Diploma in
Dead Sea Scrolls Studies
Distance
Learning Course
Details
College accreditation:
International Association for Distance Learning.
Total
recommended period of study: approx.
3
months or less. Continuous enrolment. No time limit.
Cost:
£215.00 (215 Pounds Sterling - for currency conversion see
www.xe.com )
One FREE textbook will be included for students from the UK. Students
outside the UK will need to buy the textbook separately. No other books
are required.
Method of study
Textbook study. Written assignments are based on
the textbook. Assignment questions are issued by email and
students return their written work by email. Grades and feedback are issued by
email.
Course
overview
This course, summarising some 50 years of
research, provides a detailed account of the discovery and preservation
of the Dead Sea Scrolls, their relationship to the Old and New
Testaments and to apocryphal scriptures; the belief systems and culture
of the Qumran group; and controversies and fringe theories surrounding
the Scrolls. The set text provides new perspectives on interpreting the
Biblical evidence. It provides clear explanations of the diversity of
ancient scriptural and related texts and how the Scrolls have helped
scholars revise their theories about the provenance and significance of
the Biblical documents. The non-Biblical scrolls which comprise about
75% of the collection are also extensively discussed, revealing the
beliefs and rules of the Qumran community. This unit is suitable for
students new to Scroll study or for advanced students who will find
additional information and commentary.
The course will allow students to evaluate
some of the sensationalist claims (including conspiracy theories) that have been made about the Scrolls
in popular books, and to appreciate the Scrolls discoveries as important
for the history of religion and for understanding the people of ancient Israel
and the development of early Christianity.
What you will learn about:
-
How the Dead Sea Scrolls were
discovered
-
Archaeology of Qumran
-
The use of technology in Scrolls
research including dating and preservation
-
Diversity of ancient Old Testament
texts and how they compare with the Scrolls
-
Can the Scrolls help us understand how the books
of the Bible came to be fixed as a canon?
-
The ancient religious writings
(apocrypha and pseudepigrapha) that were not included in the
standard Old Testament (Hebrew Bible)
-
What the nonbiblical Scrolls tell us
about Qumran
-
The laws and customs of Qumran society
-
The beliefs, apocalyptic mindset and identity of the Qumran
community - were they Essenes?
-
How the Dead Sea Scrolls authors interpreted
the Bible
-
The relationship between the Scrolls
and the New Testament
-
Some alternative or "fringe"
interpretations of the Scrolls (Allegro, Thiering, and New Age views
and the reactions of Scrolls scholars
-
Relevance of the Scrolls to the Book of
Revelation
-
Controversies in Scrolls research
A university-level textbook is required as the
main book for the course. Further reading is optional though the set text
contains selected bibliographies and lists of web sites, enabling you to pursue further studies at your leisure.
Entry
criteria and suitability
No particular qualifications are required for
entry but the ability to study from
university-level textbooks is required.
However some
familiarity with the Old Testament or with
Jewish history will be advantageous.
Qualification
Successful graduates will receive the Diploma in
Dead Sea Scrolls Studies awarded by UK College of Holistic Training which is a private UK
qualification. The college is accredited by the International Association for
Distance Learning.
If you are in a location where the designation
"Certificate" is preferable to "Diploma", the wording of your qualification can
be changed accordingly.
This diploma is accepted by
Calamus International University (a
non-UK, private distance university with private accreditation) for credit towards
a degree.
Further information
Please see our FAQs page for general information.
We reserve the right to change the syllabus and other details of any course at
any time.
To apply for this course
now, go to our Application page
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