Units timetabled for 2013 and 2014 are provisional only, and details of semester and time will change. The official timetable for each year is released on 1 September of the prior year.

Archived unit descriptions for 2011 are available here.

The Twelve Prophets

Unit Code: 
BV423
RTI: 
United Faculty of Theology
Unit Value: 
15 points

This unit provides an opportunity for students to study a corpus of material that embraces much of the history of prophecy in Israel. The unit will comprise: an introduction to the twelve so-called ‘minor prophets’, an analysis of the books of Hosea, Amos, Micah, Jonah and Zechariah from the twelve Prophets; and an examination of the hypothesis that the twelve constitute a book of prophecy. Students will undertake detailed exegesis of selected passages from Hosea, Amos, and Zechariah.

Learning Outcomes: 

Upon successful completion of this unit, it is expected that students will be able to:

  1. demonstrate a critical understanding of the major hypotheses about the nature and composition of each of the prophetic books listed
  2. engage in critical discussion about the different features of each prophetic book
  3. exegete passages from the books in a competent manner
  4. demonstrate a critical understanding of the contribution of the twelve books to Hebrew Bible / Old Testament prophecy
  5. construct sophisticated and independent arguments on the basis of their analysis of the text and their critical reading of the secondary sources
Lecturer/s: 
Mark O'Brien
Timetabling
Day: 
Thursday
Time: 
10 - 1
Location: 
Centre for Theology and Ministry
Unit Frequency: 
Occasional
Years Offered: 
2010
Unit Fields
Courses: 
Master of Arts (Theology)
Courses: 
Master of Theological Studies
Courses: 
Postgraduate
Field: 
Field B Biblical Studies
Disciplines: 
Biblical Studies
Disciplines: 
Old Testament
Department Name: 
Department of Biblical Studies
Prerequisites: 

At least two units in Old Testament.

Mode of Teaching: 
Semester
Teaching Methods: 

3 hours seminar per week for 12 weeks

Workload
Number of timetabled hours per week: 
3
Expected personal study hours per week: 
9
Total workload hours per week: 
12
Total workload hours for unit: 
144
Assessment
Assessment TypeWeightingLearning Outcomes Assessed
Assessment Type: 

1 x 6000 word essay or exegesis

Weighting: 
100%
Recommended reading: 

* = set texts recommended for purchase

  • Achtemeier, E. The Minor Prophets. Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 1996.
  • Ferreiro, A. (ed.) The Twelve Prophets. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2003.
  • Floyd, M. H. Minor Prophets. FOTL. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000.
  • Nogalski, J. D. & M. A. Sweeney (eds). Reading and Hearing the Book of the Twelve. SBL Symposium Series, 15; Atlanta: Scholars Press, 2000.
  • Redditt, P. L. ‘Recent Research on the book of the Twelve as One Book.’ Currents in Research: Biblical Studies 9 (2001) 47-80.
  • Redditt, P. L & A. Schart (eds). Thematic Threads in the Book of the Twelve. BZAW 325. Berlin: de Gruyter, 2003.
  • Sweeney, M. A. et al (eds). The Twelve Prophets. Berit Olam. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2000.
  • Sweeney, M. A. The Prophetic Literature. Interpreting Biblical Texts. Nashville: Abingdon, 2005.

© United Faculty of Theology, 2008-2012.