《21世纪英语专业系列教材·普通高等教育“十二五”规划教材:与西方文化》不仅是宗教文本,也是西方文明的一大渊源和基石,它以显性或隐性的方式存在于几千年西方文学、艺术、文化、政治和意识形态中,其重要性在我国改革开放后便逐渐得到了共识。除了从宗教、历史和《圣经》与文学、艺术的关系开展学术研究,发表文章和专著外,20世纪90年代中期我国高等院校同欧美高校一样,也开始设立了《圣经》课程,这是有深远意义的举措。欧美高等院校自上个世纪80年代开始普遍开设《圣经》的文学、文化阐释课程,其目的是为了挽救这部经典在年轻一代人中间逐渐失去的影响,因为不熟悉《圣经》他们就不可能理解从乔叟到乔伊斯的整个西方文学作品和艺术,就意味着西方文明传统将在未来年月丧失殆尽。一句话,开设《21世纪英语专业系列教材·普通高等教育“十二五”规划教材:与西方文化》阐释课程对欧美国家来说是维护传统的大事。我国开设相关课程的目的自然不同,但也是当务之急,因为以新兴大国出现在世界舞台上的中国必须真正了解西方的思维逻辑、行事准则与方式。要达此目的,我国民众,特别是高校学生就必须熟悉《圣经》。当然,不同于欧美类似课程,我们主要是普及性的任务,授课程度比他们浅显得多。
PART ONE
IN THE BEGINNING ( C. 40,000-1,700 B.C.E)The Book of Genesis
1.The Creation and the Fall of Man
2.From the Garden to the Tower
3.Abraham, the Progenitor
4.Jacob, the Deceiver
5.Joseph, a Dreamer
PART TWO
THE EMERGENCE OF ISRAEL ( C. 1,700-1,200 B.C.E.)The Book of Exodus
6.Bondage in Egypt
7.The Plagues of Egypt
8.The Escape from Egypt
9.The Covenant at Mount Sinai
PART THREE
SETTLEMENT IN THE PROMISED LAND ( C. 1,200-1,000 B.C.E.)The Books of Joshua, Judges, Ruth
10.Joshua, the Successor to Moses
11.Unlikely Heroes
12.Samson and the Philistines
13.Ruth
PART FOUR
THE KINGDOMS OF SAUL AND DAVID ( C.1,020-900 B.C.E.)
The Books of l & 2 Samuel, Psalms
14.Samuel and Saul
15.Saul and David
16.David the King
17.Psalms
PART FIVE
THE KINGDOM OF SOLOMON ( C.962-922 B.C.E.)The Books of l Kings, Proverbs,Song of Songs,Ecclesiastes
18.Solomon
19.Proverbs
20.The Song of Songs
21.Ecclesiastes
PART SIX
THE DIVIDED KINGDOM ( C. 933-800 B.C.E.)The Books of l & 2 Kings
22.Elijah, the Ecstatic Prophet
23.Elisha
PART SEVEN
PALESTINE DURING THE ASSYRIAN, BABYLONIAN, PERSIAN AND GREEK DOMINATION ( C.842-4 B.C.E.)The Books of Esther, Job, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Jonah, Daniel
24.Esther
25.Job
26.The Prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Jonah
27.Daniel
PART EIGHT
PALESTINE UNDER THE ROMANS ( C.4 B.C.E.-67 C.E.)The Four Gospels, the Acts of Apostles, Revelation
THE FOUR GOSPELS
28.Birth of John and Jesus
29.The Ministry of John and the Launch of Jesus' Career
30.Miracles and Healings
31.Jesus' Parables: the Kingdom of Heaven
32.The Church
33.The Final Judgment
34.The Passion
35.The Resurrection and Thereafter
THE ACTS OF APOSTLES
36.Apostles Empowered by the Holy Spirit
37.Preaching in Jerusalem
38.Preaching in Samaria and Judaea
39.The Journeys of Paul
REVELATION
40.Revelation
BIBLIOGRAPHY
APPENDICES
1.Maps
1.1 Map of the Ancient Near East
1.2 Route of the Exodus of the Israelites from Egypt
1.3 The Fertile Crescent
1.4 The World of Patriarchs
1.5 Map of the Kingdoms of David and Solomort
1.6 The Divided Monarchy
1.7 The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ
1.8 The Roman Empire at Its Zenith
1.9 Paul's Missionary Journeys (1)
1.10 Paul's Missionary Journeys (2)
1.11 Paul's Missionary Journeys (3)
2.A Chronology of Biblical Times
2.1 Ancient-United Kingdom
2.2 Divided Monarchy-Exile
2.3 The Greek Period
2.4 The Roman Period/The New Testament
3.An Overview of the Books of the Bible