A survey of the historical, literary, and cultural context of the Old Testament. This course is a prerequisite for all other Old Testament classes.

The following learning goals will be achieved by this course:

1. Recognize the content of the Old Testament (main characters & events).
2. Comprehend the historical background reflected in the Old Testament.
3. Understand the history of the composition of the texts in the Old Testament.
4. Know the literary character and structure evident within the various divisions of the Old Testament.
5. Become familiar with various approaches related to the study of the Old Testament.
6. Identify the main themes and theological concepts revealed in the Old Testament.
7. Appreciate the significance of Scripture for Ancient Israel and its application in the Christian Church.

The following competencies as outlined in the Sourcebook on Ordination: United States of America Edition, 2006 to meet the educational requirements for Ordination within the Church of the Nazarene will be achieved by completing this course:

• Ability to identify the literary structure and the main story line of the Old Testament. (CN-1)
• Ability to identify the books of the Old Testament by genre. (CN-2)
• Ability to identify the basic thrust of each major section of the Old Testament. (CN-3)
• Ability to identify the main characters of the Old Testament and their role in the story. (CN-4)
• Ability to describe the historical context of the major sections of the Old Testament. (CN-5)
• Ability to chronologically order the main events and persons of the Old Testament. (CN-6)
• Ability to describe the major theological concepts of the Old Testament. (CN-7)

There are no prerequisites for this course.