The Book of Isaiah: Course Syllabus

 

OT 661B                                                  Houston Graduate School of Theology

Fall, 2001                                                                                    Dr. Chuck Pitts

                                                                                              713-942-9505 (off)

                                                                                                capitts@hgst.edu

                                                                                   http://users.ev1.net/~cpitts

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

            A study of the Book of Isaiah. Attention is given to the content, form, and style, and to the historical and literary contexts as well as to exegetical methods, interpretation, and application.

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES

 

The student should be able to:

1.                  Discuss the history of interpretation of the Book of Isaiah with appropriate attention to historical critical methods and historical applications.

2.                  Describe the historical and cultural background of the Book of Isaiah and the prophet Isaiah.

3.                  Discuss the basic content and teachings of the Book of Isaiah.

4.                  Discuss various themes found in the Book of Isaiah.

5.                  Describe the use of the Book of Isaiah in the New Testament and later Christian interpreters.

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

 

  1. Attendance and class participation based on daily assignments (see policies below).
  2. Readings from Bible and textbook as assigned in schedule below. Required reading will be assessed by means of a question on the final day of class. On most days, a section of the required reading will be emphasized. That section is highlighted in the course schedule below. The student should read a second commentary along with Childs on the bolded passages only.
  3. A midterm exam will be administered. Questions may include matching, multiple choice, fill in the blank, short answer, and discussion.
  4. A take home final exam will be given one week before the end of the course and will be due the last class meeting (see schedule). The final will not be comprehensive except concerning overarching or major thematic matters, which will be discussed in class prior to the exam.

5.    Semester Project—The student may choose one of the following:

a. Research Paper--The research paper should be a minimum of 12 pages and include a minimum of six sources beyond the textbook and the Bible. (Remember, that if the student chooses to meet only the minimum requirements, he or she should not expect the maximum grade.) The student will also make a brief oral presentation during the last class meeting.

 

The research paper should use the style of Kate L. Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, 6th Edition (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996). Utilize Turabian especially for use of quotations, notes, and bibliography.

 

The student must document sources! Any quote of more than three consecutive words should be enclosed in quotation marks and noted. Any quote of three or more lines should be indented, single-spaced, and also noted. Also, a summary of ideas taken from a source or sources should be noted. The purpose of documentation is to guide the reader of your paper to your sources for further study. The student may use either footnotes or parenthetical notes to document sources.

 

Internet Resources—The student may use some online resources, but limit the Internet to ¼ or less of the total sources. The student must include author, article title, and website in notes and bibliography. Be wary of online resources. If the material seems too fantastic to be true, it probably is not true. When in doubt, check it out carefully.

 

***The goal of a research paper is that the student study relevant works in the field related to the topic, evaluate the material read, and draw critical conclusions. This requires both research and critical thinking. Remember that this is a scholarly research paper, not a sermon.***

 

The student should note the following guidelines for critical writing:

            --Avoid 1st or 2nd person references (“I,” “we,” or “you”).

            --Avoid contractions.

--Avoid passive voice construction (i.e. The student should write “God chose Isaiah” rather than “Isaiah was chosen by God.”).

--Be sure that tenses always agree (i.e. Do not write in one place that “Childs argues . . .” and at another place “Childs argued . . .”).

--In almost all cases, sub-headings (and a Table of Contents) make the paper better organized and easier to read. Be sure to number pages.

            

Research Paper topics can include any major issue in one of the prophetic books (such as historical background, themes, or theological issues) or an in-depth exegetical study of a section of one of the books. Possible topics are listed at the end of the syllabus.

 

b. Sermon Series—The student may choose to develop a series of sermons. The sermon series should include 5 sermons. The series may cover selected passages, selected themes, or the development of one theme in the Book of Isaiah. The student will also make a brief oral presentation during the last class meeting. Each of the sermons should include:

 

i. Introduction, which should lead up to the main idea and the Scripture text.

ii. Objective/Main Idea of the sermon

iii. Outline, which should include (where applicable) the major points of the sermon, expanded by illustrations, word studies, background (historical, cultural), and theological material, as well as parallel texts from other biblical books. This section should show the exegetical study conducted by the student.

iv. Conclusion, which should include practical application.

 

The student must show research and serious study. Include a bibliography of sources used in sermon preparation.

