2018-2019 University Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2018-2019 University Catalog archived

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REL 180 - FS: First-Year Seminar


Credits: 3 credits in Fall and Winter, 4 credits in Spring


Prerequisite: First-Year class standing. First-year seminar. Topics vary by term.

Fall 2018, REL 180-01: FS: Exodus and Exile: Oppression, Liberation, and Diaspora in Jewish Tradition (3). First-Year Seminar. Prerequisite: First-year class standing only. Assumes no prior knowledge of the Bible, and all readings are in English translation. The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) is bookended by two epic stories, the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt and, later, their exile to Babylon. These ancient stories confront important political and ideological questions of their time: what is the role of God in warfare? Why do God’s people sometimes suffer defeat? What happens to a people uprooted from their homeland? Indeed, these issues continue to resonate among religious communities today. This course traces the interpretation of the biblical Exodus and Exile by writers working in different historical periods, examining these interpretations through the lenses of myth and memory—how do writers in these periods use the biblical narratives to construct their own history of Israel, Jews, and themselves? What are the social and political factors that shape such interpretations? Beginning with a close reading of the biblical stories in their ancient context, we consider the reinterpretation of the Exodus and Exile among later writers working in the Hellenistic, Roman, Late Antique, and Medieval periods. We conclude by examining the role of these biblical stories in American religious traditions, including the Passover Seder and the Civil Rights Movement. (HU) Sonia.




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