The Bible contains some of the most powerful stories of all time. This course will explore the literary/critical possibilities for reading biblical sagas of love and war, faith and doubt, salvation and degradation. We will examine literary elements of biblical tales, determine how these narratives have shaped our culture, and study what they reveal about our world. Units of study include heroic narratives (including non-traditional heroes such as Jezebel and Lilith), history of the Davidic monarchy (from Saul through Jesus), wisdom literature and poetry (such as Job and the Psalms), prophetic literature (several Minor Prophets), the letter as literature (the writings of Paul and his contemporaries), and apocalyptic literature (strains of Joel, Ezekiel, and Daniel that reappear in Revelations).

Midterm, final, and one analytical or creative ten-page paper.