The Bible is central to Jewish and Christian traditions, but its influence in Western culture is pervasive, in art, music, literature, and philosophy. This course examines Jewish and Christian bibles to provide students a grounding in the ideas, stories, questions, and problems that have shaped the works we study in the Great Books College and that resonate in our society. Some of the topics explored include the development of monotheism, the character of God, and the relationship of the divine and the human. In the process of this study, students will learn about and practice the skills of interpretation and critical study that are central to grappling with these texts, along with so many others.