The Bible
MIT OpenCourseWare offers an introduction to major books of the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, read as literature and history rather than doctrine. The course examines narrative technique, poetic form, and the problems that arise in translating Hebrew and Greek texts into English, alongside the historical periods that produced them, from ancient Near Eastern contexts through the Roman world. Sessions trace how biblical stories and figures echo through later narrative, philosophical, and artistic traditions in the West. Materials include a syllabus, weekly reading assignments drawn directly from biblical texts, and lecture notes, all freely downloadable. There is no paid certificate; this is an open courseware archive rather than an instructor-led session. The course suits readers interested in the Bible's literary construction and afterlife as much as those interested in its religious content.