Requirements: Participants are expected to engage in all course activities. That means being present and active in scheduled classes and completing assigned tasks outside of classes. If participants miss lessons, they may be required to do extra assignments to fulfill the participation requirements of the course. 80% attendance and participation (completion of tasks) are necessary for the course to be considered complete.
Overview
The biblical text is one of the world’s oldest expressions of faith and one of the foundations of Christian theology. However, precisely because it is an ancient text, it is often difficult to interpret, especially for an inexperienced reader. Therefore, it is not enough to simply read it – the reader needs to understand it. To quote the Gospel: “Let the reader understand it” (Mark 13:14). This course aims to familiarize students with the biblical text through lectures and discussions examining specific passages (from both the Old and New Testaments). Every passage is approached from three basic angles: its original meaning, patristic interpretation, and contemporary interpretation of the text.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, the participants are expected to be able – individualy and collaboratively – to reflect upon and engage meaningfully with the biblical text by becoming familiar with the following:
- the Bible as a book of the Church.
- the main events, persons, and stories from the Old and New Testaments.
- the main patristic interpretation of specific biblical passages.
- the possibilities of contemporary interpretation and implementation of biblical
messages in the modern world and their lives.
In order to better meet the learning outcomes, participants are expected to take a proactive role in shaping the course with the teacher. Course reading material (specific biblical passages and stories, patristic and modern interpretations, etc.) will be chosen together with participants, based on their previous knowledge and interests.
