Time and the Word: Conceptualizing the Meaning of Scriptural Figuration

This course seeks to understand the basis upon which the Bible can be read "figuratively", within the context of an understanding of historical and temporal reality. The course makes use of exegesis (1 Corinthians 10, Genesis, and Ephesians 1), history of interpretation (both Christian and Jewish), philosophy of time, and the history of the philosophy of time as relevant to Christian theology and exegesis. The goal of the course is to outline a working framework for understanding how traditional figural referents in the Bible can be sustained in Christian reading of Scripture. Seminar format. Evaluation: Based on seminar performance (discussion and presentation of weekly research - 50%) and a final paper (50%).