This course explores the people and issues behind the biblical text. Some of the questions that will be addressed include: When and why was the first Jewish canon of scripture (Old Testament) assembled? How do the prophetic books relate to the time in which they were written? Why did the early church decide to retain the Jewish Scriptures as part of their own scriptures and what was at stake in this decision? This introductory course focuses on the historical origins and context of the Christian Scriptures. It also explores the issues and events that are connected to the emergence of both the books of the Jewish Tanak (Christian Old Testament) and the New Testament. At the end of this course you will be better equipped to understand the narrative and message of the entire Bible.