Course Outline and Reading



Both Primary and Secondary readings are required. Primary readings are actual selections from the Bible or Ancient Near Eastern/Jewish/Christian Literature. Secondary readings are the textbook, charts, etc. which discuss and/or analyze the literature.

Harris=Stephen L. Harris, Understanding the Bible
HCSB=Harper Collins Study Bible page number.
Miller=Robert J. Miller, The Complete Gospels
Web=Resources only on the internet--Links are in the Outline. WebCT=Files that are stored on the WebCT section for our course. Exploring the Web: Optional (not required) links for exploring the subject further.
INTRODUCTION
Monday, September 8
Introduction to Religious Studies
Approaching Ancient Texts
Secondary: Harris, pp. 2-6, 13-22, 26-35
1. THE JEWISH BIBLE

PENTATEUCH (Torah)

Monday, September 15
Sacred Stories in the Ancient Near East
Primary: Ptah and Atum-Re (WebCT); Sumerian Flood Story (WebCT); Enki and Ninhursag (WebCT); The Epic of Gilgamesh Tablet XI (web)
Secondary: Harris, pp. 41 (map only); 49-60

Creation, Sacred Stories and the Covenant with Abraham
Primary: Genesis 1-3; 6-8; 16-22;
Secondary: Harris, pp. 86-116

Exploring the Web
Ancient Near Eastern Myths
Exploring Ancient World Cultures: Ancient Near East
Online Primary Literature Related to Ancient Near Eastern Religions
Exploring Ancient World Cultures: Ancient Egypt
The Life of Adam and Eve: The Biblical Story in Judaism and Christianity
Adam and Eve Temptation Pictures
The Lilith Page (Adam's "First" Wife--In Jewish Folklore)

Monday, September 22
The Exodus from Egypt
Primary: Exodus 3-15; Exodus 19-20;
Secondary: Harris 117-129; HCSB 77-78 (Rev=83-84); Examples of Ancient Near Eastern Law (WebCT)

Deuteronomy: A Call for Return to the Covenant
Primary: Deuteronomy 5; 18-22; 26-32; 34
Secondary: Harris, pp. 70-77; 136-143; The Emergence of Monotheism in Ancient Israel (WebCT)
HISTORICAL BOOKS (The "Former Prophets")
Monday, September 29
Joshua and Judges: Two Views of "Conquest"
Primary: Joshua 1-8; Judges 1-5; 19-21; Mesha Stele(WebCT)
Secondary: Harris 144-163; HCSB 346-347

Of Prophets and Kings
Primary: 1 Samuel 7-10; 16; 28; 2 Samuel 11-12; 1 Kings 18; 22; 2 Kings 2
Secondary: Harris 164-189; Magical Practices for Bringing Up the Spirits of the Dead in the Ancient World (WebCT)
THE PROPHETS (The "Latter" Prophets and the Book of the Twelve)
Monday, October 6 (First Half of Class)
"Major" and "Minor" Prophets
Primary: Isaiah 6-11; 52-53; Amos 1-4;
) Secondary: Harris 201-206, 218-220, 223-224; HCSB 912-914; 1216-1218
POETRY AND WISDOM (THE WRITINGS)
Monday, October 6 (Second Half of Class)
Psalms, Song of Songs
Primary: Psalm 2; 5; 8; 51; 82; 89; 137; Song of Solomon 7-8
Secondary: Harris 232-243; 263-264; HCSB 903-904
Monday, October 13
Midterm #1 (Over Material Up Through and Including the Prophets) First Half of Class
Wisdom and Questions
Primary: Proverbs 4; 10-11; 31; Job 1-2; 4-6; 38-42; Ecclesiastes 1-5; 12
Secondary: Harris 244-260
2. OTHER JEWISH LITERATURE

THE APOCRYPHA (Deuterocanonicals)

Monday, October 20
History and the Hellenistic Period
Primary: 1 Maccabees 1-9;
Secondary: Harris 284-292

