BCS/BSG 5515 DE: African American Biblical Interpretation

Transcription

1 BCS/BSG 5515 DE: African American Biblical Interpretation ASHLAND THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY / DETROIT Spring, 2018 Course meets Fridays 6-9pm and Saturdays 8:30-4:30pm: Jan 19-20; Feb 16-17; Mar 16-17; Apr Instructor: Rev. Dr. Mitzi J. Smith (Ph.D.), Professor of New Testament and Early Christian I. Course Description This course will examine the historical roots of hermeneutical ideologies and methodologies that have ignored and/or denied the influence of people of African descent in the Bible and upon the Bible. More basically, the course will examine the de-africanization of the Bible, address this phenomenon by re-africanizing the Bible and illustrate how the peculiar perspective and development of an African American hermeneutic contributes a fresh and needed insight for the Christian church as regards biblical interpretation. II. Student Learning Outcomes This course format consistently meets the same quality, assessment, learning outcomes and requirements of the traditional semester course format. As a result of this course, students will be able to: 1. Demonstrate critical and responsible interpretation and use of Scripture in the Black Church context informed by different interpretive strategies in the Black Church tradition Not evaluated in this course. 5. Articulate a vision of ministry in the Black Church that seeks to address individual and systemic injustice in local and global context. 6. Discuss the intersectionality and complexity of race/ethnicity, gender, and class for interpreting biblical texts. III. Course Requirements A. Textbooks and Other Materials Required textbooks: Byron, Gay L and Vanessa Lovelace, Editors. Expanding the Discourse. Atlanta: SBL Press, ISBN Gafney, Wilda C. Womanist Midrash. A Reintroduction to the Women of the Torah and the Throne. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, ISBN Smith, Mitzi J. Insights from African American Interpretation. Minneapolis: Fortress, ISBN Blount, Brian K. Can I Get a Witness? Reading Revelation through African American Culture. Louisville: Westminster John Know, ISBN Required Essays (Reading packet will be available at Detroit Center Jan 3):

2 Anderson, Cheryl B. Reflections in an Interethnic/racial Era on Interethnic/racial Marriage in Ezra. In They Were All Together in One Place? Toward Minority Biblical Criticism, edited by Randall C. Bailey, et al., Atlanta: SBL, Bailey, Randall. That s Why They Didn t Call the Book Hadassah! The Interse(ct)/(x)ionality of Race/Ethnicity, Gender and Sexuality in the Book of Esther. In They Were All Together in One Place? Toward Minority Biblical Criticism, edited by Randall C. Bailey, et al., Atlanta: SBL, Burgh, Theodore. Black Biblical Interpretation and Near Eastern Archaeology. Black Theology 4.2 (2006) Smith, Abraham. Toni Morrison s Song of Solomon: The Blues and the Bible. Recovery of the Black Presence: An Interdisciplinary Exploration, edited by Randall C. Bailey and Jacquelyn Grant, Nashville: Abingdon, Felder, Cain Hope, Race, Racism, and Biblical Narratives. Stony the Road we Trod. African American Biblical Interpretation, edited by Cain Hope Felder Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, Martin, Clarice. Womanist Interpretations of the New Testament: The Quest for Holistic and Inclusive Translation and Interpretation. In I Found God in Me. A Womanist Biblical Hermeneutics Reader, edited by Mitzi J. Smith, Eugene, OR: Cascade, Weems, Renita. Reading Her Way through the Struggle: African American Women and the Bible. Stony the Road we Trod. African American Biblical Interpretation, edited by Cain Hope Felder Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, Wimbush, Vincent L. Reading Texts as Reading Ourselves: A Chapter in the History of African-American Biblical Interpretation. In Reading from this Place. Social Location and Biblical Interpretation in the United States, edited by Fernando F. Segovia and Mary Ann Tolbert, Minneapolis: Fortress Recommended Readings: Callahan, Allen Dwight. The Talking Book. African Americans and the Bible. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, Crowder, Stephanie, Buckannon. When Momma Speaks. The Bible and Motherhood from a Womanist Perspective. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, ISBN-13: Hendricks, Obery M., Jr. The Universe Bends Towards Justice. Radical Reflections on the Bible, the Church and the Body Politic. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, Marbury, Herbert R. Pillars of Cloud and Fire: The Politics of Exodus in African American Biblical Interpretation. New York: New York Press, ISBN-13: Page, Hugh R. Jr. Israel s Poetry of Resistance: Africana Perspectives. Minneapolis: Fortress, Smith, Mitzi J. I Found God in Me. A Womanist Biblical Hermeneutics Reader. Eugene, OR: Cascade, Slater, Thomas, Editor. Afrocentric Interpretations of Jesus and the Gospel Tradition: Things Black Scholars See that White Scholars Overlook. Edwin Mellen, 2015.

