Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Upon completion of the course students should be able to:

1.  Use an understanding of Old Testament ideas and content to interact appropriately with those who value them as sacred texts.

2.  Recognize and reflect on the impact of Old Testament claims in relation to world events and cultures.

3.  Examine the history and development of the people of Israel (who became known as the Jews), including their myths, prophetic writings, poetry and other genre included in biblical texts, as well as their interactions with surrounding cultures.

One of the outcomes of such a course is that students become self-reflective, focusing upon their own beliefs and convictions and sometimes even to the level of reframing their own faith for themselves (instead of it being something they have simply accepted/been reared to believe). Truly, this is one of the most rewarding outcomes of such a course, but it is not something that can be expected of all students or assessed at the end of a term.

The course may include lectures, audio-visual presentations, student presentations, large and small group discussions, guest lecturers, field trips and/or community based learning activities.

Assessment strategies will include some of the following:
• Essays in the form of in-class exams, short papers or term papers
• Student presentations on research, including site visits to religious settings
• Short answer or multiple choice exams
• Group and individual projects, written or multi-media
• Participation in classroom discussion and activities, including field trips
• Portfolios and/or journals
• Community-Based Learning projects
• Attendance

• The genesis and historical development of the people and writings that are identified and contained in the Old Testament (first testament of the Bible)
• The major themes that are present in these writings and significant people in them
• The significant issues the people of Israel faced
• The political, cultural, and religious elements of the Jewish faith that can be examined in these writings
• The connection between the biblical people and members of Jewish communities today