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The Bible's Prehistory, Purpose, and Political Future
  • Level Foundation
  • Duration 20 hours
  • Course by Emory University
  • Offered by

About

With its walls razed to ground by Babylon’s armies, Jerusalem joined a long line of ancient vanquished cities—from Ur and Nineveh and Persepolis to Babylon itself. While some recovered from the destruction, others did not. But none responded to political catastrophe by fashioning the kind of elaborate and enduring monument to their own downfall that we find in the Bible. Most conquered populations viewed their subjugation as a source of shame. They consigned it to oblivion, opting instead to extol the golden ages of the past. The biblical authors in contrast reacted to loss by composing extensive writings that acknowledge collective failure, reflect deeply upon its causes, and discover thereby a ground for collective hope. Working through colorful biblical and ancient Near Eastern texts, and drawing on an array of comparative examples, the course illustrates the thoroughgoing manner with which biblical authors responded to defeat by advancing a demotic agenda that places the community at the center. The aim of the biblical authors was to create a nation, and they sought to realize this goal via a shared text, which includes stories and songs, wisdom and laws. This corpus of writings belongs, without a doubt, to humanity’s greatest achievements. Whereas the great civilizations of the Near East invested their energies and resources into monuments of stone that could be destroyed by invading armies, the biblical authors left a literary legacy that has been intensively studied until the present day. More important, these authors’ visionary response to defeat brought to light a radical new wisdom: the notion that a people is greater than the state which governs it, and that a community can survive collapse when all of its members can claim a piece of the pie and therefore have a reason to take an active part in its collective life.

Modules

Welcome to the Course!

    • 1 Videos
    • 3 Readings
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1 Videos

  • Course Introduction

3 Readings

  • Learning Outcomes & Recommended Works
  • Getting Started
  • Publication Offer from Professor Wright (Optional)

Course Resources

    • 3 Readings
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3 Readings

  • Websites
  • Course Maps
  • Biblical Timeline

Lesson 1

    • 3 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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3 Videos

  • Introduction
  • Defeat and the Response to Defeat
  • The Oldest Reference to Israel

1 Readings

  • Letter from the Instructor: Welcome to Module 1

Lesson 2

    • 3 Videos
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3 Videos

  • The Centers of Civilization
  • The Levant as a Land Bridge
  • Egypt's Presence in Canaan During the New Kingdom

Lesson 3

    • 3 Videos
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3 Videos

  • The End of Egyptian Imperial Control
  • Map Module
  • Dever Interview

Review

    • 1 Readings
    • 2 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Quiz 1

2 Discussions

  • Prompt 1
  • Prompt 2

1 Readings

  • Module 1 Readings

Lesson 4

    • 4 Videos
    • 1 Readings
Show info about module content

4 Videos

  • Introduction
  • Israel and Judah
  • Omride Dynasty
  • Fall of Israel

1 Readings

  • Letter from the Instructor: Welcome to Module 2

Lesson 5

    • 2 Videos
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2 Videos

  • The Kingdom of Judah
  • Fall of Judah

Lesson 6

    • 3 Videos
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3 Videos

  • Younger Interview
  • Darby Interview
  • Vaughn Interview

Supplemental Videos

    • 5 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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5 Videos

  • Biblical Narrative: Building a History
  • Israel in Canaan
  • The Rise of the Kingdoms
  • Exploring the Material Culture
  • The Nature of the Kingdoms

1 Readings

  • About the Supplemental Videos

Review

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 3 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Quiz 2

3 Discussions

  • Prompt 1
  • Prompt 2
  • Prompt 3

1 Videos

  • Office Hours Modules 1-2

1 Readings

  • Module 2 Readings

Lesson 7

    • 4 Videos
    • 1 Readings
Show info about module content

4 Videos

  • Introduction
  • Part 1: Judah After the Babylonian Conquest
  • Part 2: Factors Leading to Depopulation
  • A Judahite Community in Egypt

1 Readings

  • Letter from the Instructor: Welcome to Module 3

Lesson 8

    • 4 Videos
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4 Videos

  • Judahite Communities in Babylon
  • The Return to Zion
  • Introduction to the Biblical Project
  • From the Bible to the Sumerian King List

