DISC 100 — The Story: A First Look at the Bible
The Bible is the most influential collection of texts in human history — sacred scripture for over two billion people, the foundation of Western literature, law, and ethics, and a source of comfort, controversy, and transformation for millennia. But what actually is the Bible? What story does it tell? How is it organized? Why does it matter? This course tells the Bible's story from beginning to end for anyone, regardless of background. No prior knowledge assumed. No faith commitment required. Just curiosity.
Learning outcomes
- Identify the major sections of the Bible (Pentateuch, Historical Books, Poetry/Wisdom, Prophets, Gospels, Epistles, Apocalyptic) and describe the purpose of each
- Summarize the narrative arc of the Bible from creation through restoration, including the key turning points (fall, exodus, monarchy, exile, incarnation, resurrection, Pentecost)
- Explain why the Bible is a collection of diverse literary genres written across approximately 1,500 years rather than a single continuous text, and identify at least four genres found in Scripture
- Describe who Jesus is according to the biblical narrative — his historical context, his teaching, his death and resurrection — and explain why Christians consider him the central figure of the story
- Distinguish between the Protestant canon (66 books), the Catholic canon (73 books), and the broader canons of the Orthodox and Ethiopian traditions, and explain at a basic level why the difference exists
- Explain at least two reasons why the Bible has been historically significant beyond its religious context — its influence on law, literature, art, ethics, or civilization
What Is This Book?
The Bible is not a single book — it is a library of diverse texts written across many centuries in multiple languages and genres. This module introduces the Bible as a collection and explains why different Christian traditions have different numbers of books.
In the Beginning
Genesis 1–12 is the opening act of the Bible's story — from the first words of creation to the call of Abraham. These twelve chapters establish the central problem of Scripture (a fractured relationship between God and humanity) and the beginning of God's answer (a covenant with one family to bless the entire world).
Let My People Go
From a basket on the Nile to a kingdom divided by pride — this module traces the exodus that forged Israel as a nation, the chaotic period of the judges, the rise and fall of the monarchy, and the prophets who became the voice of God when kings stopped listening.
By the Rivers of Babylon
The disaster the prophets warned about arrives: Jerusalem falls, the temple burns, and the survivors are marched into exile in Babylon. This module follows Israel through that crucible — and through the four centuries of Persian, Greek, and Roman rule that shaped Second Temple Judaism into the world Jesus entered.
The Turning Point
Every thread of the Bible's narrative — the promises to Abraham, the exodus, the Davidic covenant, the prophetic vision — converges in this module. Here the story arrives at its climax: the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, which the Christian tradition has understood as the moment when everything changes.
To the Ends of the Earth
The resurrection sets in motion a movement that will cross every geographic and ethnic boundary in the ancient world. This module traces the birth of the early church at Pentecost, the spread of the gospel from Jerusalem to Rome, and the Bible's final vision of a restored creation — a story that ends where it began, with God and humanity together.
Why This Book Still Matters
A closing reflection on the Bible's civilizational influence — in law, literature, art, social movements, and everyday language — and the transition to the broader Cathedra platform and its catalog of free courses.