Day 3 Religious Studies Qualifying Exam Instructions: Answer these questions in 4 hours. It is against the rules to consult any sources beyond your own brain.
Question Set 1
- Describe the nature and history of ancient Israelite religion.
- What was the earliest ancient Israelite conception of God?
- How did that conception change and transform over time?
- What do we know about the earliest forms of worship patterns?
- How does such knowledge inform our understanding of ancient Israelite religion?
- What are the strengths and weaknesses with the Hebrew Bible as a source of knowledge on the early ancient Israelite religion?
- How was ancient Israelite religion like or unlike the religion of their Canaanite neighbors?
- What implications does that have for interpreting the Bible?
Question Set 2
- Explain the origin, development, and implications of Jewish messianism.
- Make sure to define the key passages from the Hebrew Bible, how those passages were defined and interpreted over the centuries and how scholars currently interpret them.
- How did ancient Israelite history impact the development of Jewish messianism, focusing specifically on ancient Israelite interactions with foreign cultures, kingdoms, invaders, and empires?
- What Jewish writings best represent the development of Jewish messianism during the 2nd temple period? Why?
- What role did apocalypticism and the genre of apocalyptic writing have on the development of Jewish messianism?
Question Set 3
- What role did the Book of Deuteronomy play in the development of ancient Israelite faith and religion?
- Where does the Book of Deuteronomy come from?
- How was the Book of Deuteronomy composed?
- How does this book fit into ancient Israelite history both being influenced and influencing ancient Israelite history?
