ENGL 298: Literature of the Bible

Citrus College Course Outline of Record

Citrus College Course Outline of Record
Heading Value
Effective Term: Fall 2022
Credits: 3
Total Contact Hours: 54
Lecture Hours : 54
Lab Hours: 0
Hours Arranged: 0
Outside of Class Hours: 108
Strongly Recommended: ENGL 101.
District General Education: C2. Humanities
Transferable to CSU: Yes
Transferable to UC: Yes - Approved
Grading Method: Standard Letter

Catalog Course Description

Reading and discussion of selected books from English translations of the Old and New Testaments. Emphasis is on the religious, social, political ideas, literary qualities, and textual problems. 54 lecture hours.

Course Objectives

  • identify and understand what constitutes the Bible as a work of literary merit
  • identify how literary techniques involving poetry, myth, legend, folklore, story, history, metaphor, maxim and parable are used in the Bible
  • explain how and why the Bible is an important force in Western civilization's cultural and literary development

Major Course Content

  1. Based on a close reading of authoritative English translations such as the King James or Revised Standard Version, identify and understand what constitutes the Bible as a work of literary merit
    1. Become familiar with the basic principles of literary criticism as they apply to the Bible
    2. Understand the principles of structural integrity of the Bible
    3. Identify the themes of universal and timeless quality of the Bible
  2. Read selected Books from the Bible, and analyze their structure and content, with special attention paid to character, setting, theme, symbolism, and irony
    1. Genesis
    2. Exodus
    3. Joshua
    4. I and II Samuel
    5. I Kings
    6. Proverbs
    7. Psalms
    8. Job
    9. Amos
    10. Jonah
    11. Gospel According to Matthew
    12. Gospel According to Luke
    13. Gospel According to John
    14. Acts of the Apostles
    15. Romans
    16. Revelation
  3. Explain how and why the Bible is a potent force in the development of Western Civilization's fiction, poetry, and drama

Suggested Reading Other Than Required Textbook

Canonical and non-canonical biblical texts, such as the Gospel of Thomas.

Examples of Required Writing Assignments

Write a five-paragraph (or longer) in-class essay on the Book of Jonah as a short story.
Out-of-class essay assignment: compare and contrast the character of Satan in the canonical Bible with Milton's depiction of Satan in "Paradise Lost."
Answer questions regarding Job's ethical dilemma.

Examples of Outside Assignments

Read and analyze the noncanonical Gospel of Thomas in light of its similarities and differences with the canonical Gospels.
Answer questions on commentary regarding the Book of Jonah.
Write out-of-class essays on the various Books of the Bible.

Instruction Type(s)

Lecture, Online Education Lecture

IGETC Area 3: Arts and Humanities

3B. Humanities