1 of 2
IN-CLASS HUMA1850 TEST
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 8
7:00 to 9:00 P.M. (2 Hours)
NO AIDS
Worth 20% of final grade
THREE SECTIONS
A. OBJECTIVE (30%) 32 questions
a.
Multiple Choice, True/False, Matching, Fill-In-The-Blank
b.
Relevant names to be able to recognize and to know their significance: Aaron,
Abraham, Alexander the Great, Amaziah, Amos, Antiochus IV, Asherah, Aton, Baal, Cyrus, the
Chronicler, Daniel, D, DH, David, E, El, Elijah, Elohim, Amen-em-ope, Esther, Ezekiel, Ezra,
Gog, Haggai, Hammurabi, Hezekiah, Isaac, Isaiah of Jerusalem, Isaiah of Babylon, Isaiah of the
Return, J, Jeroboam I, Job, (Patriarch) Joseph, Josiah, Judas Maccabeus, Levites, Maat,
Melchizedek, Moses, Nebuchadnezzar, Nehemiah, Noah, P, Ptolemies, Samson, Samuel, Saul,
Sarah, Sargon, Satan, Seleucids, Solomon, Son of Man, Sophia, Utnapishtim, Zerubbabel
c.
It is important to have read Hauer & Young carefully and to have a good sense of
the Israelite story in terms of the main stages of its self-understanding from the mythic material
of Genesis creation narratives through to the return from the exile under Persian domination and
then under Greek rule.
d.
Sections of the biblical texts are best appreciated as types of literature or genres,
therefore understanding what has been presented and what you have read about these various
genres is important (e.g., wisdom literature, poetic material, apocalyptic material etc.). Reread
Hauer & Young, chapter 2 very carefully to gain a grounded education in how to perform both
an intrinsic and an extrinsic study of the Bible.
e.
History is a complex problem when it comes to approaching the content of the
Bible. The position of the scholar is that the author of any given text has an agenda and a bias in
preparing his material and is thoroughly guided by his convictions. In attempting to process
these ancient writings within the world of a liberal arts college, you must learn to read them on
that basis. What you choose to believe outside of the classroom is entirely up to you but learn to
at least imagine how a scholar would read the text and respond accordingly.
B. CITATIONS 30%
a.
b.
c.
comes from
Primary texts examined closely in tutorials
Choose 3 out of 4 — worth 10 marks each
2 out of each 10 marks for correctly spelling which book of the Bible the citation
2 of 2
d.
8 out of 10 marks for giving an academic assessment of the significance of this
citation for the study of the Bible (demonstrating knowledge of the readings, the lectures and
attendance at tutorials)
e.
Example: ”His father and mother did not know that this was from the LORD; for
he was seeking a pretext to act against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines had dominion
over Israel.” Answer: Judges. Then you could write about such things as how Judges is part of
the DH material which is one of a series of formulaic stories that present the DH theological
conviction that when Israel abandons God they fall under oppression and remain so until they
call upon God again and he then sends a deliverer to restore peace and prosperity. One could
also note how the author appears to understand that God will use whatever means at his disposal
to accomplish his plans, even to the point of allowing a self-serving, carnal minded Samson
serve as judge. The point is to use the citation as a way of demonstrating knowledge of the
readings, the lectures and attendance at tutorials.
C. ESSAY 40%
a.
Choose one of two and write an academic essay that will include material
from lectures, tutorials and assigned readings in defense of your position.
b.
Example essay questions could be something like:
i. From what you know about literature and literary criticism, do you or do
you not think it is an effective tool for interpreting the Bible critically?
Give examples from the biblical text to support your arguments.
ii. How important was the Exile in Israel’s history in terms of how they
interpreted their history and how they altered their theologicalperspective
after returning? Give examples from the Bible to support your arguments.