Questions of Life and Death in Wisdom Literature --- RGB 337/63711HF -- 2009, Fri 11am Michael Kolarcik

BD students: The goal of this course is to provide an immersion into the world of Biblical wisdom through an exploration of three biblical wisdom texts, Job, Qoheleth and the Wisdom of Solomon each of which treats fundamental human questions surrounding life and death in a sapiential fashion.
The student will be able to identify various literary types pertaining to the world of biblical wisdom and be familiar with the numerous ways in which the wisdom tradition viewed and understood their own particular questions of life and death.

Assignment and Evaluation:
-- 1)    20% Assigned Readings and Critical Review  (3 pages) of  Leo Perdue, "Part 1. Wisdom and Old Testament Theology: Issues and Approaches,"  in Wisdom & Creation: The Theology of Wisdom Literature, Nashville: Abingdon, 1994, pp. 19-74, in light of  "chapter 1 The Theology of Wisdom Literature: Issues and Approaches," in Wisdom in Revolt: Metaphorical Theology in the Book of Job, Sheffield: Almond Press, 1991, pp. 12-31. Due  on Friday Oct 23rd, 2009 (just before reading week; the last day to drop the course wihtout academic penalty is November 13th, 2009).

-- 2)    80% one major paper of 2500-3000 words, due  on December 18th, Friday of exam week.

AD students. The goal of this course is to provide an immersion into the world of Biblical wisdom through an exploration of three wisdom texts, Job, Qoheleth and the Wisdom of Solomon each of which treats fundamental human questions surrounding life and death in a sapiential fashion.  Selected texts in Hebrew and Greek from Job, Qoheleth and the Wisdom of Solomon provide an opportunity to deepen knowledge of the original languages and to be familiar with terms belonging to the biblical world of wisdom. 
The student will be able to identify various literary types pertaining to the world of biblical wisdom and be familiar with the numerous ways in which the wisdom tradition viewed and understood their own particular questions of life and death. The student  will be able to read in Hebrew and/or in Greek a few selected passages so as to  identify sapiential terminology and argumentation.

-- 1)    20% Assigned Readings and Critical Review  (3 pages) of  Leo Perdue, "Part 1. Wisdom and Old Testament Theology: Issues and Approaches,"  in Wisdom & Creation: The Theology of Wisdom Literature, Nashville: Abingdon, 1994, pp. 19-74, in light of  "chapter 1 The Theology of Wisdom Literature: Issues and Approaches," in Wisdom in Revolt: Metaphorical Theology in the Book of Job, Sheffield: Almond Press, 1991, pp. 12-31. Due  on Friday Oct 23rd, 2009 (just before reading week; the last day to drop the course wihtout academic penalty is November 13th, 2009).

-- 2)   1 term-paper,3000-4000 words (13-16 pages, timesroman 12pt). The paper is due on December 18th,  the Friday of exam week. 70%

If someone would prefer to present their research in a seminar form of one hour (rather than a term paper) that is possible during either of the last two classes, Dec 4^th  or Dec 11^th  (at the most, two).

-- 3)   Every other week we will have an extra hour (time to be determined) to read prepared texts in Hebrew or Greek. 10%

---

Reading Requirements for September 18th
    Read a part of one of the introductory texts listed below in order to have an overview of Israelite Wisdom or  R.E. Murphy, "Wisdom in the Old Testament, " Anchor Bible Dictionary VI, 920-931.

The required textbook for the course has been ordered at Crux Book Store (Wycliffe College). 
PERDUE, Leo G.  Wisdom & Creation: The Theology of Wisdom Literature. Nashville: Abingdon, 1994.

Course Materials

Introductory texts to Israelite Wisdom Literature 

-- BERGANT, Dianne . Israel's Wisdom Literature: A Liberation-Critical Reading. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1997.
-- CLIFFORD, Richard. The Wisdom Literature. Nashville: Abingdon, 1998.
-- CRENSHAW, L. Old Testament Wisdom, An Introduction, Revised and Enlarged. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox, 1998.
-- MURPHY, R.E.  The Tree of Life: An Exploration of Biblical Wisdom Literature. New York: Doubleday, 1990.
-- ** PERDUE, L.G.  Wisdom & Creation: The Theology of Wisdom Literature. Nashville: Abingdon, 1994.
-- von RAD, Gerhard. Wisdom in Israel.  Translated by J.D. Martin. London: SCM, 1978.

