Survey of the Bible
Course Outline & Assessment Information
Objectives
Take the grand tour of this magnificent Book. Get to know some of the Bible's heroes and villains. Learn about the "land flowing with milk and honey", about why pagan religions were so attractive to the Israelites and why the scribes and Pharisees got so mad at Jesus - and why He got mad at the small businessmen trying to make a shekel at the Temple. Develop a clear and cogent story-flow for this massive and sometimes confusing Book of books while providing interesting and helpful insights into the culture, customs, geography and major themes of the Old and New Testaments.
This subject aims to introduce students to the Holy Bible, equipping them with a sound working understanding of the content, structure, settings, and themes of both Old and New Testaments. It is designed to help students heighten their awareness of the Bible generally as well as provide insights into the major theological issues it addresses.
On completion of this subject students should be able to:
- Demonstrate knowledge of the cultural, religious and geographic influences on ancient Israel
- Demonstrate knowledge of the major themes and theological issues of the Old Testament
- Demonstrate knowledge of the cultural and religious influences of the New Testament period
- Demonstrate knowledge of the life and ministry of Jesus as portrayed in the New Testament
- Demonstrate a knowledge of the major themes and theological issues of the New Testament
Although not an assessable part of the subject, a key result of the course should be a heightened interest in and appreciation of the richness and value of the Christian Scriptures.
Content
Class 1
Class 2
Class 3
- Authorship, inspiration and unity
Class 4
- Culture and geography of the Old Testament
Class 5
- Major themes & theological issues in the Old Testament
Class 6
- Background to the New Testament
Class 7
- The life and ministry of Jesus Christ
Class 8
- The growth of the church in the New Testament
Class 9
- Major themes & theological issues in the New Testament
Planning Your Study
This subject consists of nine lessons. But not every Class is of the same length or detail, and the exercises, readings, and assignments can vary greatly from one Class to the next. This is partly a result of trying to “group” related material together rather than artificially split it up into smaller lessons. While the first four lessons are fairly quick to move through, Class five is probably the most challenging, covering a vast passage of time, seemingly innumerable kings, prophets, and foreign invaders! It will take longer to work through than the first three combined.
Texts and Supporting Materials
The Bible (the New International Version is recommended).
Assigned readings available within the Survey of the Bible class web – provided within each Class via links to pdf files. Many of the lessons contain assigned readings from the course text and readings. The assigned readings are an important part of the course material and will greatly enrich your understanding of the subject. They are also necessary for completing exercises and/or assignments.
Activities
In addition to assessments, many of the lessons contain exercises for students to complete. These exercises are designed to engage students with both the teaching materials and with the biblical texts to heighten awareness and increase understanding. It is important that you engage as fully as possible in these exercises to maximize your learning in this class. Generally, it will be relatively easy to fulfill the exercises, but to maximize learning you are advised to take adequate time to reflect on and complete each one.
To purchase books from the class bibliographies, select the "Bookstore" option from the Student Services dropdown menu. Ambassador College of Christian Ministry partners with Amazon Books to provide fast, efficient service and delivery of your textbook needs worldwide.
Assessment
There are five assignments to be completed:
- Assessment #1 after Class 4
- Assessment #2 after Class 5
- Assessment #3 after Class 6
- Assessment #4 after Class 7
- Assessment #5 after Class 9
Some of the assessment items are presented as in-class quizzes and some are to be submitted as per the instructions. For this class they include the following elements:
- Short answers, fill-in-the-blanks
- Map work – identifying locations
- A time-chart
- Short essay responses
- A summary of Jesus’ life
Assessment Submission
Your login determines which options are available to you throughout the ACCM Learning Management System. When you're ready to submit an assessment, select the "My Assessments" option from the Student Services dropdown menu and follow the instructions for uploading your document. Please note: file sizes must be less than 512kb and of acceptable file type or the system will not accept them. Acceptable file types include only:
- PDF (Adobe Reader format documents)
- TXT (standard text file format documents)
- DOC (MS Word documents) and
- RTF (Rich Text Format documents)
Dates for Assessment
Check the "Assessment Calendar" option from the Student Services dropdown menu.
Lecturer
More about the Lecturer, Phil Hopwood.
Grading System
Check the "FAQ" option from the ABOUT dropdown menu.
Copyright
This web site contains course material that is for the use of the students of Ambassador College of Christian Ministry only. Re-publication and re-dissemination, including posting to news groups or web pages, is strictly prohibited without prior written consent of Ambassador College of Christian Ministry. Your participation in an ACCM course indicates your agreement.
Class Notes - Conventions
As you work through the class notes, you'll have opportunities to complete exercises, reflect on particular points and take special note. These are clearly indicated, with relevant instructions alongside
How Long Do I Have to Complete the Class?
Check the "FAQ" option from the Student Services dropdown menu.
Queries
These should be emailed to info@ambascol.org
ALL THE BEST WITH YOUR LEARNING JOURNEY!
© Ambassador College of Christian Ministry