seeker538 wrote:I wonder if anyone here happens to know anything about this program?
https://catalog.liberty.edu/graduate/co ... -exegesis/I know Liberty University isn't necessarily super prestigious (not that prestige is the goal here), but it seems affordable and looks like it would complement my schedule.
I won't repeat many of the comments that have been made already, but I (really) don't think this will fit your goals, even if it is a good program. What you need is the capacity to read both Attic and Koine, because the church Fathers are often heavily Atticizing. You also need the capacity to read texts that are unpredictable and for which few helps exist. Most NT focused courses won't help you do this, though certainly if you work hard and then do a lot of reading afterwards it is possible. Attic Greek is just somewhat more complex and idiomatic.
A simple NT Koine program won't be enough, you'll need a lot of self study to get to reading more complex texts, even if you are good at reading the New Testament and other Koine literature. I've been slowly getting used to Attic for a couple of years after reading Koine for some time before that, and it's not quick work. I'd strongly, strongly suggest starting with Attic. Then the only barrier to picking up Koine is vocab, which is comparatively easy (and for which there are truly excellent resources).
The answer to your deeper question depends strongly on whether or not you need accredited study, or simply the capacity to read well. If you need accreditation, then I'm not sure what to recommend, except that in your position I'd personally go for an Attic/Classics based program and teach myself Koine alongside by reading the NT/LXX with a reader's edition and Memrising lots of vocab.
If you can go for a cheaper, unaccredited program there are a few more taught options that are good. I haven't studied with any of them, but these have good reputations:
1. Seumas MacDonald (thepatrologist.com) offers relatively cheap taught courses, starting from Attic, but he's also adept in Koine and himself a patrologist, so he would be the ideal person to teach someone like you who needs to read that literature. He also teaches small numbers, so I suspect he'd have the time to give you good advice. He can teach you to read (and speak) properly, not just decode grammar.
2. Daryll Burling at masterntgreek.com is also a good, thoughtful teacher who develops real readers rather than simply grammar-decoders. He does do Koine only, which I wouldn't recommend, but he'd do it well.
If you are willing to teach yourself, things are of course a lot cheaper. That's what I did, and would do again. Two of the best Attic textbooks are
1. Learn to Read Greek by Keller and Russell - pricey, but an excellent textbook that's very thorough, lots of exercises, but well-explained. Used at Harvard etc.
2. Athenaze - a more reading-focused course, very good. If you read Italian, that version is even better, and in fact worth buying as a reading supplement to any other textbook if you can't.
3. JACT Reading Greek - very good, and covers a range of Greek styles, but a somewhat steep learning curve, with not quite enough reading/audio to back it up.
I can recommend Koine textbooks if you'd prefer, as well; and there's plenty to suggest for developing your skills once you've been through a course too.
If you teach yourself using one of these textbooks, Memrise should have plenty of vocab courses, as should Anki; and textkit.com is a forum which is excellent for asking about any difficulties you meet. I'd also suggest joining the Facebook group 'Nerdy Biblical Language Majors': it would be a good place to ask this question again, and is also a good place to ask for advice on specific language points. There are related groups, too, which cover Latin etc; and there are top-notch scholars of all the languages you have mentioned on those groups who will often answer questions on these languages and related issues.
Best of luck with your plans, whatever you decide!
