JWST 11.04 The Book of Exodus: Text, History, Memory, and Reception

The Book of Exodus stands out as one of the most significant and foundational texts in the Bible. Its contents hold enduring importance for both Judaism and Christianity. Like hardly any other biblical book, Exodus continues to have a strong impact on political history. This course offers an in-depth exploration of the Book of Exodus. We will move sequentially through its narrative, examining its historical and cultural contexts, and analyzing its literary structure and narrative dynamics. Alongside a close exegetical reading, we will explore key themes and issues such as oppression, resistance, liberation, covenant, law, identity formation, divine mercy, cult, and priesthood. We will also engage with selected examples of how the Book of Exodus has been received throughout history and reflect on why it continues to matter today.

Degree Requirement Attributes

Dist:TMV; WCult:W

The Timetable of Class Meetings contains the most up-to-date information about a course. It includes not only the meeting time and instructor, but also its official distributive and/or world culture designation. This information supersedes any information you may see elsewhere, to include what may appear in this ORC/Catalog or on a department/program website. Note that course attributes may change term to term therefore those in effect are those (only) during the term in which you enroll in the course.

Department-Specific Course Categories

Jewish Studies