Details for Reading Biblical Narrative

This unit is the study of narratives and narrative techniques used in the Bible. In particular it looks at story-telling in the ancient context as a form of theological interpretation of ‘historical’ events.  It provides opportunity for students to apply and evaluate a number of contemporary reading methods to biblical narratives. 

The unit Reading Biblical Narrative is part of the subject area Biblical Studies and is offered as a part of the following Awards: Master of Arts (Christian Studies) (Alphacrucis College (NSW Dept. of Education)).

Unit Content

Curriculum Objective

• At the successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
  1. demonstrate a well-rounded understanding of the art of storytelling in ancient texts and evaluate different  
  2. narrative forms;
  3. identify narrative techniques used in texts, such as plot, character, and literary devices;
  4. analyse the rhetorical function of biblical texts in canonical context;
  5. demonstrate critical engagement with both primary and secondary texts;
  6. evaluate the theological interpretation of ‘historical’ events in biblical narratives;
  7. critically exegete selected narratives 

Subject Content

1. Literary criticism and Narratology
2. The ‘art’ of biblical narrative
3. Plot Structure, functions and developments in biblical narrative
4. Characters and Characterisation
5. Use of rhetoric in biblical narrative
6. Biblical narrative as a theological Interpretation of events
7. Social, religious and cultural background of biblical narratives
8. Analysis of selected narrative texts in the Old Testament
9. Analysis of selected narrative texts in the Old Testament
10. Applying biblical narratives to contemporary Christianity 

Assessment Methods

Minor essay, Major essay, Exam.

Prescribed Text

Reading package provided

Representative References

Ackerman, S. “What if Judges had been written by a Philistine?” Biblical Interpretation 8 (2000): 33-41.

Alter, R. The Art of Biblical Narrative. New York: Basic, 1983.

Barr, J. History and Ideology in the Old Testament: Biblical Studies at the end of the Millennium. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000.

Campbell, A.F. “The Storyteller’s Role: Reported Story and Biblical Text.” The Catholic Biblical Quarterly 64 (2002): 427-441.

Fokkelman, J.P. Reading Biblical Narrative.  Louisville KT:  Westminster John Knox Press, 2005.

Fuchs, E. Sexual Politics in the Biblical Narrative: Reading the Hebrew Bible as a Woman. JSOTS 310. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic, 2000.