Survey of the Old Testament

The objective of an Old Testament Survey is to provide an interpretive framework for understanding the Old Testament so that you can begin to feel at home in its pages. The course covers the entire Old Testament in approximate chronological order to trace the story of God's mission as it unfolds over time. The course is designed to help you read and understand representative portions of the Old Testament that capture the major flow of its theology and mission. By the end of this course you should be able to:

• Demonstrate that you have read and understood representative portions from all the major periods of Old Testament history and the major genres of Old Testament literature.
• Recount the macro-narrative of the Old Testament in approximate chronological order, positioning events and literature within their historical context.
• List the major divisions of the Old Testament and place the correct books into their groupings.
• Demonstrate understanding of major genres of the Old Testament and how to interpret them responsibly.
• Identify the purpose and major themes of the Old Testament as a whole and of each book in the Old Testament.
• Explain timeless, universal truths drawn from the Old Testament.
• Discuss how Christians should understand major Old Testament themes from a Christocentric perspective.