The biblical studies major prepares students who are informed and competent interpreters of the Christian Scriptures with the knowledge and understanding necessary to teach others. They will be able to explain the composition and contents of the Jewish and Christian Scriptures and how they relate to the complex cultural, geographical, historical, and political contexts in which they originated. They will also be able to employ a variety of interpretive approaches to the interpretation of Scripture in respectful and substantive dialogue with interpreters who reflect diverse backgrounds and differing perspectives.