Thinking about the Climate Crisis with the Bible

This is NOT a course about natural catastrophes of ‘biblical proportions’, biblical precedents for environmentalism, or climate conditions in the ancient world. Instead, we will mine the Bible for guidance about how to think differently and constructively about the climate crisis. For example, we will apply the biblical emphasis on ancestors and descendants to the challenge of acting in the interests of unknown future generations. We will showcase the Bible’s expertise in imagining the worst and the best, both essential components of addressing the climate crisis. We will analyze the Bible’s simultaneous commitment to universalism and particularism in the light of the problem of harnessing both local and global efforts to deal with the climate crisis. And we will read narratives of exile for help in coming to terms with a consequence of the climate crisis whose impact is already visible: forced migration as land masses around the world can no longer support their populations.

The course will be assessed by an end of semester class presentation (76%) AND eight x 5-minute ‘American style’ (multiple choice) tests/quizzes (24%), each with 6 questions worth ½% each, at the start of each class.

The Division of Languages at Tel Aviv University, together with the course instructor, is offering students in this course the opportunity to receive a Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) C1 Level certificate in English. The language certificate is an optional extra. You can take this course without working for the language certificate.