Nature and Landscape in the Bible
SB GEO 204 3 Credits* (45 hours)
Course Instructors and Meeting Time
Ronit Maoz, MA and Malkah B. Abuloff, MA. The course will meet on Tuesdays, 9:00-10:30 AM Eastern Time (4 PM Jerusalem time) starting March 2nd, 2021 for 15 weeks. Lectures will be recorded and made available within a few days for those who can not make the live sessions.
Course Description
In this course students will survey and engage the many, and often unfamiliar, plants, trees, and wildlife mentioned in the Hebrew scriptures. The biblical agricultural world reveals many surprising and significant faith lessons and this class supplies the requisite agricultural and zoological context. Students will greatly expand their knowledge of the ecological world of the Bible during this course and gain a fuller understanding of God’s Word.
Learning Outcomes:
- The students will be introduced to the world of nature- flora, fauna, agriculture and landscape in the Bible. These elements are constantly in the background and serve as a backbone to the entire Biblical narrative.
- By getting to know this world, we are confident that after participating in the course, the students will acquire the tools for a deeper and more authentic understanding of the Bible.
- The students will internalize and be able to discuss nature, flora, fauna, agriculture, landscape and culture in the Bible.
Expectations
Weekly quizzes, assignments, and final assignment.
Sample of Suggested Reading
Aharoni, Yohanan, Avi-Yonah, Michael, Rainey, Anson F., Safrai, Ze’ev, Notley, R. Steven, The Carta Bible Atlas, fifth edition, Carta, Jerusalem, 2011.
Avishai ,Michael and Kimche, Jeff, Fifty Tree Tales, by the Nature Park and Galleries, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 2007
Azaria ,Alon, The Natural History of the Land of the Bible, The Jerusalem Publishing House, 1969
*Jerusalem Seminary (JS) courses are engagingly academic and taught by experts in their field living in Israel. While JS’ courses are not externally accredited, they can be taken for internal JS credit. Any internal JS credit will accrue and at a later time would hopefully, through articulation agreements and accreditation bodies, receive official accreditation; a process that JS is beginning.
