Course Catalogue

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This course will focus on two key questions. First, how has the Judeo-Christian Bible influenced modern and contemporary literature, art and film? Second, how can the Bible be read as literature, and what does this mean for its status as a sacred text?

1x2hr seminar per week over 10 weeks as scheduled on MyCampus.

This is one of the Honours options in TRS and may not run every year. The options that are running this session are available on MyCampus.

Available to all students fulfilling requirements for Honours entry into Theology and Religious Studies, and by arrangement to visiting students or students of other Honours programmes who qualify under the University's 25% regulation.

TRS4013 TRS : The Bible, Literature And Culture

TRS3025 Bible, Literature & Culture Non Honours

None

Essay (2,500 words) - 40%

Presentation of 10 minutes - 10%

Examination (90 minutes duration) - 50%

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non-Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

This course will provide the opportunity to:

■ explore various aspects of biblical and literary texts and their relationships in light of historical criticism and modern literary theory;

■ assess critically approaches to the Bible as literature;

■ explore the relationship between cultural analysis and biblical interpretation.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ offer a critical and theoretical understanding of how biblical texts have functioned and continue to function within confessing communities;

■ analyse the assumptions and methods of both historical criticism and modern literary approaches to biblical texts;

■ analyse the role that specific passages have played within the Jewish and Christian faiths;

■ Identify and reflect upon the continuing influence of biblical texts in poetry, literature, film, art, and wider culture;

■ present complex arguments in written and oral form.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.