Late Jewish Wisdom

COLLINS, John J. Jewish Wisdom in the Hellenistic Age. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1997.
COLLINS, John J. Between Athens and Jerusalem, Jewish Identity in the Hellenistic Diaspora. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 2000.

General Bibliography regarding biblical views of death and life:

AMIR, Y.  "The Figure of Death in the 'Book of Wisdom'." JJS 30 (1979) 154-178.
BAILEY, L.R. Biblical Perspectives on Death. Philadelphia : Fortress Press, 1979.
BERTRAM, G."Zoê and Bios in the Septuagint." TDNT II. 851-861.
BRAITERMAN, Zachary. (God) After Auschwitz, Tradition and Change in Post-Holocaust Jewish Thought. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1998.
CHARLES, R.H.  Eschatology. The Doctrine of a Future Life in Israel, Judaism and Christianity. A critical History.  New York, Schocken Books, 1963.
CLEMENTS, R.E.   Wisdom for a Changing World: Wisdom in Old Testament Theology. Berkley: BIBAL Press, 1990.
CLINES, D.J.A. "The Arguments of Job's Friends." In Art and Meaning: Rhetoric in Biblical Literature, ed. D.J.A. CLINES et al. JSOTSup 19, 1982. 199-214.
COLLINS, J.J. "The Root of Immortality: Death in the Context of Jewish Wisdom (Sir WisSol)." HTR 71 (1978) 177-192.
COLLINS, J.J. "Apocalyptic Eschatology as the transcendence of Death." CBQ 36 (1974) 21-43.
COLLINS, J.J. "Cosmos and Salvation: Jewish Wisdom and Apocalyptic in the Hellenistic Age." HR 17 (1977) 121-142.
CRENSHAW ed., J.L.   Studies in Ancient Israelite Wisdom.  New York : Ktav Pub. House, 1976.
DAUBE, D. "Death as a Release in the Bible." Nov. Testamentum, 5 (1962) 82-104.
GRELOT, P. De la mort à la vie éternelle. LD 67 (1971).
JAEGAR, W. "The Greek Ideas of Immortality." HTR 52 (1959) 135-147.
KAISER, O., E. LOHSE. Tod und Leben. Stuttgart: 1977, {Death and Life, trans. J.E. Steely, Nashville: 1981}.
MARCHADOUR, A.  Mort et vie dans la bible. CahÉv 29 (1979).
MARTELET, G.  Libre réponse à un scandale: La faute originelle, la souffrance, la mort. Paris: Cerf, 1985.
MARTIN-ACHARD, R. De la mort à la résurrection d'après l'Ancien Testament. Neuchâtel: 1956, [From Death to Life, trans J.P. Smith, Edinburgh: 1960].
MARTIN-ACHARD.  R. La mort en face: selon la Bible hébraïque. Essai biblique 15, Geneva: 1988.
NICKELSBURG Jr., G.W.E.  Resurrection, Immortality, and Eternal Life in Intertestamental Judaism. Cambridge: 1972.
RAHNER, K. Zur Theologie des Todes: Mit einem Exkurs über das Martyrium. Freiburg: 1958, {On the Theology of Death, trans. C.H. Henkey, New York: 1961}.
RAHNER, K. "The Scandal of Death." Theological Investigations, Vol 7, pp. 140-144.
RAHNER, K. "The Dignity and Freedom of Man." Theological Investigations, Vol. 2, pp. 235-263.
RAHNER, K. "Ideas for a Theology of Death." Theological Investigations, Vol. 13, pp. 169-186.
RATZINGER, J. Eschatology: Death and Eternal Life.Translated by M. Waldstein [Eschatologie -- Tod und ewiges Leben, Regensburg: Friedrich Puster Verlag, 1977] Washington: Catholic University, 1988.
RICOEUR, P.  The Symbolism of Evil. Translated by E. Buchanan, Boston: Beacon, 1970.
RUSSELL, D.S. The Method and Message of the Jewish Apocalyptic,  200 B.C. - 100 A.D. London: SCM 1964.
SMITH, J.Z. "Wisdom and apocalyptic." In Visionaries and their apocalypses, edit. P.D. HANSON. Issues in religion and theology 2.  Minneapolis: Fortress, 1983. 101-120.
TROMP, N.J. Primitive Conceptions of Death and the Nether World in the Old Testament. BibOr 21 (1969).
URBACH, E.E. The Sages: their concepts and beliefs. Jerusalem: 1975.
VAWTER, B.  "Intimations of Immortality and the Old Testament." JBL 91 (1972) 158-171.
WESTERMANN, Claus. Roots of Wisdom. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1995.
 

