Jericho: Folklore, Holy War, and Morality (OLLI)

The biblical story of the destruction of Jericho is one of the best-known stories in the Hebrew Bible?but what does it reveal about the culture, beliefs, and values of ancient Israel? In this discussion-based Zoom course, we will explore the story of Jericho from several perspectives: as folklore, as religious narrative, and as a story filled with enduring moral questions. We will address the intertwined relationships between Yahweh and Joshua, Rahab and the spies, and divine preordination and total war. Together we will consider the biblical text to understand how ancient Israelites approached the story and compare those viewpoints with modern ethical perspectives. The course welcomes thoughtful discussion and differing opinions in a respectful environment. Please have a Bible (any translation) for reference. Before class, students are asked to read Joshua 2:1-24; 5:13; and 6:27.