The Old Testament

By: Amy-Jill Levine, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Amy-Jill Levine

Length: 12 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

The Old Testament - written in ancient Israel by many different authors over the course of a thousand years - has had more meaning to more people than any other book the world has known. Its influence, whether you consider it scripture or literature, is evident everywhere in our culture, from medieval mystery plays to modern novels, art, music, theater, film, and dance. What can this work teach us about those who wrote it? About the people we once were? And can new academic understanding also speak to faith? As Professor Levine observes: "The Old Testament is endlessly fascinating because it offers everything to explore: myth, saga, and history; tragedy, comedy, and farce; economics and politics; literature and poetry of surpassing beauty; court intrigue and prophetic morality; heavenly miracles and sometimes heavenly silence; questions of theodicy; answers that satisfy and answers that may not; destruction and rebuilding; despair and hope."

In a series of 24 lively lectures, she takes you down all of these avenues, exploring selected passages from the texts known as the Old Testament, the Hebrew Bible, and the Tanakh, revealing how fresh research and findings from scholars of archaeology, cross-cultural studies, and comparative religion can deepen your understanding.

And though the focus of her lectures is on historical and literary issues, Professor Levine does not shy away from issues of religious concern, maintaining that the goal of an academic course is not to undermine religious faith, but to use that academic knowledge as a new source of insight into the writings that form a believer's spiritual bedrock.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2001 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2001 The Great Courses

Most excellent!

I wish there were part II of this course. Amy-Jill Levine is such an expert. She has an ability to share her enormous knowledge with excitement. She is also very sensitive to differences in religious interpretation of particular texts. Overall the best!

perfect narrative

I truly love the way these lectures flow. Ms. Levine offers a whole lot of detail in a straight-line but with clarification tangents which are fun and useful. I hope to find others!

good quick course for things of material

I really enjoyed the speaker she keep me interested! it gives one much to think on.

Very educational

Material presented in logical order, narrator very enthusiastic, and presentation will keep you always wanting more. Would recommend this to everyone!

Excellent Collegiate Course

I really enjoyed the academic, historical/literary approach to this course. I’ve taken many that are devotional and I cannot stomach that approach because I prefer to get that on my own. I’ve read many of her articles in edited volumes. She knows her stuff and doesn’t force it down your throat. Five stars.

A Good Resource!

What did you love best about The Old Testament?

The teaching was clear and concise. The explanations were relevant and made the Old Testament make sense.

What does Professor Amy-Jill Levine Ph.D. Duke University bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The way that Dr. Levine recounts the narratives and explains the terminology by including relevant examples makes the audio book more vivid than the text alone.

The Old Testament in all historical literary genres and theological perspectives

I commend this work. The style is highly comprehensible and though it is largely orthodox in content, it is very objective and the Professor displays the mastery of The Hebrew language and also Greek, I am particularly impressed by her treatment of the book of Job, she excels in the teaching of plots and specifically the frequent scenes of meetings at the well of the patriarch times in the Pentateuch and compares it to the New Testament scenes.
The style is not strictly evangelical and often betrays hints of lack of faith in the doctrine of inerrancy of the Bible and somewhat feminist views.
This work will serve as a very useful background for Old Testament teachers and all pastors who want a holistic view of the Bible as literature with deeper knowledge of evolution of biblical Palestine cum Israelite religious culture

How do we not know this stuff!

As with so many great courses, this ones a mind blower. It is so hard to express how the lecture can change your understanding of the very way we think. Listen to it. think on it.

Amazing!

I loved the whole course. My only wish would be that this course had a part 2 covering all the things she didn’t have time to cover in 24 lectures, such as hebrew vs greek canon, deuterocanonicals (or apocrypha), a little more about the political context in the wisdom and apocalyptic literature, etc. In summary, a great course, it leaves you wanting to know more!

Awesome Course!

Very much enjoyed listening to this course. It starts a bit slow but then she really does a fantastic job offering some unique background and insight into the various parts of the Hebrew bible or Old Testament. I wish she could have gone on for another 24 lectures! Perhaps a part 2 down the road?