The Old Testament (OT) course will equip students with a basic literacy of the Hebrew scriptures. The course begins with an examination of the major divisions, authorship, and translations of the OT before surveying each individual book. The second unit examines the impact of the OT on worldview, society and morals, family, human fallibility, modern science, and the value of human life. Students will recognize the impact of Hebrew scriptures on important events and historical documents including the Reformation, the Magna Carta, and the U.S. Constitution. Students will next probe the influence of the OT on language, culture, and literature, including idioms, Shakespeare’s Macbeth, Handel’s Messiah, Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost, and spirituals. The course will conclude by introducing students to the influence of OT on artworks including The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo.