College of Arts and Sciences
Bloomington
Director
Associate Professor Herbert Marks
Graduate Faculty
Program Information
Ph.D. Minor in Biblical Literature
Certificate in Biblical and Literary Criticism
Courses
(An asterisk [*] denotes associate membership in University Graduate School faculty.)
Distinguished Professors
Willis Barnstone (Emeritus, Comparative Literature, Spanish and Portuguese), Linda Dégh (Emerita, Folklore)
Chancellors' Professor
Stephen Stein (Religious Studies)
Professors
James Ackerman (Emeritus, Near Eastern Languages and Cultures, Religious Studies), Ernest Bernhardt-Kabisch (Emeritus, Comparative Literature, English), Lawrence Clopper Jr. (English), Henry R. Cooper Jr. (Slavic Languages and Literatures), Alfred David (Emeritus, English), Kenneth R. R. Gros Louis (Emeritus, Comparative Literature, English), James Halporn (Emeritus, Classical Studies), Kenneth Johnston (English), Peter Lindenbaum (English), Carroll Nelson (Emeritus, Classical Studies), Stephen Wailes (Germanic Studies)
Associate Professors
David Brakke (Religious Studies), Herbert Marks (Comparative Literature, English, Near Eastern Languages and Cultures), Michael Satlow (Religious Studies), Steven Weitzman* (Religious Studies), Nicholas Williams (English)
Academic Advisor
Associate Professor Herbert Marks, Ballantine Hall 914, (812) 855-7070
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The Institute for Biblical and Literary Studies is an interdisciplinary consortium that aims to bring together the critical study of the Bible, the history of biblical interpretation, and the theory and practice of literary criticism. Depending on background and interest, students may concentrate on biblical texts and languages, literary criticism, or the history and theory of interpretation. Study of ancient languages is strongly encouraged. Students with previous training in biblical studies will be advised to devote more time to courses in literary theory and Western literature; those with a stronger background in classical or modern literature will be advised to concentrate on the biblical text and its cultural setting. The institute offers a Ph.D. minor and a certificate that may be earned concurrently. Students participate in a regular seminar (I600), which, like most institute courses, combines close reading of specific texts with larger issues of methodology. Prospective students interested in pursuing the M.A. or Ph.D. degree are urged to apply first to one of the affiliated departments, such as comparative literature (for literary theory) or religious studies (for biblical studies).
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The Ph.D. minor in biblical literature is available to all doctoral students not specializing in biblical studies; four courses in biblical literature and in the history of biblical interpretation are required. Courses should be selected in consultation with the director of the institute.
Grades
Courses in which a student receives less than a B (3.0) will not count toward the minor.
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The certificate is available to doctoral students in all departments and to special students from outside Indiana University who wish to do advanced interdisciplinary work in biblical and literary studies.
Course Requirements
Eight courses in biblical literature, the history of biblical interpretation, and the theory and practice of literary criticism, including I600. The selection of courses should be made in consultation with the director of the institute. In certain cases, two of the eight courses may be in a biblical language. Courses that study biblical or exegetical sources in a national literature may also be counted.
Language Requirement
Proficiency in biblical Hebrew or Greek, to be certified by the completion of N472 or G308 or their equivalent, or by an examination administered by the relevant language department.
Grades
Courses in which a student receives less than a B (3.0) will not count toward the certificate.
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I600 Colloquium in Biblical and Literary Studies (4 cr.) Study of selected biblical texts and critical issues with attention to the interrelations between traditional modes of interpretation and current literary theory. May be repeated for credit when the topic differs.
Anthropology
E451 Myth and Legend (3 cr.)
E455 Anthropology of Religion (3 cr.)
Classical Studies
C405 Comparative Mythology (4 cr.)
G301-G302 Classical Greek: Accelerated Courses (3-3 cr.)
G308 Readings in Biblical Greek (3 cr.)
G611 Greek Papyrology (4 cr.)
L505 Medieval Latin (4 cr.)
Comparative Literature
C501 Introduction to Contemporary Literary Studies (4 cr.)
C503 Topics in World Criticism and Theory I (4 cr.)
C504 Topics in World Criticism and Theory II (4 cr.)
C505 Western Literary and Intellectual Traditions to 1500 (4 cr.)
C506 Western Literary and Intellectual Traditions after 1500 (4 cr.)
C545 The Bible and Western Tradition (4 cr.)
C580 History and Theory of Translation (4 cr.)
C601 Studies in the History of Theory and Criticism (4 cr.)
C602 Contemporary Theoretical Issues and Approaches (4 cr.)
C641 Literature in its Intellectual and Cultural Contexts (4 cr.)
C643 Literary Studies and the Social Sciences (4 cr.)
C644 Literary Studies and Psychoanalysis (4 cr.)
C645 Literary Studies and Religion (4 cr.)
C801 Directed Research in Comparative Literature (cr. arr.)
English
G660 Stylistics (4 cr.)
L605 Critical and Interpretive Theory (4 cr.)
L608 History of Literary Criticism (4 cr.)
L705 Problems in Language, Literature, and Literacy (4 cr.)
L707 Studies in Literary Theory and Criticism (4 cr.)
Folklore
F527 Folk Poetry and Folksong (3 cr.)
F545 Folk Narrative (3 cr.)
F734 Folklore and Literature (3 cr.)
French and Italian
F564 Approaches to Literary Criticism (3 cr.)
F584 Stylistics and Semantics (3 cr.)
Near Eastern Languages and Cultures
N416 Comparative Talmudic Literature (3 cr.)
N471-N472 Biblical Hebrew I-II (3-3 cr.)
N586 Medieval Hebrew Literature (3 cr.)
Religious Studies
R511 Religion of Ancient Israel (3 cr.)
R521 Studies in the New Testament (3 cr.)
R531 Studies in Christian History (3 cr.)
R532 Studies of Religion in American Culture (3 cr.)
R541 Studies in the Jewish Tradition (3 cr.)
R610 Studies in Biblical Literature (4 cr.)
R590 Directed Readings in Religious Studies (cr. arr.)
R663 History of Biblical Interpretation (3 cr.)
Semiotic Studies
S601 Introduction to Semiotic Studies (3 cr.)
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