A Selected Bibliography on the Book of Job

AUFRECHT, W.E.  Studies In the Book of Job. SR Supplements 16.  Waterloo: Wilfred Laurier University Press: 1985.
BRENNER, Athalya "God's Answer to Job." Vetus Testamentum 31 (1981) 129-137.
CERESKO, A. "The Option for the Poor in the Book of Job." Indian Theological Studies, 26 (1989).
CLINES, D.J.A.  "The Arguments of Job's Friends." In Art and Meaning: Rhetoric in Biblical Literature, edited by D.J.A. CLINES et al. JSOTSup 19, 1982. 199-214.
J.J. COLLINS, "Job and His Friends: God as a Pastoral Problem," Chicago Studies 14 (1975): 97-109.
D. COX, The Triumph of Impotence, Analecta Gregoriana 212, Rome: Pontifical Biblical Institute,1978.
E. DHORME, A Commentary on the Book of Job. Translated by H. Knight. Nashville: T. Nelson, 1984.
A.A. DI LELLA, "An Existential Interpretation of Job." Biblical Theology Bulletin 15 (1985): 49-55.
FISCH, Harold. Poetry with a purpose : biblical poetics and interpretation. Bloomington : Indiana University Press, 1988.
GLATZER, N.N. The Dimensions of Job. New York: Schocken Books 1969.
GOOD, E.M.  Irony in the Old Testament. {Jonah, Saul, Genesis, Isaiah, Qoheleth, Job} Sheffield: Almond Press,  1981.
GUTIÉRREZ, G. On Job, God-Talk and the suffering of the innocent. Translated by M.J. O'Connell. New York: Maryknoll, 1987.
HABEL, N.C. The Book of Job: A commentary. Philadelphia: Westminster, 1985.
HARTLEY, J.E. The Book of Job. New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988.
HONE, R.E., ed. The Voice out of the Whirlwind. The Book of Job.  San Francisco : Chandler, 1972..
JANZEN, J.G.  Job.  Atlanta : John Knox Press, 1985.
KING, N. "The hand of the Lord has touched me: Job, Qoheleth, and the Wisdom of Solomon," Way 22 (1982): 235-244.
LACOCQUE, A.  "Job or the Impotence of Religion and Philosophy." Semeia 19 (1981): 33-52.
MACKENZIE, R.A.F.  "The Transformation of Job." Biblical Theology Bulletin 9 (1979): 51-57.
MATHEWSON, Dan. Death and survival in the book of Job : Desymbolization and Traumatic Experience. New York : T&T Clark, 2006.
MEIER, S. "Job I--II: A Reflection of Genesis I--III," VT 39 (1989): 183-193.
NEWSOM, Carol A. The Book of Job : a Contest of Moral Imaginations.  Oxford:  Oxford University Press, 2003.
NAVONE, John. "A Theology of Darkness, Terror and Dread." Theology 80 (1977): 348-353.
TEMPLETON, E.  "In Defense of Disorder." Theology 80 (1977): 413-422.
PENCHANSKY, David . The Betrayal of God, Ideological Conflict in Job. Literary Currents in Biblical Interpretation. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 1990.
PERDUE, Leo G.  Wisdom in Revolt: Metaphorical Theology in the Book of Job. JSOTSup 112, Bible And Literature Series 29, Sheffield: 1991.
PERDUE, L.G., W.C. GILPIN, eds. The Voice from the Whirlwind, Interpreting the Book of Job. Nashville: Abingdon, 1992.
PFEFFER, Jeremy I. Providence in the book of Job : the search for God's mind . Portland, Oregon: Sussex Academic Press, 2005.
POLZIN, R., D. ROBERTSON, eds. Studies in the Book of Job. Missoula: Scholars Press, 1977.
POPE,  M.  Job: Introduction, translation and notes. N.Y.: Doubleday, 1965.
ROHR, Richard.  Job and the Mystery of Suffering, Spiritual Reflections. New York: Crossroad, 1996.
VAWTER,  B. Job & Jonah - Questioning the Hidden God. Paulist, New York: 1983.
VOGELS, W. "Job a parlé correctment." Nouvelle Revue Téologique 102 (1980): 835-851.
VOGELS, W. "The Inner Development of Job: One more look at Psychology and the Book of Job." Science et Esprit 35, 2 (1983): 227-230.
VOGELS, W. "The Spiritual Growth of Job, A Psychological Approach to the Book of Job" Biblical Theology Bulletin 11 (1981): 75-80.
VOGELS, W. Job, L'homme qui a bien parlé de Dieu, lire la Bible, Paris: Cerf, 1995.
ZUCK, R.B. ed. Sitting With Job, Selected Studies on the Book of Job. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1992.
ZUCKERMAN, Bruce . Job the Silent: a Study in Historical Counterpoint. Oxford University Press, New York: 1991.
 
