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TMMC1011: Introduction to the Bible

Please ensure you check the module availability box for each module outline, as not all modules will run in each academic year. Each module description relates to the year indicated in the module availability box, and this may change from year to year, due to, for example: changing staff expertise, disciplinary developments, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback. Current modules are subject to change in light of the ongoing disruption caused by Covid-19.

Type Tied
Level 1
Credits 20
Availability Available in 2023/24
Module Cap None.
Location Durham
Department Theology, Ministry and Mission

Prerequisites

  • None

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combinations of Modules

  • L4-20 Introduction to the Old Testament and L4-20 Introduction to the New Testament

Aims

  • To enable students to have an overview of the purpose and content of the Old and New Testament, and representative texts within them, placed within their broader contexts.
  • To enable students to become familiar with, and evaluate, the concepts, principles, methods and tools of modern scholarly biblical interpretation.
  • To enable students to consider how these texts might be engaged appropriately and faithfully in the life, mission and ministry of the church today.
  • To enable students to recognise and engage with questions and insights for faith raised by this study.

Content

  • An initial overview of the Old and New Testaments.
  • Exploration of selected genres and/or theological themes found in the Bible through representative texts from both Old and New Testaments.
  • Study of these texts against their broader historical, literary, theological and cultural backgrounds.
  • Introduction of various tools, methods and approaches used in modern biblical scholarship to interpret these texts with evaluation of the underlying concepts and principles.
  • Exploration of what might constitute appropriate interpretations and applications of these texts in the life, mission and ministry of the contemporary church in regard to various issues.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

  • Discuss diverse Old and New Testament texts intelligently and place them within their broader contexts.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of some of the underlying concepts, methods and tools associated with the study of the Old and New Testaments.

Subject-specific Skills:

  • Identify the context and genre of selected biblical texts, and comment intelligently on their significance for the texts interpretation.

Key Skills:

  • Identify gather and evaluate source materials for a specific purpose.
  • Evaluate the appropriateness of different approaches, communicating their findings sensitively and accurately.
  • Carry out a guided task that involves: independent inquiry; management of time and resources; using IT; meeting deadlines; evaluating the task and learning from it.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • Lectures provide content, a conceptual framework and a survey of approaches within a subject area that enable students to locate their learning in a wider context, to make connections with other disciplines, and to evaluate and apply their learning to different contexts.
  • Seminars offer students an opportunity to present, evaluate and apply their knowledge to specific contexts, and to engage with teaching staff and peers in debate and reflection.
  • Guided reading in conjunction with lectures encourages independent learning and underpins the knowledge and understanding gained in lectures and seminars.
  • Small group learning creates an environment where students learn to articulate their knowledge and understanding effectively and in a way that is relevant to the group and its context.
  • Tutorials enhance learning by offering feedback and encouraging students to reflect on their own response to the knowledge and skills they have acquired.
  • Placements and/or work-based learning ensures that students make habitual connections between knowledge, understanding, skills, professional practice and the reality of a specific context, under the supervision of an experienced practitioner.
  • Programmed online learning materials guide students through knowledge content, its wider framework and different approaches to its application.
  • Virtual discussion forums offer students the opportunity to articulate the knowledge and understanding they have acquired to others and to engage in informed debate.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

ActivityNumberFrequencyDurationTotalMonitored
Lectures161.7528 
Personal Study172 
Total200 

Summative Assessment

Component: Written assignmentComponent Weighting: 50%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Essay 12,500 words100 
Component: Written assignmentComponent Weighting: 50%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Essay 22,500 words100 

Formative Assessment

Students will be expected to demonstrate engagement with the subject matter and the learning outcomes throughout the module by suitable formative assessments that encourage integrative and reflective skills.

More information

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