About This Course
Before the rise of kings and prophets, before the world’s great religions took shape, there was a story—a story of creation, covenant, and courage. Introduction to the Old Testament (Yale Open Course) invites you to step into that unfolding drama, where faith and history meet across millennia. This is not a passive reading of ancient texts; it’s a journey through the living pulse of the Hebrew Bible, where divine promise and human struggle intertwine.
We begin with the world’s first dawn—the Genesis narrative that has inspired poets, philosophers, and seekers for centuries. Students will explore how these foundational stories of creation, fall, and renewal shaped the moral imagination of entire civilisations. From Abraham’s call to Moses’ defiance before Pharaoh, the course traces the emergence of a people whose faith was tested in deserts, kingdoms, and exile.
The heart of the course lies in understanding the Old Testament as both literature and history. Each book—Genesis, Exodus, Psalms, Isaiah, and beyond—will be examined in its ancient Near Eastern context, revealing how myth, law, and prophecy reflected the realities of their time. You’ll see how the Israelites’ encounters with Egypt, Babylon, and Persia transformed their understanding of God, justice, and identity. The course highlights the nineteenth‑ and twentieth‑century scholarship that uncovered these connections, showing how archaeology and textual analysis illuminate the world behind the words.
But this is also a course about theology in motion—about how divine revelation was experienced, questioned, and reinterpreted. Students will engage with themes of covenant, sacrifice, wisdom, and redemption, exploring how they evolved through centuries of storytelling and interpretation. The Old Testament’s heroes and poets wrestle with timeless questions: Why do the righteous suffer? What does it mean to be chosen? How can humanity live in harmony with divine will?
Through lively discussion and guided readings, learners will discover how these ancient texts continue to speak to modern concerns—justice, leadership, community, and faith in uncertain times. Each session invites reflection and dialogue, encouraging students to see the Old Testament not as a relic of the past but as a living conversation that still shapes moral and spiritual thought today.
By the end of the course, you’ll have uncovered the origins of faith and history themselves—seeing how the Old Testament’s epic stories and enduring lessons continue to inspire, challenge, and transform those who seek understanding.
#Faith #History #Scripture #OldTestament #YaleOpenCourse
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Course Staff
Michael Williams
Educational Troublemaker
Michael Williams brings a unique combination of academic training, field research, and global educational leadership to the teaching of the New & Old Testament and Church History. His preparation includes graduate‑level theological and ethical study through M.Div. coursework at Talbot Seminary, where he developed a strong foundation in biblical ethics, historical theology, hermeneutics, and the intellectual traditions that shaped Christian thought. Complementing formal seminary study, Michael completed a seven‑month independent research expedition across Europe and the Middle East, visiting major centers of Christian development including England, Scotland, France, Germany, Rome, Israel, Jerusalem, Greece, and Mount Athos. This immersive journey allowed him to study early Christian movements, monastic traditions, archaeological sites, and Greek language and culture while living minimally and engaging directly with local communities. His travel scholarship provided firsthand exposure to the geography, architecture, and cultural settings that shaped both the early church and the New Testament world. Michael also completed 3 graduate seminary units at the Institute of Holy Land Studies in Jerusalem, where his coursework focused on archaeology, geography, culture, and the historical context of all major biblical sites. This academic training deepened his understanding of the physical and cultural landscape of Scripture, equipping him to teach the New Testament with a historically grounded, context‑rich perspective. His firsthand exploration of biblical lands—combined with his theological education—enables Michael to teach Church History and New Testament studies not merely as academic subjects but as lived narratives shaped by geography, culture, and human experience. His work at World Mentoring Academy, where he has spent more than a decade building one of the world’s last fully free MOOC platforms, demonstrates his commitment to accessible, rigorous education. He has developed more than 1,000 courses across ethics, philosophy, and religious studies, giving him extensive experience in curriculum design, learner engagement, and instructional leadership. Across all his teaching, Michael integrates historical insight with ethical reflection, helping students connect the development of Christian doctrine and institutions with contemporary questions of justice, community, and moral responsibility. His background in biblical ethics, global travel scholarship, and open‑education leadership makes him exceptionally well‑qualified to teach New Testament, Church History, and Historical Theology at the undergraduate, seminary, or continuing‑education level.
