Moses front and center on the east facade of the U.S. Supreme Court

The Law of Moses

Law and Government in the Ancient Near East, the Bible, and Traditions of Interpretation

This course was offered in the fall of 2010 and is expected to be offered again in the fall of 2012. Together with "Ethics and Political Pluralism" (spring 2011), it is part of a new series of interdisciplinary courses that can be taken outside of a degree program. Graduate or continuing education students from all backgrounds are welcome, especially those engaged in the study or practice of law, government, and community leadership. These courses are part of the normal theology curriculum, but are also open to students outside the degree program.

Course description

This course focuses on the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible / Old Testament from the perspective of law and government. The Torah participates in the legal and cultural traditions of the Ancient Near East, and introduces radical innovations. Unlike its ancient counterparts, the Israelite Law continues to influence social thought not only in Judaism and Christianity, but the secular systems that developed in the Christian world. That influence is mediated, however, by the various traditions of interpretation in Judaism and Christianity. This course seeks appreciation of the Law of Moses in four contexts: the original context of its development in the Ancient Near East, the history of interpretation in Judaism and Christianity, contemporary ethical and religious questions, and the relationship between the principles of biblical law and American law. While much of the Torah is recognizable as "law" in the modern sense, the entire Torah, including narratives and exhortations, will be studied with respect to underlying questions of how a society orders itself around common understandings of national identity, duty to God and neighbor, and principles of justice inherent in creation.

Who should take the course?

The course welcomes students from a wide range of disciplines and professions related to theology, law, and government. The course may be taken outside of a degree program. See below for the degree programs for which credit will be accepted. This is a graduate-level course, so presumes an undergraduate degree.

The course is interested in the diversity of insights from Jewish and Christian traditions, and welcomes students of all backgrounds and beliefs. The course presumes the legitimacy of the historical-critical method, which is accepted by the Catholic Church and most (non-fundamentalist) Jews and Christians. For example, the view of the Torah as ultimately inspired by God will not prohibit inquiry into its historical development through human beings in multiple historical contexts.

When will the course be taught?

This class meets every Tuesday, 6:30-9:15 p.m., from August 24 to December 7, except November 23 (the week of Thanksgiving).

Where can the course be taken?

The course is taught on the main campus of St. Mary's University in San Antonio, and is connected by video-conferencing technology to distance learning facilities in Austin, Temple, College Station, and Marble Falls.

Admission, credits, and tuition

A simple application form will be required to register students not already affiliated with St. Mary's University. The first step is to contact the instructor. Evidence of an undergraduate degree or higher is required, but is processed automatically for St. Mary's alumni. Letters of recommendation and the GRE are not required to take the course. Admission to a degree or certificate program is a separate process from being admitted to the course. See the requirements for admission to the graduate degree programs in Theology, Public Administration, and International Relations.

This course can be used to complete requirements for five programs at St. Mary's. It fulfills the Old Testament course requirement for the Master of Arts in Theology, or the Joint Juris Doctorate/Master of Arts in Theology. The course can used as an elective for the Master of Public Administration, or the Master of Arts in International Relations. It also can be used toward a 12-hour Certificate of Graduate (or Postgraduate) Theological Studies.

Tuition for three credit hours is $2000. Students who do not expect to receive a grade may register as auditors. Tuition for auditors is $667. Additional fees apply for student services ($60), parking ($20), and academic assessment ($8).

Expectations

Auditors are welcome to attend classes and read as much or as little of the material as they wish. Students taking the course for a grade are expected to keep up with readings, participate regularly, take a final exam, and write a final paper (or project). The weekly readings will usually be less than 100 pages of required reading, with further pages recommended.

Contact

Please direct all inquiries to the instructor:

Dr. Todd Hanneken
Department of Theology
One Camino Santa Maria
San Antonio, TX 78228
210-431-8050
thanneken@stmarytx.edu

About the instructor

Dr. Todd Hanneken, St. Mary's University Assistant Professor of Hebrew Bible and Early Judaism, fell in love with this topic through a course offered jointly by the Law School and Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago, and continued his investigation at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He has degrees in Jewish Studies, Scripture and Interpretation, and Christianity and Judaism in Antiquity from the University of Chicago, Harvard, and Notre Dame, respectively. He reads ten ancient and scholarly languages. (See further, faculty profile)

Subject to revision. Last updated July 19, 2010.

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Left: Hammurabi, the 18^th century BCE King of Babylon, receives the authority to legislate from the sun god.
Right: Deuteronomy 31:11-12 from the 10^th century CE Aleppo Codex, "You shall read this Torah aloud in the presence of all Israel. Gather the people--men, women, children, and the strangers in your communities--that they may hear and so learn..."