DI2015 Reading the Women of the Old Testament A (English Texts)

Academic year

2024 to 2025 Semester 2

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

20

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 8

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Planned timetable

Mon, Tue, Thu 11am

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Dr D G Snoek

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr Madhavi Nevader, Dr Michael Lyons

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

This module examines depictions of women and the feminine in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. Topics of study will include named and unnamed female characters in narrative (e.g., the matriarchs; Rahab; Ruth; Esther; Judith), women in legal texts, female characters in Wisdom Literature (“Lady Wisdom”; the “foreign woman”; the “woman of valour”), and the metaphorical depiction of cities as women in prophetic texts. It also discusses the use of female imagery for God, textual depictions of gendered violence, the gendering of religious disobedience, and the religious roles of women in ancient Israel. This module will enable students not only to explore the dialogue and intersection of gender, otherness, and religion, but also the complexity artistry of biblical texts themselves.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisites

BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST PASS DI1003 OR PASS DI1201

Anti-requisites

YOU CANNOT TAKE THIS MODULE IF YOU TAKE DI2014

Assessment pattern

Courswork - 70%, Written exam - 30%

Re-assessment

Written exam - 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

3 lectures (X11 weeks), 1 tutorial (X11 weeks)

Scheduled learning hours

44

The number of compulsory student:staff contact hours over the period of the module.

Guided independent study hours

156

The number of hours that students are expected to invest in independent study over the period of the module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • Identify, describe and understand key themes and approaches to women and the feminine in the Old Testament/Hebrew bible.
  • Analyse a range of texts from Old Testament/Hebrew Bible in terms of their significance for the study of ancient cultural and literary systems of sexuality and gender.
  • Discuss and critique examples of exegesis, and analyse select texts on women from the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible.
  • Construct nuanced, wide-ranging and critically aware arguments, both oral and written, based on an analysis of primary and secondary sources.
  • Plan, research, and complete a structured and reasoned essay on a biblical text, presented in word-processed form.