The Book of Jeremiah

The book of Jeremiah is the longest of the major prophets and is the source of significant New Testament quotations. Its central focus on judgment and lament is countered by only a few chapters of hope for restored fortune. Despite the book’s complexity that lends itself to sustained critical engagement, it also serves as a profound theological and pastoral resource. This course explores the book through six key questions: what is the import of the textual variance in the Jeremianic material? does the book have a discernible structure or modes of organization? what is the role of history and of the prophetic person/persona within the book? what message does the book have and how is it communicated? how has the book been received and responded to? how does the book relate to the larger canon of scripture? Each question takes up enduring critical issues and will immerse students in deep exegetical study of the text, engage them with diverse scholarship across the ages and globe, and call them to consider the message and implications of the text in our own contexts.