3 Smith, Shanell T. The Woman Babylon and the Marks of Empire: Reading Revelation with a Postcolonial Womanist Hermeneutics of Ambiveilence. Minneapolis: Fortress, Weems, Renita. Just a Sister Away. A Womanist Vision of Women s Relationships in the Bible. Philadelphia: Innisfree, B. Attendance According to the Student Handbook, attendance at all class sessions is expected, unless the professor has been notified in advance and has approved the absence. Students should be on time and should stay through the duration of all classes. Any student missing more than six class hours (2 weeks) will be required to do additional work, receive a lower grade, audit or withdraw from the class, or be penalized otherwise at the discretion of the professor. C. Assignments/Assessment of Student Learning Interpretation Paper: Students will write a page interpretation paper. Students will develop an African American or Womanist framework/perspective through/with which to read a particular biblical text. This paper will be further discussed in the class. This Paper is 40% of final grade and is due the Friday of Week 15 of the Semester and will be submitted to professor by no later than 6 pm. Content and Method Papers. Students will prepare 4 (four) one-page content and method papers per course meeting weekend. Each paper will be one typewritten page. Student will choose four essays of her or his choice from the weekend readings and summarize the content of the essay and the method the author used in writing the essay. The Content and Method papers are 30% of the final grade. Book Review. Students will write two four (4) page book reviews. Students will review one of the required texts and one of the recommended texts. The book reviews will include the following: summary the author s primary argument(s), discuss how the author supports his or her arguments, and what resonates with you as the reader and what challenges you and why. Book reviews are 30% of final grade. First book Review is due March 5 and the second book review is due May 3. Book reviews will be submitted via to the professor by 6 pm on the date it is due. D. All papers will be typewritten, double-spaced, one inch margins all around, Times Roman 12 Pt font, proofread for spelling and grammatical errors as well as for typos. E. Calculation of Grade and Connection with Learning Outcomes Assignments Learning Outcomes Percent of Final Grade Interpretation paper 1 40% Two Book Reviews % Content and Method Papers %

4 IV. Course Schedule Jan 19-20: Introduction to African American Interpretation: Reading Race, Gender, and Class Readings for Jan 19: MSmith, Chapters 1 and 2; Weems Reading Her Way Readings for Jan 20: MSmith, Chapter 3; Felder, Race, Racism, and Biblical Narratives ; Wimbush, Reading Texts as Ourselves ; Burgh, Black Biblical Interpretation and Near Eastern Archaeology. ; Feb 16-17: Reading biblical (con)texts and other (con)texts Readings for Feb 16: MSmith, Chapters 4-5; ASmith, Toni Morrison s Song of Solomon ; Martin, Womanist Interpretations of the New Testament. Readings for Feb 17: Blount, Revelation (entire book: Intro and four chapters); *March 5 first book review due by 6 pm Mar 16-17: Intersectional Re-Reading Readings for Mar 16: Byron and Lovelace, Introduction, Part 1; Bailey, That s Why They Didn t Call the Book Hadassah! ; Anderson, Reflections in an Interethnic/racial Era Readings for Mar 17: Byron and Lovelace, Parts 2 and 3 Apr 20-21: Re-reading Children and OT Women differently Readings for Apr 20: Byron and Lovelace, Part 4 Readings for Apr 21: Gafney, Womanist Midrash, Chapters 1-2, 4, 8-9. *May 3 second book review due by 6 pm V. Recommendations for Lifelong Learning Students should continue to familiarize themselves with recommended readings and with resources listed in the bibliographies of required and recommended texts. Students should share the knowledge and methods learned in this course in their local churches. VI. Seminary Guidelines A. ATS Academic Integrity Policy Ashland Theological Seminary expects each student to uphold the Seminary s core value of academic excellence by contributing to an environment that is both challenging and supportive. In such an environment a student will neither seek nor offer improper assistance. All students have an obligation to be forthright in their academic endeavors and to respect

5 ethical standards. The work that one submits for academic evaluation must be one s own, unless an instructor expressly permits certain types of collaboration. Academic integrity requires that each student will use one s own capabilities to achieve one s fullest potential and will neither offer nor accept aid that is not in keeping with regularly accepted standards of academic integrity. Failure to conform to this conduct shall constitute academic dishonesty. The full Academic Integrity Policy statement may be found in the Student Handbook. B. Seminary Writing Consultation Service The Seminary Writing Consultation Service can help you brainstorm, draft, and revise your writing assignments in your graduate Seminary classes. Masters-qualified Consultants can advise you online or in person. your request for assistance to swc_group@ashland.edu Include the following information: Your name, the course # & professor s name, a brief description of the assignment, and your timeline. For more information, visit: C. Accessibility Resources and Accommodations It is Ashland University s goal that learning experiences be as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or experience physical or academic barriers based on a disability, please contact the Student Accessibility Center at , or send an to dservices@ashland.edu. The Student Accessibility Center office and the course instructor will work together in order to establish accommodations and to meet your learning needs. D. ATS Grading Scale Grade Percent Description A Superior achievement of course objectives, diligence and originality, high degree of freedom from error, outstanding evidence of ability to utilize course knowledge, initiative expressed in preparing and completing assignments, positive contributions verbalized in class. A B B Good work submitted, commendable achievement of course objectives, some aspects of the course met with excellence, substantial evidence of ability to utilize course material, positive contributions verbalized in class, consistency and thoroughness of work completed. B C C Acceptable work completed, satisfactory achievement of course objectives, demonstrating at least some ability to utilize course knowledge, satisfactory class contribution. C D D Passing but minimal work, marginal achievement of course objectives, poor performance in comprehension of work submitted, inadequate class contributions. D F Below 65 Unacceptable work resulting in failure to receive class credit, inadequacy of work submitted or of performance and attendance in class.

6 VII. Selected Bibliography or References See bibliographies in required and recommended readings.