Lesson 9

    • 4 Videos
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4 Videos

  • Analyzing a Biblical Text: Genesis 26
  • A Closer Look at Genesis 26
  • Interweaving Sources
  • Compositional Theories

Lesson 10

    • 3 Videos
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3 Videos

  • Division of the Books: Organizing a History
  • Doctoral Student Aubrey Buster
  • Epigrapher and Professor Christopher A. Rollston

Review

    • 1 Readings
    • 3 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Quiz 3

3 Discussions

  • Prompt 1
  • Prompt 2
  • Prompt 3

1 Readings

  • Module 3 Readings

Genesis Readings

    • 4 Readings
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4 Readings

  • Genesis 25
  • Genesis 26
  • Genesis 27
  • Genesis 28

Lesson 11

    • 5 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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5 Videos

  • Introduction
  • The Biblical Authors Reinvent the Hero
  • Commemorating the Fallen Soldiers
  • The Glorified Death of the Fallen Warrior
  • The Bible’s Treatment of Heroic Death

1 Readings

  • Letter from the Instructor: Welcome to Module 4

Lesson 12

    • 3 Videos
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3 Videos

  • Death in the Bible
  • Biblical Law Codes and Procreation
  • The Preservation of the People

Lesson 13

    • 4 Videos
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4 Videos

  • Interview with Tamara Cohn Eskenazi, Part 1
  • Interview with Tamara Cohn Eskenazi, Part 2
  • Interview with Tamara Cohn Eskenazi, Part 3
  • Conclusion

Review

    • 1 Readings
    • 3 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Quiz 4

3 Discussions

  • Prompt 1
  • Prompt 2
  • Prompt 3

1 Readings

  • Module 4 Readings

Lesson 14

    • 5 Videos
    • 1 Readings
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5 Videos

  • Introduction
  • The Bible as an Educational Curriculum
  • The Educational Ideals of the Bible
  • Education Reform in the Face of Defeat
  • From State Secrets to Open Access and National Literature

1 Readings

  • Letter from the Instructor: Welcome to Module 5

Lesson 15

    • 4 Videos
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4 Videos

  • Divination and Prophecy in Mesopotamia
  • Biblical Prophets and the Throne
  • The Reasons for the Differences
  • Holding Priests in Check

Lesson 16

    • 4 Videos
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4 Videos

  • Breed Interview
  • Manzer Interview
  • Eskenazi Interview Pt. 1
  • Eskenazi Interview Pt. 2

Review

    • 1 Readings
    • 3 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Five

3 Discussions

  • Prompt 1
  • Prompt 2
  • Prompt 3

1 Readings

  • Module 5 Readings

Lesson 17

    • 3 Videos
    • 1 Readings
Show info about module content

3 Videos

  • What We've Learned in This Course
  • Three Distinct Qualities
  • Peoplehood as a "Plan B"

1 Readings

  • Letter from the Instructor: Welcome to Module 6

Lesson 18

    • 3 Videos
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3 Videos

  • The Emergence of a Pan-Israelite Identity
  • Why Does the Bible Originate in Israel and Judah?
  • A Communal Pact Under Persian Rule

Lesson 19

    • 3 Videos
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3 Videos

  • Hope in Divine Judgement: From Treaty to Covenant
  • The Interpersonal Ethics of Covenant
  • Concluding Reflections: The Bible's Future

Lesson 20

    • 3 Videos
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3 Videos

  • Sweeney Interview, Part 1
  • Sweeney Interview, Part 2
  • Sweeney Interview, Part 3

Lesson 21

    • 2 Videos
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2 Videos

  • O'Connor Interview
  • Wolpe Interview

Review

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 2 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Six

2 Discussions

  • Prompt 1
  • Prompt 2

1 Videos

  • Office Hours Modules 3-6

1 Readings

  • Module 6 Readings

Auto Summary

Explore the profound impact of the Bible in "The Bible's Prehistory, Purpose, and Political Future," led by Coursera. Delve into ancient texts and discover how biblical authors turned defeat into a powerful narrative of hope and community. This foundational Arts & Humanities course spans 1200 minutes and is available through Starter and Professional subscriptions, ideal for anyone interested in understanding the Bible's enduring legacy.

Dr. Jacob L. Wright
Instructor

Dr. Jacob L. Wright