BIBL 612 Principles of Biblical Interpretation

This course is designed to give students the necessary knowledge, values, and skills for the methodical approach to the observation, interpretation, and application of the Bible.

Requisites

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

The proper interpretation and application of the Bible is vital to both personal life and public ministry. Sound doctrine can only be grounded in careful hermeneutical practices.

Textbook readings and lecture presentations/notes

No details available.

Course Requirements Checklist

Discussions (2)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will complete two Discussions in this course. For each Discussion, the student will post 1 thread of at least 400 words that demonstrates a comprehension of the corresponding course material, incorporating at least 1 scholarly source. The student must then post 1 reply of at least 200 words each. Proper Turabian formatting must be used for all citations in the thread and replies. (CLO: A, B, C)

Worksheet Assignments (5)

There are five distinct Worksheets to complete in this course. Individual assignment instructions and templates are provided with each separate Worksheet. Learning to navigate Logos Bible Software and various research tools for exegesis is a practical skill that is best learned through guided steps and processes. Each Worksheet will walk the student through various features in Logos, illustrating accessibility and functionality. The student will follow these outlines and take screenshots to demonstrate his/her skills in Logos. Additional Worksheet prompts will require a variety of short answers and reflective responses, or reviews of JFL resources, or other hermeneutical activities to develop his/her critical thinking and discernment in the areas of Bible interpretation. (CLO: A, B, C)

Personal Inventory of Intellectual Virtues Assignment

Hermeneutics is both art and science. There are performative steps and tasks that are more objective and empirical. But there are also elements of interpretation that are more subjective and experiential. It is not enough to have external steps. Inductive Bible Study is also concerned with the personal character and virtues of the interpreter. Many hermeneutics textbooks will mention the moral virtues or spiritual qualifications for reading Scripture, such as prayer and personal holiness. But there are other virtues, more on the cognitive and rational side, that are equally important to thinking well and demonstrating good habits of mind. The Personal Inventory assignment is an opportunity for the student to assess how he/she is thinking, processing, reasoning, and researching. This is simply a tool to remind the student of taking inventory of his/her own mental habits and dispositions. Such an inventory can then be useful to activate spiritual formation and application of hermeneutical ethics to the interpretative process. The student will complete the Inventory Template and submit in Canvas. Each part of the template must follow the required word count in Canvas. (CLO: A, C)

Logos Inductive Bible Study Workflow Assignment

Logos Bible Software is a vital and valuable tool for anyone studying Scripture. Many features and tools in Logos can assist with hermeneutical investigation and basic exegesis. The various pre-formatted Logos Workflows offer step-by-step guidance when working through a study of any selected passage. In this assignment, the student will complete a Logos Inductive Bible Study Workflow for a chosen unit of verses in either 1 Thessalonians or 2 Thessalonians. The pericope options are listed on the Workflow Instructions. The student will identify any major interpretative debates or discussions regarding their selected pericope, and will address questions of proper translation, interpretation, and application for those passages.

The final product of the Workflow will be submitted as a PDF. Special instructions for individual steps are given. Workflow entries should not exceed 150 words per step. To spread the work out over the whole course, the student will complete designated sections of the Workflow aligned with the topics covered in the individual Modules. Grading includes 5 Logos Workflow Progress Quizzes plus a separate final score for the completed Workflow. (CLO: A, B, C)

Bible Backgrounds Essay Assignment

Knowledge of Bible Backgrounds is vital to good hermeneutical methodology. The student should become aware of key resources, tools, and significant materials that address cultural, political, economic, religious, social, and geographic backgrounds. By situating a problem passage in its historical setting and context, the student will gain a deeper understanding of his/her text. There are many tools for backgrounds and the student should become familiar with how to find and use these. In this assignment, the student will research the relevant backgrounds for Acts 22:22-30. The student will locate several resources that assist with four specific prompts, such as “Why was the Roman Commander so afraid after learning about Paul’s status as a Roman citizen?” The essay must be single spaced, Times Roman, font size 12. The student must include a bibliography at the end of the essay, consisting of specific types of resources. The essay must have a minimum of 4 footnotes, documented according to Turabian format. Total word count must be between 600-1,000 words. (CLO: A)

Quizzes: Logos Workflow Progress

The student will complete 5 quizzes that document his/her progress leading up to the Logos Inductive Bible Study Workflow Assignment. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain 1 multiple choice question, have unlimited time, and allow 1 attempt.