SYLLABUS

Religion 304
Text and Ideology: New Testament
MWF 11:00-11:50 AM
Class: Valade 327
Office: Valade 321
email: gcaichele@gmail.com
WWW page: http://home.comcast.net/~gcaichele/

Limits of This Course:

This is an advanced course on the New Testament of the Christian Bible. We will explore all of these writings, as well as other, related materials, in terms of their historical and cultural production and their literary structures and styles. Fundamental problems in understanding the text will be stressed, and students will be expected to participate actively in forming solutions to these problems. Students should have had at least one prior course in Religion or Philosophy.

Books:

Bart Ehrman, A Brief Introduction to The New Testament
Ron Cameron, The Other Gospels
A.K.M. Adam, Postmodern Interpretations of the Bible
The Bible

**You do not need to buy the Bible sold in the AC bookstore. However, I strongly recommend that you use one of the following translations:

Revised Standard Version
Jerusalem Bible
New English Bible

(Or "New" versions of any of the above.)

WARNING: extensive (or exclusive) use of paraphrases (such as The Living Bible), summaries, or "simplified" versions (such as The Bible in Simplified English ) of the Bible will probably have a harmful effect on your grade. You should bring a Bible to all class meetings.

The World Wide Web:

A lot of information about the Bible and related matters can be found on the World Wide Web. However, you must be careful in your use of this material, as much of it is of no scholarly value. A  number of WWW links that I have found to be quite helpful can be found at http://home.comcast.net/~gcaichele/other/links.htm. If you discover other WWW pages that you think are helpful, please let me know! If I agree that the page is a good one, you will get extra credit.

Course/Grade Requirements:

Each of the 4 short response papers requires your own discussion and response to a biblical text that we have discussed in class during the previous few weeks. These papers are described at the end of this syllabus. The research paper is also described at the end of this syllabus. Papers may be submitted in hard copy or as email attachments in either .doc or .rtf format. No other formats will be accepted. There will be no exams.

Your participation grade is based on the following:

  1. your physical presence in class for each meeting and all questions and comments that you make during the class.
  2. a written question or comment that you bring to each meeting for discussion during class. This question or comment must be relevant to any of the readings to be discussed that day.
  3. questions or comments addressed to the instructor outside of class, either through email or verbally.

Note: if you have a documented disability, you may qualify for specific academic services. Speak with Professor Aichele or with the Academic Services staff in Jones Hall 205, extension 4413. Documentation of the disability is required.

Schedule of Assignments:

You are strongly encouraged to keep up with the reading schedule. Extensions on assignments are offered only in extreme emergencies affecting you personally. ONLY the instructor may grant excused absences.

1/7-11
Introduction.
Ehrman, Preface, Chapter 1.
(Note Glossary in Ehrman, pp. 353-367.)
Cameron, pp. 9-10, 13-19.
RESEARCH TOOLS PRESENTATION -- MEET AT LIBRARY CIRCULATION DESK, Friday, January 11.

1/14-18
Ehrman, Chapters 2-5.
Gospel of Mark, Chapters 1-8.
Adam, pp. 177-193.

1/23-25
Paper #1 due, 1/25.
Ehrman, Chapter 18.
Gospel of Mark, Chapters 9-16.
Cameron, pp. 67-75.

1/28-2/1
Ehrman, Chapters 10-11.
Cameron, pp. 23-37.
"A reconstruction of Q."

2/4-8
Ehrman, Chapter 6.
Cameron, pp. 76-82, 103-106.
Adam, pp. 165-176.
Gospel of Matthew.

2/11-15
Ehrman, Chapter 7.
Adam, pp. 195-206.
Gospel of Luke.

2/18-22
Paper #2 due, 2/22.
Cameron, pp. 107-130.
"The Cherry Tree Carol."

§ Mid-Semester Break §
NOTE: midterm grades will not be given in this course! If you want to know how your grade stands at midterm (or at any other time), see the instructor.

3/3-7
The Life of Brian.
Philip Davies, "Life of Brian Research."
Carl Dyke, "Learning From The Life of Brian."

3/10-14
The Gospel of Judas
Gospel of John.
1 John.
2 John.
3 John.
Ehrman, Chapter 9.
RESEARCH PAPER TOPICS DUE, 3/14.

3/17-19

Acts of the Apostles.
Acts of Paul and Thecla.
Ehrman, Chapter 8.
Adam, pp. 207-217.

3/24-28
1 Thessalonians.
2 Thessalonians.
1 Corinthians.
2 Corinthians.
Ehrman, Chapters 12-14.
Adam, pp. 233-241.
Paper #3 due, 3/28.
RESEARCH PAPER TENTATIVE BIBLIOGRAPHIES DUE, 3/28.

3/31-4/4
Galatians.
Philippians.
Philemon.
Romans.
Ehrman, Chapters 15-16.
Adam, pp. 219-232, 243-252.

4/7-11
Colossians.
Ephesians.
1 Timothy.
2 Timothy.
Titus.
Hebrews.
James.
Jude.
1 Peter.
2 Peter.
The Didache.
The Epistle of Barnabas.
Ehrman, Chapters 17, 19.

4/14-18
Paper #4 due, 4/18.
Revelation of John.
The Shepherd of Hermas, pages 1-23, 34-47.
Ehrman, Chapter 20.
Adam, pp. 253-277.

RESEARCH PAPERS DUE NO LATER THAN SCHEDULED EXAM TIME, 10:30 am Thursday, April 24.

** Short response papers

Each of these 4 short papers will be 4-5 pages long. It will describe your own thoughts and reactions to a text that we will read and discuss in class. There are no wrong answers, so be honest! However, take into consideration what others have said during our discussion, as well as any relevant material in the Ehrman or Adam books. Extra research is not expected but is welcome. Pay close attention to the text! If you want to focus on just part of the assigned text, that's fine, provided that you give a reason to do that. You will be graded on the thoughtfulness and clarity of your response.

**Research paper

Your research paper should be 15 pages or more, double-spaced. The topic must be relevant to the scholarly study of any part of the New Testament (apocrypha and pseudepigrapha included). This paper should include research beyond the required readings for this course, with bibliography and notes indicating what research was done. Topics for these papers must be approved by the instructor no later than March 14.