SS 6100 Canon and History (Bichronous)
This course will entail a study of the process of the formation of the Canon of Scripture in the context of the study of the major epochs of salvation history.
The course will examine ‘canon’ (kanõn) understood both as ‘the rule of faith’ for Christians and as the ‘list of books’ (katalogos) that came to be approved as the ‘official canon’ of the (R.C.) Church. It will examine topics such as i) the role of the Holy Spirit in the process of discerning the list; ii) criteria for the selection of books; iii) the Bible, truth and inerrancy; and, iv) the authority of the writings listed as canonical and thus fundamental for the understanding of the Christian faith.
The course will also include a survey approach to reviewing the history of salvation. For each period under review, the student will learn about major figures, movements and writings and their respective influence on biblical tradition.
While grounded in the Roman Catholic faith tradition, this course will nurture an awareness of points of convergence and divergence with other major Christian traditions and with Judaism toward appreciating and understanding the uniqueness and richness of each of them. It is hoped that the diversity reflected among the students who take the course will contribute in this regard.
This course is a pre-requisite for all MA Sacred Scripture students but students interested in learning about how the Bible came to be; and about ‘The History of Ancient Israel’ from Abraham to the coming of Jesus are welcome to take this course for credit or enrichment.