RELIGION 121: THE BIBLE IN CULTURE AND COMMUNITY
Sections K and L: Suffering and Hope:
The Bible and the Problem of Suffering
Jim Hanson
Spring,2003
Ch. 108C
X3340/664-0884
From the loss of paradise in Genesis to the hope for a New Creation
in the book of Revelation, one of the Bible’s unifying themes is the question
of why a world brought into being by a good and loving God should contain
so much suffering. In this course, we will examine the ways in
which various biblical writers addressed this question in their own situations
and the historical, cultural, and theological factors that informed their
views. We will also seek to bring the Bible’s insights to bear on
contemporary experience, from personal tragedy to the massive public suffering
that has characterized recent history.
Course Goals:
1) To get a grounding in the Christian and Jewish
scriptures: What are they about? Who wrote them? For
whom were they written? Why should we read them?
2) To familiarize students with the ways in which
the Bible has been used and interpreted within these religious communities
as well as in contemporary scholarship, with special concern for their
use as Christian Scripture
3) To address the question of how the Bible is
relevant for contemporary faith and life
4) To help students develop the written and oral
communication skills and the capacity for critical thinking necessary
for a liberal arts education and a productive, happy life
Course things you get to do:
1) Faithful and cheerful attendance at, preparation for, and
participation in class sessions (10%)
2) Written Work (50%):
-brief (1-2-page) response
papers to selected issues raised in class and in readings
- an essay on a character from the Hebrew
Bible (4-5 pp; 10%)
-an
essay on the question of suffering from the perspective of the Old Testament/Hebrew
Bible (5 pp; 20%)
-an essay on suffering from
the perspective of the New Testament/Christianity (5 pp; 20%)
3) Exams (40%): Mid-term: (20%); Final (20%)
Books you get to read:
THE BIBLE! The New Oxford Annotated Bible. Ed. Coogan et. al.
Oxford Press, 2001.
Borg, Marcus. Reading the Bible again for the First Time. HarperSanFrancisco,
2001.
Kushner, Harold. When Bad Things Happen to Good People. New
York: Avon Books, 1981.
Lewis, C.S. A Grief Observed. Harper San Francisco, 1996.
Wiesel, Elie. Night. New York: Hill & Wang, 1960.
Woltersdorff, Nicholas. Lament for a Son. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans,
1987.
Packet of readings available from the Religion Department office
(cheap)
COURSE TOPICS AND ASSIGNMENTS
(Subject to revision!)
Thurs, Feb 6 No class!
Tues, Feb 11 The Bible and the
Problem of Suffering
Lewis (all)
Kushner, 1-30
Thurs, Feb 13 What is the Bible,
and How does it Mean?
Oxford Annotated Bible, 453-460 Essays (at the
back of the book)
Borg, ix-53
THE TORAH
The Covenants with Abraham and Moses
Tues, Feb 18 Creation and “Fall”
Genesis 1-11
Borg, 57-84
Thurs, Feb 20 Creation and the
Problem of Suffering
Kushner, 46-55; 72-86
Yancey, 61-74
The Covenant with Abraham:
"In You Shall All the Families of the Earth be Blessed"
Tues, Feb 25 The Ancestral Narratives
Genesis 12-50
Borg, 85-92
Yancey, “Where is God when it Hurts?” 61-74 (packet)
The Covenant with Moses:
"You Shall be a Holy People"
Thurs, Feb 27 Moses and the
Exodus: Let my people go!
Exodus 1-18
Borg, 94-98
Essay #1 Due
Tues, Mar 4 The Sinai Covenant
and the Wilderness: So that they may serve me!
Exodus 19-24; 32-34
Leviticus 11, 15, 19
Deuteronomy 4:44-6:25; Numbers 11-14
Borg, 98-109; "Living
with Leviticus" (Packet)
THE PROPHETS: Former and Latter
Thurs, Mar 6 God the Warrior:
The Conquest of Canaan and the
Joshua 1-8; Judges 1-5
Period of the Judges
Borg, 111-113
Galambush, "Is God Really a Warrior?" (Packet)
Tues, Mar 11 The Covenant with
David
1 Samuel 1-2; 8-10; 13-18
2 Samuel 1; 7-8; 11-15; 18; 1 Kings 1-2 ("The
Court History of David")
Heller, "God Knows" (Packet) [Note: This
reading contains some expletives placed in the mouth of a "modernized"
King David]
Thurs, Mar 13 Division and Fall:
From Solomon to the Fall of Jerusalem
1 Kings 3; 11-12; 1 Kings 16-19; 2 Kings 1-2 (Elijah
and Elisha)
2 Kings 23:31-25:30
Tues, Mar 18 The Latter Prophets:
Justice, Judgment, Promise
Amos (all); Isaiah 1-2; 5-11; 40-43
Borg, 113-144
Kushner, “God Helps Those...”
Thurs, Mar 20 Exam 1
☺ March 22-30: Spring Break! ☺
THE WRITINGS
Praise, Prayer, and Challenges to Meaningless Suffering
Tues, Apr 1 Radical Suffering
and the Absent God
Wiesel (all)
Selected Psalms; Ecclesiastes
Thurs, Apr 3 Psalms and Wisdom
Selected Psalms
Proverbs 1-28; Ecclesiastes 1-4; 9; Job 1-16;
38-42
Borg, 145-182
Kushner, 31-45; Yancey, “Where is God when it
Hurts?” 101-112 (packet)
Tues, Apr 8 The Apocalyptic
Response to Suffering
Daniel 1-3; 6-12
Hanson, “Old Testament Apocalyptic” (packet)
SUFFERING AND HOPE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT
Thur, Apr 10 The Context: The
Messianic Hope
Borg, 185-188
Frederickson, “The Idea of Israel” (packet/hand-out)
Essay #2 Due
Tues, Apr 15 Jesus and the Gospels
Mark 1-3; Matthew 1-7; Luke 1:1-4:30; 10:25-37
John 1:1-51
Borg, 188-205
Thurs, Apr 17 The Crucified
Messiah: The Gospel of Mark
The Gospel of Mark (all)
Tues, Apr 22 The Divine Son
of God: The Gospel of John
John 1-20
Borg, 209-218
Thur, Apr 24 Paul, Jewish Apostle
to the Gentiles
Acts 9; Acts 15
1 Corinthians 1; 7-8; 12-15
Galatians 1-3
Borg, 227-258
Tues, Apr 29 Paul, Suffering,
and the Triumph of God
2 Corinthians, Chapter 12
Romans 1-11
Beker (packet)
Thurs, May 1 Revelation: Suffering
will be no more
Revelation 1-13; 17-22
Borg, 265-292
Tues, May 6 Suffering and Hope:
Lament for a Son
Woltersdorff (all)
Thurs, May 8 Open/Review
Essay #3 Due
Tues, May 13 Concluding Reflections
and Questions
Dostoyevsky (packet)
Kushner, conclusion
Beker (packet)
Final Exam: Section K:
Tues, May 20, 9:00-11:00
Section
L: Fri, May 16, 2:30-4:30
