Maryvale Institute - Biblical Course: Old Testament

Biblical Course: Old Testament — The Covenant Year

Half a story, told for centuries, waiting to find its face

The Old Testament is not a prelude. It is the long, patient narration of how God binds himself to a people in covenant — and how that covenant carries, through every fracture and renewal, the promise that will one day be fulfilled in Christ.

From the apostolic preaching to the Fathers, from the medieval senses of Scripture to the renewal of biblical studies in our own day, the Church has never stopped reading the Old Testament as the first chapter of the gospel. The Covenant Year stands within that long, unbroken tradition and offers it to those who teach, preach, and form others in the Word.

The course walks through the historical books — Genesis to 2 Maccabees — reading each on its own terms first, and then asking how it is taken up and fulfilled in the gospel. Theology and pastoral reading are not held apart; they are taught as one movement.

The conviction behind the course

"The New Testament lies hidden in the Old, and the Old lies open in the New." The line is St Augustine's, taken up by the Second Vatican Council in Dei Verbum, and it names exactly what this course teaches: that the two Testaments are not two religions, but one divine pedagogy.

Each book is read in its own setting and theology, and then placed within the wider sweep of salvation history. Covenant, kingship, exile, and return — the great patterns of the Old Testament — become the categories through which Christ and the Church are understood.

It is designed for catechists, pastoral ministers, lectors, parish formators, and any lay person who wants to read the Old Testament with both intellectual seriousness and the eyes of faith.

Requirements

This course has no academic prerequisites, but it relies heavily on basic computer skills and a working knowledge of English. To take part, you will need:

A reliable internet connection and access to a computer or tablet (a smartphone alone is not sufficient for written assignments

Basic computer skills — comfortable using email, navigating a virtual learning environment (such as Canvas), watching pre-recorded video lectures, and uploading written work as a Word or PDF document.

A working knowledge of English. Materials, lectures, and assessments are in English throughout. As a guide, we recommend at least CEFR level B2 (upper intermediate) — sufficient to read theological texts, follow a lecture, and produce a short written reflection.

If you are unsure whether your English or computer skills are at the right level, please get in touch before applying — we are happy to talk it through.

Course structure

Twenty-five weeks of asynchronous teaching on Canvas, with live tutorials every six weeks for discussion, questions, and synthesis. The historical books are studied in canonical order, from the Pentateuch through Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings, 1–2 Chronicles and the post-exilic literature, to 1–2 Maccabees.

All students complete a short monthly pastoral reflection (150 words), marked by the tutor, and a final 1,500-word essay at the end of the course. Both are part of the course itself and are included in the course fee.

The annual exam is optional. It is only for students who wish to receive a certificate, and it carries a separate fee of £160–170. Students who do not wish to be certified take the full course without the exam — everything else stays the same.

Schedule

Course start: September 2026.
Duration: 25 weeks
Welcome session: Thursday 17 September 2026, 6.45 p.m. UK time
Tutorials: Thursdays at 6.45 p.m. UK time, every 6 weeks.

*Dates are subject to change; students will be informed in due course.

Practicalities

Format: online via Canvas; asynchronous weekly sessions and live tutorials every 6 weeks.
Duration: 25 weeks (approximately 50 to 60 hours total workload).
Validation: Maryvale Higher Institute of Religious Sciences (HIRS) — Level 3, 2 ECTS.
Fee: £475 per year — covers the course in full, including the monthly pastoral reflections and the final essay.
Academic requirements: none.
Certification (optional): £160–170 annual exam fee, for students who wish to receive a Certificate (after one year) or Diploma (after four years).
Cohort: maximum 20 students.
Course lead: Dr Tamra Fromm (in partnership with the Catholic Biblical School Ministry — CBSM).

Apply

Application deadline: 30 August 2026. Course start: September 2026.

APPLY

If you have any questions before applying, please make an online enquiry below or call 0121 3608118.

Study With Us - Biblical Course: Old Testament - Covenant Year

Biblical Course: Old Testament — The Covenant Year

Half a story, told for centuries, waiting to find its face

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