HB 3114: The Twelve Prophets

Course Description

To better understand the origins and impact of the book of the Twelve Prophets, this course will look at its redactional history and editorial shaping, its final canonical forms, and its effects as biblical prophecy. It will introduce current issues in scholarly debate about the Twelve while also exploring ways that they meet the ancient expectation that their “bones” can “send forth new life” amidst the people of God (Sirach 49:10).

Requirements: Weekly readings, weekly discussions, a presentation, two short papers.

Download the course syllabus (Winter 2024, v 2.1.x).

Required Texts (Winter 2024)*

In addition to the Bible in a modern translation such as the NJPS or NRSV, the following texts are required. Students are strongly encouraged to purchase their own copies. AST Library copies will be placed on a two-hour reserve.

Heschel
Heschel, Abraham J. The Prophets. New York: Harper & Row, 1962. Repr., New York: Perennial Classics, 2001. ISBN 978-0060936990. Order online.
Theodoret
Theodoret of Cyrus. Commentary on the Twelve Prophets. Vol. 3 of Commentaries on the Prophets. Translated by Robert C. Hill. Brookline, MA: Holy Cross Orthodox Press, 2006. ISBN 978-1885652768. Order online.

* Please note that textbook selections for my courses often change with each iteration of the course.

Making Sense
Margot Northey, Bradford A. Anderson, and Joel N. Lohr. Making Sense in Religious Studies: A Student’s Guide to Research and Writing. 3rd ed. Don Mills, ON: Oxford University Press, 2019.
This title is optional but highly recommended. It includes basic advice on things like reading religious texts, writing essays and book reviews, making oral presentations, and learning languages. It should help you master fundamental tasks in nearly any course in religion or theology.
SBLHS2
The SBL Handbook of Style, 2nd Edition, is the definitive style manual for biblical studies and related disciplines.
A blog (sblhs2.com) and free Student Supplement (PDF) should cover the issues most common to term papers. The AST library copy is in the reference section at PN 147 S26 2014.
Serious students of biblical studies will want a copy of their own. Order one from SBL Press or elsewhere online. ISBN 978-1589839649.
See my resources page for further advice on writing, style, and research.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Further Bibliography

Schart, Aaron. “Bibliography on the Book of the Twelve Prophets.” This database with nearly all literature on the book of the Twelve since 2010 is maintained and shared freely by the author at https://www.zotero.org/groups/twelveprophets/items.

Sweeney, Marvin A. “Book of the Twelve Prophets.” In Oxford Bibliographies: Biblical Studies, https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780195393361/obo-9780195393361-0016.xml (last modified 30 March 2015). AST students can sign in with their OpenAthens credentials.