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ST. JOHN VIANNEY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
Denver, Colorado
Spring 2010
Course Title: Psalms and Wisdom
Course Number: Theology 4230
Course Pre-requisites: Theo2590 "Introduction to Sacred Scripture"; Lang2010 "Biblical Hebrew"; Theo3113 "Pentateuch"; Theo3260 "Prophets"
Days and location: Tues. and Thurs 10:00-11: 15 a.m. Room E181
Instructor: Sr. M. Timothea Elliott, RSM, SSD
Office Hours: Room 1111 Mon. and Wed: 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Otherwise by appointment - Tel: ext 3441 or 303-282-3441
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is composed of two distinct parts. The first half of the semester will focus upon Psalms, and the second half upon Wisdom Literature. The course will begin with a brief introduction to Hebrew Poetry, musical accompaniment, posture and gestures as they are incorporated into the Psalms. The principles governing the formation of the book of Psalms over a period of nearly 2000 years will be considered. The basic literary forms of the psalms will be introduced and illustrated with numerous examples. Key theological concepts and vocabulary will be discussed while noting the wide range of human responses to God's Self revelation. With the aid of Patristic commentaries the Christological application of the Psalms will be explored.
The Wisdom Literature will be considered against the background of the international Ancient Near Eastern cultures. Noting the characteristic forms and content which Israel shared with other cultures, the uniqueness of Israelite Wisdom Literature will be highlighted through detailed exegesis of significant passages from the books of Proverbs, Job, Qoheleth, and the Wisdom of Solomon.
GOALS:
To enable students to refine their understanding of the Book of Psalms as both "Scripture" and "prayer", that is, as both God's Self-revelation and the revelation of the appropriate human responses to God's Self-revelation.
To assist students to articulate and interpret their own experiences by means of the themes, metaphors and images found in the psalms which are paradigms of growth in the spiritual life.
To explore the major themes taken up by the Wisdom movement and their relevance or conflict with contemporary search for the meaning of life and suffering, of the relationship between law and happiness, etc.
To note the theology of creation as an evolving and unifying theme of the Wisdom Literature.
UNITS OF STUDY:
Objective: The student should be able to identify elements of Hebrew poetry, and the use of drama, procession or dance as they occur in the psalms prayed in the Liturgy of the Hours.
Objective: The student will explore the concept of "praise" as the most elemental form of prayer which recognizes God as Creator and himself as a creature-and the appropriate response.
Objective: The student will be able to identify the royal psalms, their original Sitz im Leben, and their relecture with a Messianic interpretation.
Objective: The student will be able to recognize the elements of a lament or "complaint" psalm, whether individual, communal, penitential or "cursing".
Objective: The student will begin to recognize major themes of the Wisdom tradition as they are pondered in the wisdom psalms.
Objective: The student will study the structure of the Thanksgiving psalms and come to recognition of their structure as underlying the structure of the Eucharistic Sacrifice
Objective: The students will be challenged to discover the correlation between these psalms and the experience of one's life as a pilgrimage along the Way.
Objective: The student will come to understand the earliest expressions of the search for Wisdom through the examination of and writing of Proverbs.
Objective: The student will examine a work which explores and agonizes over the question of human suffering, especially the suffering of the "innocent" where there is not yet a revelation of life after death.
Objective: The student will compare and contrast Qoheleth's approach with Job's to similar questions on the meaning of life, suffering, play, virtue and vice.
Objective: The student will note the distinctive approaches to the quest for "Wisdom" taken by these two authors, one a conservative Jew living and writing in Jerusalem, and the other a Jew living and writing to the Jews of Alexandria at a time of great conflict of cultures.
TEACHING METHODOLOGIES:
Lecture, readings, discussion. Presentation of key texts dealing with the nature and search for Wisdom which occur in the Liturgy.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Required reading: The Holy Bible. The Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition is the preferred translation. However, the student may use any Catholic bible.
Students are to bring a complete Bible to class each time.
Psalms by Konrad Schaefer. (Berit Olam Series), Collegeville, MN (The Liturgical Press) 2001.
The Wisdom Literature by Richard J. Clifford. Nashville (Abingdon Press) 1998.
Written Work: A "psalm log" will be kept during the first half of the semester and turned in prior to the mid-term exam.
GRADING:
Class attendance and participation in discussion is presumed (10%)
Written Work (30%)
Mid-Semester (25%)
Final Exam (35%)
CALENDAR OF TOPICS AND ASSIGNMENTS
January
February
March
April