Exploring the Web
Ancient Greece
Ancient Rome

Another Approach to Wisdom
Primary: Wisdom of Solomon 1-5; Tobit 1-6, 7-13 14
Secondary: Harris 292-296; 301-302
APOCALYPTIC
Monday, October 27 (First Half of Class)
Daniel (Jewish Bible-but from from the Hellenistic Period)
Primary: Daniel 1; Daniel 3; Daniel 7-12;
Secondary: Harris 271-275; 294-295; HCSB 1168-1169
"NON-CANONICAL" LITERATURE
Monday, October 27 (Second Half of Class)
Qumran and Pseudepigrapha
Primary: 1 QS Manual of Discipline (Community Rule)(WebCT); 1 Enoch chapters 1-5 (web); Jubilees chapters 15 and 23(WebCT); Early Jewish Interpretations of Gen. 6 (Web)
Secondary: Harris 304-306, 326-337
Exploring the Web
Orion Center for the Study of the Dead Sea Scrolls
1QIsaiah 10 (Scroll of Isaiah)
The Noncanonical Home Page (Early Jewish and Christian Texts)
3. THE NEW TESTAMENT (Christian Writings)
GOSPELS
Monday November 3
Mark and Q
Primary: Mark (in Miller); Sayings Gospel Q (in Miller)
Secondary: Miller 6; 8; 53-54; 248-252; Harris 345 (box 11.2 only); 353-355; 360-374

Monday, November 10
Matthew, Luke and John
Primary: (Read these chapters from Matthew, Luke and John in Miller) Matthew 3-6; Matthew 23; Matthew 26-28; Luke 3; Luke 15-16; Luke 23-24; John 1; John 3; John 8; John 18-21
Secondary: Harris 374-391; 408-425
OTHER CHRISTIAN GOSPELS
Monday, November 17 (First Half of Class)
Examples of Early Christian Writings Not Included in the New Testament
Primary: Gospel of Thomas (Miller 301-322); Gospel of Peter (Miller 399-407); The Edgerton Papyrus ("Edgerton Gospel" in Miller 414-417); Infancy Gospel of Thomas 9-13 (Miller 375-376)
Exploring the Web
The Noncanonical Home Page: Early Christian Gospels
The Five Gospels Parallels (Site for comparing the Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and Gospel of Thomas)
THE HISTORICAL JESUS
Monday, November 17 (Second Half of Class)
Birth Traditions and Teaching
Primary: Birth Narratives (WebCT); Infancy Gospel of James 7-25 (in Miller 386-396);
Secondary: Harris 340-342; 429-446; Class Handout on the Birth Traditions (WebCT); Josephus on John the Baptist and James(WebCT)

Monday, November 24
Midterm #2 (From Psalms through Other Gospels) First Half of Class
Death and Resurrection Accounts
Primary: Gospel of Mary (Miller 357-366); Empty Tomb/Ressurection Narratives (WebCT)
Secondary: Jesus' Saying Concerning the Destruction and Rebuilding of the Temple (WebCT)
; Resurrection Accounts (WebCT)
Exploring the Web
From Jesus to Christ: The First Christians (Web site for the PBS Frontline Special)
HISTORY OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY
Monday, December 1
Acts and the Early Christian Community
Primary: Acts 1-5; Acts 8-11; Acts 15; Acts 17; Acts 19;
Secondary: Harris 448-464
THE LETTERS
Monday, December 1 (Second Half of Class)
Paul's Writings
Primary: 1 Thessalonians 4-5; 1 Corinthians 6-7; 11-15;
Romans 1-4; Philemon
Secondary: Harris 464-480; 486-490; 493-494; 478-485; 488-489
Monday, December 8 (First Half of Class)
Late Jewish Christianity
Primary: James 1-2, 3-4, 5; Hebrews 5-9;
Secondary: Harris 505-510; HCSB 2035-2036; 2052-2053 Development of the Melchizedek Tradition(WebCT); Paul and "James" on Abraham and Faith (web)
APOCALYPTIC
Monday, December 8 (Second Half of Class)
The Book of Revelation
Primary: Revelation 1-3; 13-17; 19-22;
Secondary: Harris 516-524; HCSB2307-2309
Monday, December 15 7:00-9:00 PM
Final Exam



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