MA in Biblical Languages & Culture
54 credit hours
The purpose of the MABLC is to offer students opportunities to study all 66 books of the Bible strategically and comprehensively, learn basic historical, theological, and practical knowledge critical for serving in professional ministry leadership, and experientially explore and practice ministry skills related to in-depth knowledge of biblical languages and culture.
Program Objectives
To train students in the biblical languages of Hebrew, Greek, and at times, Aramaic.
To expose students to sound exegetical and hermeneutical methodology.
To address critical research issues in biblical scholarship through textual analysis.
To learn about the ancient Near Eastern cultures that comprised the biblical world.
Learning Outcomes
Graduates of the MABLC program will possess the following competencies:
The student will read and write the biblical languages of Hebrew and Greek as demonstrated by final exams in HEB 502 and GRK 502.
The student will demonstrate sound exegetical and hermeneutical principles through the Bible Study Methods (BSM501) projects and/or final exam, and as assessed in class preaching demonstrations in Expository Preaching and Teaching I (PRE501).
The student will interpret biblical texts in light of genre and textual variants as evidenced by his or her Capstone Project (CAP 590).
The student will express the chronological, geographical, and thematic flow of the Bible comprehensively as demonstrated on the Spiritual Formation and Ministry (SFM 500) post-course assessment.
The student will demonstrate an awareness of critical research issues and an ability to understand and articulate all sides of these issues through research assignments in courses including, but not limited to, Church History (THE 510), Ancient Near Eastern Cultures (ANE 501), and other courses.
Frequency of Offering
At least some courses required for the MABLC program are offered every fall and spring semester on the main campus, and some core courses are also offered at various remote instructional locations. See the Academic Calendar for specific times and availabilities.
Master of Arts in Biblical Languages and Culture (MABLC)
Study all 66 books of the Bible strategically and comprehensively.
Learn basic historical, theological, and practical knowledge critical for serving in professional ministry leadership.
Experientially explore and practice ministry skills related to in-depth knowledge of biblical languages and culture.
CORE Courses (all 15 required)
CORE hours = 45
ELECTIVE courses (3 required, select from any available), 9 hours
MABLC = 15 CORE + 3 ELECTIVES = 18 courses (54 - credit hours)
ANE 501: Ancient Near Eastern Cultures – Ezra 4-6, Daniel 2-7 (Aramaic)
The primary purpose of this course is to expose students to the historical and cultural environment of the ancient Hebrews in Israel, which focuses on their interactions with the peoples around them, including the Egyptians, Mesopotamians, Arameans, and other nations. The course will introduce students to Aramaic through the study of select passages in Ezra and Daniel written in Aramaic.
GRK 501: Greek Language and Culture I – Jude, 2 and 3 John
The primary objective of this course is to exposit the New Testament books of Jude, and 2 and 3 John while learning the basic principles of biblical Greek.
GRK 502: Greek Language and Culture II – 1 John
This course initiates the student into a study of the ancient Greek language of the Greek Bible, with a focus on the elements of Greek grammar that will assist him/her in understanding the rules and tendencies of grammar, as well as the syntax and sentence structure of biblical texts. The following areas are included in Greek Grammar I: Verbs (including Perfect Tense [of the Indicative Mood], Subjunctive Mood, Imperative Mood, and -mi Verbs), Participles, Genitive Absolutes, and Infinitives. The final part of the course is devoted to the translation and parsing of 1 John. Prerequisite: Greek I.
HEB 501: Hebrew Language and Culture I – Jonah, Nahum
The primary objective of this course to exposit the Old Testament books of Jonah and Nahum while learning the basic principles of phonology, morphology, and syntax of biblical Hebrew.
HEB 502: Hebrew Language and Culture II – Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi
The primary objective of this course is to exposit the Old Testament books of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi while continuing to learn how to integrate information gleaned from biblical Hebrew into practical ministry applications.