Main navigation
- Programs
- Subjects
- Universities
- Destinations
- Advice
The Bible and Beyond A key focus area in Rice University's Ph.D. program is Biblical Studies. This program emphasizes both conventional examination of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament within their historical frameworks of Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity, while also exploring the extensive non-canonical texts. These encompass the Old and New Testament Apocrypha, Pseudepigrapha, Dead Sea Scrolls, Nag Hammadi writings, Gnostic texts, and early Christian writings from the pre-Nicene era. Contemporary biblical scholarship increasingly recognizes the significance of these extra-biblical works, not just for their insights into canonical texts but for their intrinsic worth. Crucially, this literature demonstrates that Jewish and Christian traditions were far more diverse than what's preserved in their official scriptures.