COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

 

 

 

COURSE OUTLINE

 

2020

PROGRAMME

DIPLOMA IN EDUCATION, SECONDARY

FACULTY

ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

COURSE TITLE

BIBLICAL PROPHECY AND WISDOM LITERATURE

COURSE CODE

REL 1602 S-A

NO OF CREDITS HOURS

6 hours per week

COURSE TYPE

COMPULSORY

X

 

 

COURSE LECTURER

REV.  S. M. PULE

LECTURER’S CONTACTS

sm.pule@lce.ac.ls

 

66309352/  63009352

GROUP REPRESENTATIVES

’Mathuso  Raletooane            53269041

 

 Seabata    Ntee                       5147700

 

 

ABRIDGED COURSE SYNOPSIS

 

This course makes an examination of elected prophets in the old testament literature.

It looks at the main contribution of the prophets to Israel’s faith and an examination selected books in the wisdom literature.

COURSE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

At the end of semester I, students should be able to:

Demonstrate their understanding of:

·         Traditional interpretations of the prophets and prophecy

·         Critical evaluation of prophets and prophecy

·         Some issues in modern study of prophets and prophecy

·         Show general historical LESOTHO backgrounds of both selected minor and major prophets

·         Discuss the date, authorship, message and application of each selected prophet

·         Identify the key themes of each book of the prophets

·         Analyse the book of Job in which the author presents his reflection on the problem of evil in life.

CONTENT

WEEK

TOPICS

DESCRIPTION

1

Introduction to prophetic writing and wisdom book

·         General historical

               background of prophets

               and prophecy

·         Divine revelation

               according to Genesis 1 – 11

·         The creation of man in the image of God

·         Man’s fall into sin

·         The trail of sin continues through mankind

·         Noah and the building of the ark

 

2

The tower of Babel

 

Divine revelation

   according to Patriarchal

   narratives

·         God’s selection of the people of the covenant

·         Abraham the father of the faithful

·         The signs and heirs of the covenant

·         Abraham’s sacrifice of faith

 

3

Exodus

 

 

·         The meaning of Exodus

·         The call of Moses

·         The prophet roles of Moses

·         Reasons why scholars doubt the authorship of Moses

       

4

The Former prophets

·         Prophet Elijah

·         Historical background

·         The situation

·         Identification

·         Elijah’s message

 

5

·         Prophet Nathan

·         Historical background

·         The situation

·         Identification

·         Elijah’s message

6

The minor prophets

·         Amos

·         Micah

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

·         Hosea

 

Introduction to the minor prophets

Amos – preacher of holiness

           - How he experienced his vocation

           - Historical background

           - Amos’s message

           - God judges sinful nations

           - How did courts operate

           - God wants social justice

           - The behaviour God expects

           - A call to holiness

 

 The prophet of love        

 

 

7

·         Micah

- Prophet of the Messiah

- Historical background

- In Judah

- Micah’s message

·         The holiness of God

·         Godly living

·         The hope of the Messiah

·         Predictions of punishment

·         The messianic kingdom

Assignment

8

The major prophets

·         Jeremiah

- Historic background

- Summary of the events in Jeremiah’s lifetime

- His threats at the Tempel’s gate

- The fall of the southern Kingdom

9

·         Isaiah

- Historical background

- Chronology of events in the time of Isaiah

- Outline of Isaiah

- The message of Isaiah

- The servant of the Lord

 

10

·         Ezekiel

- The valley of the dry bones and the good shepherd

Assignment

11

The book of Job

- The settings

- His sufferings

- Job’s hope in God

12

 

 

 

 

 

 

COURSE ASSESSMENT

Assessment method

Description

Weight

Aligned course learning outcome

Assignment

2

10%

 

Test

1

30%

 

 

 

 

 

Course work

1 Assignments

 

2  Tests

 

40%

 

Examination

 

60%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REFERENCES

1.Carman, Jon B., and Steven P. Hopkins, eds. Tracing Common Themes: Comparative Courses in the Study of Religion. Atlanta, 1991. Shows various ways that comparative topics and perspectives can be addressed in college religion courses.

2.Eliade, Mircea. Patterns in Comparative Religion. Translated by Rosemary Sheed. Cleveland, Ohio, 1958. A classic, encyclopedic account of recurrent types of religious symbolism.

3.Jordan, Louis Henry. Comparative Religion: Its Genesis and Growth. Edinburgh, 1905. Comprehensive survey of comparative religion scholarship at the turn of the twentieth century.

4.Martin, Luther H., ed. "The New Comparativism in the Study of Religion: A Symposium." Method and Theory in the Study of Religion 8, no. 1 (1996): 1–49. Debate on the function of comparison by scholars representing different approaches.

5.Neville, Robert Cummings, ed. Ultimate Realities: A Volume in the Comparative Religious Ideas Project. Albany, N.Y., 2001. A major collaborative consideration of the processive nature of comparison and the vulnerability of comparative categories to correction and specification.

6.Wach, Joachim. The Comparative Study of Religions. Edited by Joseph M. Kitagawa. New York, 1958. Midcentury classic.

7.Waldman, Marilyn Robinson. Prophecy and Power: A Comparative Study of Islamic Evidence. Cambridge, Mass., 2004. Though focused on Islam, addresses broad questions about the comparison of religions as a strategic sociopolitical act as well as an academic method.

8. Manyeli T.L. (1982).  Religious Symbols of the Basotho.  Morija Printing Works.

 

9.Mbiti J. (1976). African Traditional Religion and Philosophy.  London Heinemann.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

There are about 65 Students

Assignment  1________________________________________________due date    20-02-2020

Assignment  2 _______________________________________________due date     26-3-2020

Class Test       _______________________________________________ due date     23-4-2020

 

 

 

 

 

FOR OFFICE USE

 

Lecturer’s Signature                                               Date    03-02-2020

 

 

HOD’s Signature ------------------------------------------        Date----------------------------------