Choose one of the following essay questions, or formulate your own in consultation with your lecturer:
1. “Isaiah can be divided into two sections: chapters 1-39 are about judgement and chapters 40-66 are about comfort”. Evaluate this statement in light of the presentation of theology and themes in the book of Isaiah.
2. Compare and contrast references to “Zion” and the city of Jerusalem in First, Second and Third Isaiah.
3. What is the role of the “nations” in the theology of Isaiah? Consider both the distinctives of each section of Isaiah and the theology of the book as a whole.
4. Critically assess the ways in which imagery is reused and reinvented throughout the book of Isaiah. How does this imagery contribute to cohesion in the book theologically and literarily? It is suggested that you select one or two key images (e.g. food, family, vineyard) on which to focus your answer.
5. In what ways do concepts of justice develop or change throughout the book of Isaiah?
Ensure that your essay makes close reference to texts in Isaiah and engages critically and exegetically with these texts, including an awareness of the book’s composition history.
A list of appropriate online library resources on Isaiah will be placed ARK, and a selection of these resources should be used in conjunction with academic commentaries on Isaiah.
· Students are required to write one thematic essay, due 11:59pm (EST) Friday 30th October (Week 12) submitted through Turnitin in the Child Unit page in ARK.
· Please use 12pt Times New Roman (or similar) font, and double spacing in your essay.
· Word Count: UG 2000 words; PG 2500 words (ensure that your essay is within 10% of this word count including footnotes, not including bibliography)
· Please refer to the UD Style guide, placed on ARK, for information about footnotes and bibliography.
· I am willing to read up to one page of your draft essay if it is sent to me up to one week prior to the due date.
Recommended resources:
See list of commentaries under -Exegetical Essay- and also use your class readings as your first port of call.
Other monographs and collected essays available through UD library hub:
Tiemeyer, Lena-Sofia (ed.) The Oxford Handbook of Isaiah. New York: Oxford University Press, 2021. https://divinity.on.worldcat.org/oclc/1159637181
Bautch, Richard J. and T. Todd Hibbard, eds. The Book of Isaiah: Enduring Questions Answered Anew (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2014). https://divinity.on.worldcat.org/oclc/988868615
Everson, A. Joseph, and Hyun Chul Paul Kim. The Desert Will Bloom: Poetic Visions in Isaiah. Society of Biblical Literature Ancient Israel and Its Literature, 4. Atlanta: Society of Biblical Literature, 2009. https://divinity.on.worldcat.org/oclc/587434386
Goldingay, John. The Theology of the Book of Isaiah. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2014. https://divinity.on.worldcat.org/oclc/881322384
Melugin, Roy F., and Marvin A Sweeney, New Visions of Isaiah. Journal for the Study of the Old Testament Supplement Series, 214. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1996. https://divinity.on.worldcat.org/oclc/606332348
Wasserman, Tommy, Greger Andersson, and David Willgren, eds. Studies in Isaiah: History, Theology and Reception. LHBOTS 654. London: Bloomsbury Publishing T & T Clark, 2017. https://divinity.on.worldcat.org/oclc/962359947
Watts, James W. and Paul R. House. Forming Prophetic Literature: Essays on Isaiah and the Twelve in Honor of John D. W. Watts. London: Bloomsbury, 1996. https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.divinity.idm.oclc.org/lib/undiv/detail.action?docID=436082.
You are also encouraged to search the articles section of the library hub for relevant journal articles. Please make sure they are peer reviewed and are a Biblical Studies journal. If you're not sure that the article is appropriate, please don't hesitate to send me an email to check :)