COLL-E 103 The Bible and Its Interpreters (Weitzman) (A&H) (3 cr.)

Although the Bible was composed thousands of years ago, it remains one of the most influential and relevant texts in our culture. It is also one of the most controversial. How has the Bible managed to remain meaningful for so long and for so many? Why has the search for the Bible's meaning generated so much disagreement and even conflict?

"The Bible and its Interpreters" will examine these questions by exploring how Genesis, the first book in the biblical canon, has been read by different interpreters over the centuries—Jews and Christians, ancient exegetes and modern scholars, the powerful and the oppressed, fundamentalists and feminists. Beyond reading Genesis itself, we will also look at novels, poetry, film and other media through which people interpret the Bible and relate it to their lives. Our goal is to develop a deeper understanding not just of the Bible and what it means but of the act of reading as a religious, cultural, and even political act.