The book of Daniel bears witness to the reality of life in exile, combining wondrous and terrible visions concerning the nature of empire with stories of the lives of faithful people living under empire’s rule. In the midst of its presentation of the rule of earthly powers over God’s people, it offers glimpses of a heavenly reality and the God who rules all—past, present, and future.
In this course, we will explore this fascinating book through exegetical, historical, cultural, and theological analysis. In addition to doing a close reading of the text of Daniel, we will reflect on how this book relates to the experiences of communities throughout history who have identified with Daniel, and how it has encouraged their faithfulness to Daniel’s God.