Chapter 1 - Places to Begin

Question 1

Latin term for “covenant”

Answer 1

testamentum

Question 2

Scripture

Answer 2

Those writings that function authoritatively for the faith and practice of a religious group. It does not necessarily refer to a formal, fixed number of texts.

Question 3

Greek term for “canon”

Answer 3

Kanōn

Question 4

Meaning of kanōn (general)

Answer 4

Originally a reed or rod used for measuring or keeping straight, later “normative” or standard in a metaphorical sense

Question 5

Meaning of canon or kanōn for use in this class

Answer 5

The normative list of authoritative texts that function as Scripture

Question 6

The Hebrew Bible

Answer 6

Tanakh

Question 7

The Law (in the Hebrew Bible)

Answer 7

Torah

Question 8

The Prophets (in the Hebrew Bible)

Answer 8

Nevi’im

Question 9

The Writings (in the Hebrew Bible)

Answer 9

Ketuvim

Question 10

Tanakh

Answer 10

The Hebrew Bible

Question 11

Torah

Answer 11

The Law (in the Hebrew Bible)

Question 12

Nevi’im

Answer 12

The Prophets (in the Hebrew Bible)

Question 13

Ketuvim

Answer 13

The Writings (in the Hebrew Bible)

Question 14

Septuagint

Answer 14

Greek Translations of the Hebrew Scriptures (Literally means 70, so is also called LXX)

Question 15

Apocrypha

Answer 15

The texts in the Septuagint that were removed from the Protestant Old Testament. The Catholic Tradition refers to these writings as deuterocanonical (“second canon”)

Question 16

Greek term for Catholic

Answer 16

Katholikos (meaning universal or general)

Question 17

Allegory

Answer 17

The interpretation of text to have hidden meanings and thus great symbolic value for readers

Question 18

Hermeneutics

Answer 18

the art of interpretation (what did it mean, what does it mean)

Question 19

Criticism (in the context of biblical scholarship)

Answer 19

the serious, historical study of a text

Question 20

Source Criticism

Answer 20

The attempt to determine the author of the text; what is the source of the material? What were the intentions of the author?

Question 21

Form Criticism

Answer 21

The analysis of types of literature and classification of them according to forms such as hymns, laments, and sagas. Then the setting and intent of the form can be determined.

Question 22

Tradition History

Answer 22

The history of traditions in ancient Israel; the study of key memories and their development in the Old Testament.

Question 23

Redaction Criticism

Answer 23

The study of the compilation or editing of a text; the why and how of the editing of a text

Question 24

Canonical Criticism

Answer 24

The determination of when, why, and by whom the layers of Scripture were considered authoritative and to what special purposes

Question 25

Narrative Criticism

Answer 25

Study that pays close attention to the way features such as character and characterization, plot development, point of view, and language shape meaning in the text.

Question 26

Rhetorical Criticism

Answer 26

The identification of any type of recurrent pattern, such as repetition or word plays, which contributes to the persuasive nature of the text

Question 27

Reader Response Criticism

Answer 27

Searching for meaning through leaving the historical circumstances of the text in favor of the circumstances of the reader and his or her values, beliefs, etc.

Question 28

Pentateuch

Answer 28

The first 5 books of the Protestant and Catholic Old Testaments (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy)

Question 29

What are the Autographs

Answer 29

The original texts of the Bible

Question 30

What term refers to the writings that function authoritatively for the faith and practice of a religious faith tradition?

Answer 30

Scripture

Question 31

Which texts were authoritative for the Christian movement from the very beginning?

Answer 31

The Jewish Scriptures

Question 32

What is the general order in which the Hebrew canon developed?

Answer 32

Law, Prophets, Writings

Question 33

What is the last book of the Protestant Old Testament?

Answer 33

Malachi

Question 34

What is the last book of the Hebrew Old Testament?

Answer 34

2 Chronicles