compare the old and the new theory regarding the unity of the Pentateuch.
- To retain the most important kings of Israel and Judah.

Learning outcomes verification and assessment criteria:

Written exam

Recommended reading:

Samuel Schulz, A Complete Survey of Old Testament History, HarperOne;, Sun Francisco, 1999, 464.
Marie-Francoise Baslez, Bible et histoire: Judaïsme, hellénisme, christianisme (Divers Histoire) (French Edition), Fayard, Paris, 1998, 479.
Th.Romer,J.-D.Macchi,Cr.Nihan, Introduction a l Ancien Testament, Labor et Fides, Genève, 2009, 19-393.