 

c. Bible Study—The student may choose to prepare a Bible Study series on the Book of Isaiah. The series should include 5 Bible studies. The series may cover selected passages, selected themes, or the development of one theme in the Book of Isaiah. The student will also make a brief oral presentation during the last class meeting. Each Bible study should include:

 

i. Introduction to the prophet and his world.

ii. Study questions on selected themes and important concepts, words, and phrases. Answers to the questions should be provided. These answers should show thorough exegetical work by the student.

iii. Historical, cultural, and religious background discussions to aid the person who might use the study. This should include relevant parallel scripture passages, as well as important literary and archaeological discoveries from the Ancient Near East, which might help in understanding the texts in the study.

iv. Conclusion to the study, which should include practical application.

[**Handouts that could be used in teaching this study could also be useful.**]

 

Include a bibliography of sources used in study.

 

GRADING SYSTEM

Final grades will be calculating according to the following system.

            Class Participation/Reading       10%

            Mid-term Exam                        30%

            Semester Project                      30%

            Final Exam                               30%

 

POLICIES

1.   Attendance is required at scheduled classes. Two or three excused absences will not affect the student’s grade. However, beyond this limit, extra work may be required to avoid a reduction in the class participation grade.

  1. Work is expected on the due date. Late work will receive a letter grade reduction until it is one week late. After one week, the assignment will not be accepted and a zero will be entered as the grade for the assignment unless the student makes previous arrangement with the professor.
  2. In accordance with the policy of HGST, students should not bring cell phones and pagers to class unless they are turned off. These devices are serious disruptions in class.
  3. The student does not need to place papers in folders or binders. A paper clip or staple is much easier to use and makes the paper easier to grade.

 

GRADING SCALE

The following grading system will be used for this class, remembering that and “A” is a superior grade, a “B” an above average grade, and a “C” is quality, satisfactory work.

 

            A = 94-100%                                                  C = 78-85%

            B = 86-93%                                                     D = 70-77%

 

TEXTBOOKS

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS:

Brevard S. Childs. Isaiah: A Commentary. Old Testament Library. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2001.

 

A second commentary of your choice, preferably from the bibliography.

 

English Bible, preferably from a modern translation (NIV, NASB, NRSV). 

 

COURSE SCHEDULE

 

Sept. 4             Class Introduction, Orientation

                        Introduction to Isaiah                                                   Childs, 1-10, 289-292, 439-450

 

 

Sept. 11           Isaiah 6:1-13                                                                Childs, 49-59

                        Isaiah 1:1-31 (1:1-20)                                                  Childs, 11-22

 

 

Sept. 18           Isaiah 2-4 (2:1-5; 4:1-6; 2:6-9)                                   Childs, 23-36

                        Isaiah 5 (5:1-17)                                                          Childs, 37-48

 

 

Sept. 25           Isaiah 7 (7:1-17)                                                          Childs, 60-68

                        Isaiah 8                                                                        Childs, 69-76

 

 

Oct. 2              Isaiah 9-10 (9:1-7; 10:1-4, 20-23, 33-34)                    Childs, 77-96

                        Isaiah 11-12 (11:1-11; 12:1-6)                                    Childs, 97-111

 

 

Oct. 9              Isaiah 13-23 (14:1-17)                                                 Childs, 113-127

                        Isaiah 24-27 (24:1-13; 26:1-11)                                  Childs, 171-180, 186-191

 

 

Oct. 16            Isaiah 28-35 (29:13-17; 30:1-5, 8-18)                         Childs, 211-228, 249-258

                        Isaiah 36-39 (37:14-38; 39:1-8)                                  Childs, 267-277, 285-287

 

 

Oct. 23            Isaiah 40 (40:1-10, 18-31)                                           Childs, 289-310

                        Isaiah 41:1-42:13 (41:8-16; 42:1-9)                             Childs, 311-326

 

 

Oct. 30                        ***Mid-term Exam***

 

Nov. 6             Isaiah 42:14-44:23 (42:18-22; 43:14-24; 44:1-8)        Childs, 327-343

                        Isaiah 44:24-48:22 (45:1-7; 46:1-10; 48:16-22)          Childs, 344-378          

 

 

Nov. 13           Isaiah 49:1-52:12 (49:1-9a; 52:7-12)                           Childs, 379-406

                        Isaiah 52:13-53:12 (52:13-53:12)                                Childs, 407-423

 

 

Nov. 20           No Class

 

 

Nov. 27           Isaiah 54-55 (55:1-11)                                                 Childs, 424-438

                        Isaiah 56-58 (56:1-8; 58:1-9a)                                    Childs, 439-467, 473-480

 

 

Dec. 4              Isaiah 59-62 (59:1-8; 61:1-11)                                    Childs, 481-508

                        Isaiah 63-66 (65:1-25)                                                 Childs, 526-547

 

 

Dec. 11            **FINAL DUE**

                        Paper Discussion