​The Discipline Group Old & New Testament of the Faculty of Theology at Stellenbosch University will present the following two electives in the first semester of 2014:

324 Archaeology of the Ancient World (focus on the world of the Old Testament)

This module, which will be presented on a third-year level, offers an orientation in archaeology as historical discipline, with a focus on its contribution to our knowledge of the ancient world of the Bible. Interested people from the wider public will be able to register for this as an independent module for non-degree purposes. The module will include the following:

• a historical overview of the discipline (from "biblical archaeology" to "archaeology of the ancient world");
  
• an introduction to archaeological methodology, dating techniques, and multi-disciplinary research;
  
• discussion of a selection of main sites in Syro-Palestine, as well as main finds of recent years;
  
• attention to the contribution of archaeology to biblical studies.
  

For more information and to indicate your interest, contact Prof Louis Jonker at lcj@sun.ac.za before 15 November 2013.

234 Gender in the Bible (Old Testament focus)

This module, which will be presented on a second year level, offers an exegetical, literary and theological study of gender in the Old Testament. This includes:

• an introduction to critical methods such as feminist, postcolonial and queer biblical interpretation and the way these methods are employed in the interpretation of selected biblical texts;
  
• attention to the socio-cultural contexts in which these biblical texts emerged, paying attention to themes such as patriarchy; gender, sexuality, power and privilege; empire etc.;
  
• a focus on the literary features and theological dimension of the selected texts that portray gender in the Old Testament;
  
• attention to global and multicultural perspectives with regard to the reception of these texts as we explore the way in which women and men from different parts of the world, from different cultural, racial, socio-economic backgrounds, have read the selected biblical texts.
  

For more information, and to indicate your interest, contact Prof Juliana Claassens at jclaassens@sun.ac.za before 15 November 2013.