An Introduction to Biblical Literature This course is a general introduction to biblical history, literature, and interpretation.  It is designed for students who seek a basic understanding of the Bible on its own or as a foundation for further study in religion, art, literature, film, and other disciplines.  It aims to acquaint students with the major characters, narratives, poetry, and compositional features of biblical literature and how these writings became Jewish and Christian scriptures.  The course will also explore various approaches to reading the Bible, both religious and secular.

The Bible and the Lives of Others The Bible contains stories about marginalized people who carry in themselves rich theological ideas about suffering, love, and social justice. Yet, the question of how we as global citizens should read the Bible gives rise to the challenge of considering contested views on minorities in history. In this course we will investigate ways in which the Bible portrays women, children, slaves, foreigners, and people with disabilities, using feminist and minoritized hermeneutics. Asking how these portrayals have been interpreted in modern religio–political contexts, we will reflect upon the impact of biblical interpretation on the lives of others. What does it mean to listen to the voices from the margins in our culturally diverse and politically divided world?

Children and Childhood in Antiquity How did ancient childhood differ from ours? Were children the invisible ‘Other’ or a source of power in Mediterranean antiquity? This course explores childhood in classical Greece, Roman Italy, and Jewish Palestine by analyzing historical, literary, and archaeological evidence that attests to both philosophical thoughts on children and sociocultural practices regarding birth, childrearing, and death. We will see diverse understandings of physical, intellectual, and social aspects of children and how such understandings helped shape political agendas and religious ideas in antiquity. By reflecting upon the temporal differences and cross-cultural similarities between ancient and modern childhoods, we will ultimately ask how fresh insights into ancient children may help us revisit our own understanding of children and human life today.

Historical Jesus and the Gospels Who was Jesus of Nazareth? How does the historical Jesus differ from Jesus Christ in the Gospels? In this course we will explore how early Christians remembered Jesus and developed traditions about him. We will read both canonical (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) and non-canonical (e.g., Thomas, Mary, Peter) Gospels within their historical and literary contexts, focusing on Judaism, the Roman Empire, and Greco–Roman cultures. We will then examine the critical approaches modern scholars take to reconstruct the historical Jesus’ life. By comparing diverse portraits of Jesus both in ancient literature and in modern scholarship, we will evaluate such diversity’s implications for our intellectual and cultural life today. How does the historical Jesus matter and for whom? 3hrs. lect.

Dear Paul: Life and Letters of the Apostle Who was Paul the apostle? Why do people still care about his letters today? This course delves into the life and letters of this Jewish man who later became a foundational figure for Christianity. We will analyze his letters within the ancient Mediterranean social milieu, focusing on their literary styles, rhetoric, and historical contexts. This approach will provide us with fresh insights into various theological and sociocultural issues discussed in his letters, such as salvation, eschatology, marriage, racial/ethnic relations, slavery, economic inequality, and church-state relations. Additionally, using a variety of interpretive approaches, we will reconstruct responses to Paul’s letters from ancient audiences and critically engage with the ways these texts are read and used in our contemporary public sphere.

The Bible and Voices from the Margins What does it mean to listen to voices from the margins in the Bible today? In this course, we will carefully read stories about women, children, slaves, immigrants, the poor, and people with disabilities in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament using womanist and contextual hermeneutics. We will analyze the diverse cultural views and religious values associated with these marginalized groups in Mediterranean antiquity and discuss how their stories can contribute to our critical engagement with contemporary debates on gender inequality, immigration, racial injustice, poverty, and ableism. Seeking to foster an ethically responsible and culturally sensitive biblical interpretation, this course will help us articulate biblical ideas about suffering, love, and justice in our own social locations.

Gender and Sexuality in the Bible What does the Bible say about sex, marriage, and homosexuality? While many people claim “the” biblical perspective on this question, the Bible offers various–often complicated–stories and teachings about gender and sexuality. In this course, we will closely read key biblical passages concerning God’s gender, marriage and divorce, family life, sexual violence, women’s social status, asceticism, and sexual orientation. Special attention will be paid to the ancient Mediterranean sociocultural milieu within which ancient Israelites and early Christians constructed their ideas and practices about sex and gender. We will ultimately ask: how might our nuanced understanding of gender and sexuality in the Bible inform contemporary debates on sexual difference, gender inequality, and sexuality and social leadership?

Eunyung Lim

Reviews and ratings for Eunyung Lim at Middlebury College.Eunyung Lim teaches Intro to Biblical Literature, The Bible and Lives of Others, Children in Antiquity and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Eunyung Lim good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

Professor Lim was very passionate about the material and brought great energy to class everyday. The exams were take home but they were pretty difficult and time consuming. We did fun projects that made class enjoyable and understand content better. Overall if you pay attention and do readings you will do well. 

Professor Lim was very enthusiastic about the material and brought great energy to class everyday. We had take home exams but they were pretty difficult and had time constraints. Outside of the exams, we had fun little projects that I enjoyed. Overall if you pay attention and do most of the readingsm you will get a good grade. 

Professor Lim is one of the kindest professors at Middlebury. She is knowledgeable and very enthusiastic about the material, which is reflected in her lectures. This course was very thought provoking and helped me understand how the Bible can be used for good. Everyone should take a class with Professor Lim.