REL 201 (Hebrew Bible) & REL 202 (New Testament) / with Dr. Ingrid Lilly

"Coverage of each biblical book includes an introduction to the book itself as well as separate articles on its ancient Near Eastern background and its history of interpretation. Additional articles amply explore the literary dimensions of Hebrew poetry and prose, including acrostic, ellipsis, inclusio, intertextuality, parallelism and rhyme. And there are well-rounded treatments of Israelite wisdom and Wisdom literature, including wisdom poems, sources and theology. In addition, a wide range of interpretive approaches is canvassed in articles on hermeneutics, feminist interpretation, form criticism, historical criticism, rhetorical criticism and social-scientific approaches"--Publisher's description.

Articles by archaeologists on excavations and explorations. Some of the sites are well known to laypeople (e.g., Masada, Petra), but many are familiar only to specialists. Includes sites from both Israel and Jordan, and covers sites and discoveries relevant to both the New Testament and the Hebrew Bible, as well as excavations from earlier and later periods. Included are articles on special topics such as Judean Hiding Complexes and Marine Archaeology. Also included is a useful glossary of technical, geographic, and architectural terms, as well as valuable appendices, such as chronological tables, lists of rulers, and convenient summaries of the various prehistoric and historical eras covered in the encyclopedia.

"Articles cover each Gospel, major themes in the Gospels, key episodes in the life of Jesus, significant background topics, as well as issues and methods of interpretation. Among other benefits, it allows multiple opportunities for each of the Gospels to be weighed and heard in its own voice. Bibliographies are full and up to date, putting readers in touch with the best work in the field"--Publisher's description.

"Delves into the ancient literary sources about Jesus, modern methods of approaching these sources, the major events in Jesus' life, persons and places associated with him, the form and content of his teachings, what can be said about his death and the claim that he was raised from the dead, and the contributions of major modern scholars to the quest of the historical Jesus. Consists of three parts: an introduction to the major topics pertaining to Jesus as a historical figure; a cross-referenced dictionary containing 400 entries on a range of topics, including things Jesus did and said, ancient sources of historical data, and modern scholarship and interpretation; and a bibliography listing some of the most important books related to Jesus and the world in which he lived"--Publisher's description.

Articles by archaeologists on excavations and explorations. Some of the sites are well known to laypeople (e.g., Masada, Petra), but many are familiar only to specialists. Includes sites from both Israel and Jordan, and covers sites and discoveries relevant to both the New Testament and the Hebrew Bible, as well as excavations from earlier and later periods. Included are articles on special topics such as Judean Hiding Complexes and Marine Archaeology. Also included is a useful glossary of technical, geographic, and architectural terms, as well as valuable appendices, such as chronological tables, lists of rulers, and convenient summaries of the various prehistoric and historical eras covered in the encyclopedia.