SS 581 - Elementary Greek I (3)
First course in a two-semester sequence giving intensive grounding in the forms, vocabulary, and syntax of Attic and New Testament Greek; frequent exercises in reading and writing Greek.

SS 611 - Pentateuch (3)
An introduction to the first five books of the Bible and to the ways the Old Testament has been interpreted in Catholic tradition. Special attention will be given to the history of the interpretation of the Pentateuch in Judaism and Christianity.

An introduction to the prophetic books of the Old Testament, focusing on the three Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel), and the twelve Minor Prophets (The Book of the Twelve: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi). The final part of the course will briefly introduce the Book of Daniel and aspects of the reception of the Old Testament prophets in early Jewish and Christian tradition.Introductory questions to be considered include prophecy in the ancient Near East, the Former Prophets, the extent and canonical shaping of the prophetic corpus, the prophetic vocation, the prophet as mediator, teacher, and watchman, and the typological interpretation of history in Israelite prophecy.

SS 645 - Johannine Writings (3)
This course offers an introduction to the Gospel of John, the Letters of John, and the Book of Revelation. Following a consideration of theories of authorship, dating, genre, and community regarding these works, each of the Johannine writings will be studied in terms of its historical, literary, and theological contexts with an emphasis on Christology, soteriology, and discipleship. Patristic and Thomistic readings will also be considered.

An intensive introduction to Biblical Hebrew using Basics of Biblical Hebrew by Pratico and Van Pelt. In the first semester attention will be given to mastering the basics of Hebrew grammar, acquiring fluency in pronunciation, and building vocabulary.

Whether it is about praising God, giving him thanks, or seeking his pardon, the prayers of the faithful remain an integral part of the biblical message. This course examines the most significant passages on prayer in the Old and New Testaments. The theme of the course is treated according to an exegetical method, as a commentary on the many texts dealing with prayer.

An introduction to the cultic life of Ancient Israel. The meaning and significance of sacrifice, priesthood, and holiness in the Old Testament will be studied on the basis of selected biblical and ancient Near Eastern texts. The last section of the course will trace the development of these themes in the New Testament and in the priesthood of Christ.

Using the Letter to the Romans as our fundamental text, this seminar will investigate some of the basic Pauline theological teaching. Each week students will prepare to discuss a previously assigned text and this text will then be discussed in the light of other Pauline writings. We will cover such topics as: natural knowledge of God, justification by faith, Paul’s use of Scripture, Freedom from sin, from death, from Law, and the role of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life.

The focus of this course concerns the letters of James, 1 Peter, 2 Peter, Jude, and Hebrews (note that 1, 2, and 3 John are considered among the Catholic letters but will not be treated here, since they are included in the Johannine Writings course). For each letter issues of dating, authorship, audience, and genre will be considered, with the main emphasis on the theological and historical context of each letter in early Christianity. The Letter to the Hebrews will be featured given its complexity and significance. Some patristic commentaries on the letters will also be included.

SS 771 - Intermediate Classical Hebrew I (3)
Rapid reading in Biblical Hebrew prose, usually from the Pentateuch and/or historical books of the Old Testament. Readings supplemented by systematic presentations on Hebrew grammar, such as verbal syntax and patterns of derivational morphology. Prerequisite: SS 672 - Introduction to Classical Hebrew II or equivalent.

St. Bonaventure once said: “Revelatio refers not to the letter of Scripture, but to the understanding of the letter; and this understanding can be increased.” The purpose of this course is to begin a reflection on the relationship between “letter” and “understanding” as these terms have moved through successive stages in the history of biblical interpretation. We will begin with a study of Dei Verbum and then proceed to study examples from antiquity through the watershed of what George Steiner once described as “the break of the covenant between word and world which constitutes one of the very few genuine revolutions of spirit in Western history and which defines modernity itself.” A basic knowledge of philosophy is encouraged.