Biblical Studies: The Bible, Its Content and Theology: An Introduction



Overview

The module explores the Old and New Testament together with the major elements contained in their narratives, and their main theological themes. It will proceed by focusing on the background of the Bible, by overviewing its books and describing their cultural, literary and religious contexts. Then, the course will evaluate the theological interpretations of these texts against this cultural background.

It will begin with an exploration of the Old Testament by focusing on the structure of the Hebrew Bible with its several forms of literature. The module will follow with a second part dedicated to the New Testament. After an introductory session, the major sections will be presented, considering main characters, theological themes, critical-historical issues, biblical-theological views, etc. The course will analyse the theological issues of the Bible and their relevance in moulding Christianity.

Programme details

First live webinar: 28 April 2025, 5.30-6.30pm (UK time)

Please note: There will be no class on 5th or 26th May 2025.

Week 1: The Hebrew Bible: Introduction and Language 

Week 2: The Pentateuch

Week 3: The Historical Books

Week 4: The Poetical and Wisdom Books

Week 5: The Prophets and the prophecies

Week 6: The New Testament: Content, Exegesis, and Greek

Week 7: The Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles

Week 8: Pauline Letters

Week 9: The other New Testament Writings

Week 10: The Revelation

Certification

Credit Application Transfer Scheme (CATS) points 

To earn credit (CATS points) for this course you will need to register for credit and pay an additional £30 fee. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. If you do not register for credit when you enrol you have up until the course closes to enrolments to pay the £30 fee. Students who do not register for CATS points prior to the start of the course can apply retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed.

See more information on CATS point

Coursework is an integral part of all online courses and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework, but only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work at the required standard. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education, you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee. Students who register for CATS points will be posted a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

 

Digital credentials

All students who pass their final assignment, whether registered for credit or not, will be eligible for a digital Certificate of Completion. Upon successful completion, you will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so. 

Please note that summative assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail. 

Fees

Description Costs
Course Fee £285.00
Take this course for CATS points £30.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Tutor

Prof Stefano Salemi

Dr Stefano Salemi is a scholar of biblical studies, languages, and theology. He has held or continues to hold research posts at various universities, including Harvard, Yale, Oxford, King’s College London, Theological Faculty of Apulia, Pretoria, Sheffield, and Jerusalem. He possesses the rare expertise of someone with doctorates from the UK and Italy in both Theology and Biblical Studies (Old Testament/Hebrew Bible and New Testament & Early Christianity and their associated Biblical languages). He teaches and conducts research in the fields of biblical exegesis, hermeneutics, Hebrew and Greek languages and semantics, biblical and systematic-historical theology, reception history, and intertextual studies (Hebrew Bible/Old Testament in the New Testament). He is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and has taught at various universities, including Oxford and King’s College London. His publications include books on Christ’s death in John (2014) on Hebrew semantics and Ezekiel (2024), and on the Christology of the cross (2024). 

Course aims

This course will read through the Old and New Testament, in order to demonstrate a critical and reflective understanding of their content. It will analyse different genres of both testaments in light of their cultural, historical, religious context and evaluate their biblical and theological comprehension.

Course Objectives:

  • To formulate a broad understanding of the key issues, stories, composition and characters of the Hebrew Bible and of the New Testament within their historical settings.
  • To acquire an appreciation of the theology of the Bible, and a clear evaluation of the cultural and religious background of the text.
  • To describe the major ideas, literary forms and contexts of the Bible.

Teaching methods

Learning takes place on a weekly schedule. At the start of each weekly unit, students are provided with learning materials on our online platform, including one hour of pre-recorded video, often supplemented by guided readings and educational resources. These learning materials prepare students for a one-hour live webinar with an expert tutor at the end of each weekly unit which they attend in small groups. Webinars are held on Microsoft Teams, and provide the opportunity for students to respond to discussion prompts and ask questions. The blend of weekly learning materials that can be worked through flexibly, together with a live meeting with a tutor and their peers, maximise learning and engagement through interaction in a friendly, supportive environment.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course students will be expected to:

  • acquire knowledge of the formation, composition, content of the Bible, and a precise identification of the major themes of the text;
  • demonstrate ability to analyse and interpret the biblical text;
  • display critical thinking skills.

Assessment methods

Either

Option A: Three very short (c. 500 words) pieces of written work. (Students are free to propose a suitable subject for each short essay, or a list of titles will be provided; a final agreement needs to be reached with the tutor).

Or

Option B: One short (c. 1,500 words) essay. (Students will be asked to provide an outline of the proposed essay for approval)

Please note that summative assignments are not graded but are marked either pass or fail. 

Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work the required standard.

Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form

Application

Please use the 'Book now' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an Enrolment Form (Word) or Enrolment Form (Pdf)

We will close to enrolments 7 days prior to the first live webinar to allow us to complete the course set up. We will email your joining instructions at that time (7 days before you first live webinar) so you can access the Canvas virtual learning environment (VLE) and watch your first pre-recorded video. Please check spam and junk folders during this period to ensure that these emails are received. 

 

 

Level and demands

No prior knowledge is required.

The Department's short online courses are taught at FHEQ Level 4, i.e. first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class. FHEQ level 4 courses require approximately 10 hours study per week, therefore a total of about 100 study hours.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support