Lecture 1. The Parts of the Whole

Introduction to the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) (RLST 145) with Christine Hayes
This lecture provides an introduction to the literature of the Hebrew Bible and its structure and contents. Common misconceptions about the Bible are dispelled: the Bible is a library of books from diverse times and places rather than a single, unified book; biblical narratives contain complex themes and realistic characters and are not "pious parables" about saintly persons; the Bible is a literarily sophisticated narrative not for children; the Bible is an account of the odyssey of a people rather than a book of theology; and finally, the Bible was written by many human contributors with diverse perspectives and viewpoints.
00:00 - Chapter 1. Introduction to the Hebrew Bible and Its Radical Ideas
16:10 - Chapter 2. Common Myths about the Bible
29:33 - Chapter 3. An Overview of the Structure of the Bible
40:17 - Chapter 4. Course Organization
Complete course materials are available at the Yale Online website: online.yale.edu
This course was recorded in Fall 2006.