 

A Selected Bibliography on Qoheleth

BISHOP, E.F.F. "A Pessimist in Palestine (B.C.)." PEQ 100 (1968): 33-41. (Palestine Exploration Quarterly)
CHOPINEAU, J. "Qoheleth's Modernity." TDig 29 (1981): 117-118.
EATON, M.A. Ecclesiastes: An Introduction and Commentary. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Leicester: 1983.
FOX, M.V. "Frame-Narrative and Composition in the Book of Qohelet." HUCA 48 (1977): 83-106. (Hebrew Union College Annual)
FOX, M.V. Qohelet and His Contradictions. JSOTSup 71.
GILBERT, M. "La vieillesse en Qohelet XII 1-7, est-elle allégorique?." [Congress Volume, ed. J.A. Emerton, Vienna: 1980, SuppVT 32, 1981]  96-109.
HOLM-NIELSEN, S. "The Book of Ecclesiastes and the Interpretation of it in Jewish and Christian Theology." ASTI 10 (1976): 38-96 (Annual of the Swedish Theological Institute).
JOHNSTON, R.K. "'Confessions of a Workaholic': A Reappraisal of Qoheleth." CBQ 38 (1976): 14-28.
KING, N. "The hand of the Lord has touched me; Job, Qoheleth, and the Wisdom of Solomon." Way 22 (1982): 235-244.
LAVOIE, Jean-Jacques. La pensée du Qohélet: Etude exégétique et intertextuelle. (Héritage et projet 49; Montreal: Fides, 1992).
N. LOHFINK, Kohelet. Wurzburg: 1980.
LYS, D. "L'Etre et le Temps. Communication de Qohèlèth." La Sagesse de l'Ancien Testament, ed. M. Gilbert, 1979, 249-258.
MURPHY, R.E. "Qohelet interpreted: the bearing of the past on the present." VT 32 (1982): 331-337.
SEOW, Choon-Leong . Eccesiastes. AnchorB 18C, New York: Doubleday, 1997.
OGDEN, Graham.  Qoheleth. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic, 1987.
SHEPPARD, G.T. "The Epilogue to Qoheleth as Theological Commentary." CBQ 39 (1977): 182-189.
WALSH, J.T. "Despair as a Theological Virtue in the Spirituality of Ecclesiastes." Biblical Theology Bulletin 12 (1982).
WHITLEY, C.F. Kohelet. His Language and Thought. BZAW 148, New York: 1979.
WHYBRAY, R.N. "The identification and use of quotations in Ecclesiastes." SuppVT 32 (1981): 435-451.
WILLIAMS, J.G.  "What Does It Profit a Man? The Wisdom of Koheleth." In Studies in Ancient Israelite Wisdom, edited by J. Crenshaw (1976) 385-389.
WRIGHT, A.G. "The Riddle of the Sphinx: The Structure of the Book of Qoheleth." CBQ30 (1968): 313-334, also in J.L. CRENSHAW ed., Studies in Ancient Israelite Wisdom, New York: 1976, pp. 245-266 (See also CBQ 42 (1980): 38-51.
 

