Bible at Chicago
Study of the Bible has been a central part of the research agenda of the University of Chicago since its founding in 1891. The University’s first president, William Rainey Harper, was a distinguished Semitist and Old Testament scholar, and noted scholars such as Ira M. Price, J. M. P. Smith, Ernest DeWitt Burton, Edgar J. Goodspeed, and more recently, Gösta Ahlström and Hans Dieter Betz built Chicago into a world-class center for original biblical research and graduate training. Chicago’s dedication to biblical studies today is no less vibrant. The Bible Area of the Divinity School’s Committee on Historical Studies is committed to rigorous, critical study of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament. Such study emphasizes the cultural and historical embeddedness of biblical texts in their ancient Near Eastern and Greco-Roman contexts and engages the full range of historical, philological, literary, comparative, and archaeological evidence available for their interpretation. In addition to historical-critical analysis of the texts themselves, study of the Bible at Chicago includes investigation of the history of its interpretation, especially in the contexts of ancient and medieval Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Chicago also intentionally situates biblical studies within the larger context of religious studies and draws from the rich insights of this wide-ranging academic field in interpretating biblical texts. The strong tradition of interdisciplinary study at Chicago encourages the broadest investigation of the Bible and related ancient texts, just as the vast and unique resources of the University make such ambitious study eminently achievable at the Divinity School.
The Chicago Bible faculty is dedicated to cutting edge research, challenging and engaging teaching, and close student supervision and mentoring. It comprises both junior and senior scholars, each of whom stands at the forefront of the current discussion in his/her respective fields. The Hebrew Bible faculty includes Simeon B. Chavel, Michael Fishbane, and Jeffrey Stackert. The New Testament faculty includes Hans-Josef Klauck, David Martinez, and Margaret M. Mitchell. Scholars from elsewhere in the University also teach courses integral to the Bible program, including Dennis Pardee (Northwest Semitics), David Schloen (Syro-Palestinian Archaeology), Elizabeth Asmis (Classics), and Peter White (Classics).
Chicago’s doctoral program in Bible offers four different concentrations (pdf):
- Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East
- Hebrew Bible and Early Jewish Literature
- Biblical Studies: Jewish and Christian Bible
- New Testament and Early Christian Literature
Doctoral students select one of these four concentrations and follow its specific guidelines regarding language proficiency and comprehensive examinations. They also follow the general guidelines [link] for doctoral study at the Divinity School, which include three years of full-time residency for coursework. For further information, see:
- Recent course offerings in Bible
- Descriptions of the comprehensive exams offered by the Bible area
- Recent doctoral dissertations and job placements
- Profiles of select students
Related University Programs and Links of Interest
University Programs:
- Hebrew Bible and the Ancient Near East (NELC)
- Northwest Semitic Philology
- Program in the Ancient Mediterranean World (Classics)
Other University Links of Interest:
