This course examines the role of stories and images from the Bible in the Western cultural imagination. We consider how cultural presuppositions affect how we read biblical texts and how the texts themselves challenge these presuppositions.

We will compare biblical texts with other types of text to ask questions such as ‘what makes a text sacred?’ and students will be encouraged to creatively and critically interpret the biblical texts themselves.

This is a great opportunity to delve into biblical hermeneutics from creative and critical perspectives.

This is a postgraduate course open to ‘auditors’ e.g. those not enrolled for academic credit.

What does it mean to audit a course? 

This course would made an excellent addition to a study break, retreat or sabbatical in the beautiful Salisbury Cathedral Close, where residential participants enjoy full board, access to the library and to the pattern of liturgy at Salisbury Cathedral.

Whether it’s cultural events, sightseeing (Stonehenge is nearby for example) or shopping — there’s plenty to do if you’d like to extend your stay the weekend before and after the course. For ideas, visit Salisbury Cathedral Close attraction websites to see what’s on Sarum’s doorstep. Visit the Wiltshire Creative website to view events at nearby Salisbury Playhouse and the Salisbury Arts Centre. The Experience Salisbury website has an excellent city-wide listing of forthcoming events around the city.

Enrolled students also may attend teaching weeks for modules in addition to the modules which they are studying for credit, by permission of the Programme Leader. The hospitality costs for a teaching week will be the usual student rates: £250 (en-suite), £200 (standard) and £60 (non-residential), along with an educational fee of £125 per booking. The audit fee and hospitality prices are reviewed on an annual basis and subject to inflationary increases therefore will be reviewed with effect from 1st July 2023.