A Selected Bibliography on the Book of Wisdom
AMIR, Y. "The Figure of Death in the 'Book of Wisdom'." JJS 30 (1979): 154-178.
COLLINS, J.J. "The Root of Immortality: Death in the Context of Jewish Wisdom (Sir WisSol)." HTR 71 (1978): 177-192.
DI LELLA, A.A. "Conservative and Progressive Theology: Sirach and Wisdom." CBQ 28 (1966): 139-154, also in Studies in Ancient Israelite Wisdom, ed. J.L. Crenshaw, New York : Ktav Pub. House, 1976, pp. 401-416.
DUMOULIN,  P. Entre la Manne et l'Eucharistie: Etude de Sg 16,15-17,1a. La Manne dans le livre de la Sagesse, synthèse de traditions et préparation au Mystère Eucharistique, AnBib 132, Rome: Pontifical Biblical Institute, 1994.
GAVENTA, B.R. "The Rhetoric of Death in the Wisdom of Solomon and the Letters of Paul." [K.G. HOGLUND, E.F. HUWILER, J.T. GLASS, R.W. LEE, eds., The Listening Heart, JSOTSup 58 1987, in honor of Roland E. Murphy] 127-145.
GILBERT, M. "La structure de la prière de Salomon (Sg 9)." Bib 51 (1970): 301-331.
GILBERT, M.  "Sagesse de Salomon (ou Livre de la Sagesse)." DBS 11 -3- (1986): 58-119.
KLOPPENBORG, J.S.  "Isis and Sophia in the Book of Wisdom." HTR 75 (1982): 57-84.
KOLARCIK, M. "Creation and Salvation in the Book of Wisdom." [R.J. Clifford, J.J. Collins, eds., Creation in the Biblical Traditions, CBQ Monograph Series 24, 1992] 97-107.
KOLARCIK, M. The Ambiguity of Death in the Book of Wisdom (1-6), A Study of Literary Structure and Interpretation.  Analecta Biblica 127. Rome: Pontifical Biblical Institute, 1991.
KOLARCIK, M. The Book of Wisdom: introduction, commentary, and reflections. NIB 5. Project Director, Jack A. Keller. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997. 433-600.
KOLARCIK, M.  "Universalism and Justice in the Wisdom of Solomon." In Treasures of Wisdom: Studies in Ben Sira and the Book of Wisdom, Festschrift M. Gilbert, eds. N. Calduch-Benages, J. Vermeylen, Leuven: Leuven University Press, 1999. 289-301.
LARCHER,  C. Études sur le livre de la sagesse. Paris: J. Gabalda, 1969.
LARCHER, C. Le Livre de la Sagesse ou la Sagesse de Salomon. vol. 1-3, ÉtBN 1,3,5, Paris: J. Gabalda, 1983-1985.
REESE, J.M. Hellenistic Influence on the Book of Wisdom and its Consequences, AnBib 41, Rome: Pontifical Biblical Institute, 1970.
SUGGS, M.J. "Wisdom of Solomon II, 10-V: A Homily Based on the Fourth Servant Song." JBL 76 (1957): 26-33.
TAYLOR, R.J.  "The Eschatological Meaning of Life and Death in the Book of Wisdom I-V." ETL 42 (1966): 72-137.
TENNANT, F.R.  "The Teaching of Ecclesiasticus and Wisdom on the Introduction of Sin and Death." JTS 6 (1905): 232-237; see also JTS 2 (1901): 207-223.
WEISENGOFF, J.P.  "Death and Immortality in the Book of Wisdom." CBQ 3 (1941): 104-133.
WINSTON, D.  The Wisdom of Solomon.  AnchorB 43, New York: Doubleday,1979.
WRIGHT, A.G. "The Structure of Wisdom 11-19." CBQ 27 (1965): 28-34.
WRIGHT, A.G. "The Structure of the Book of Wisdom." Bib 48 (1967): 165-184.

COURSE INFORMATION: