This course is designed to provide the student with a general introduction to:br /1. the historical, sociological and religious world in which the Old Testament was produced.br /2. the discipline of Old Testament theology.br /3. the major theological emphases of the Old Testament.br /As this course deals with matters of fundamental importance for the understanding of the Old Testament, the focus of the course will be on the objective understanding and mastery of these foundational matters. Put another way, this course is highly content oriented and designed with the primary goal of providing the student with a strong cognitive base for the use of the Old Testament in study, preaching and teaching.