HI-613 Christians at the Edge of Empire: The histories and identities of Middle East Christians

Transcription

1 HI-613 Christians at the Edge of Empire: The histories and identities of Middle East Christians Hartford Seminary The Rev. Dr. David D. Grafton Office: Macdonald Center #3 Office hours: Tues, Wed. 9:30-12 pm Office phone: Time and Place: Mondays 1:30-4:30 classroom: TBA Course Description: An investigation of the history, theology and identity of the Christian communities outside of, or on the borders of, the Roman and Byzantine Empires, of what we now call the Middle East. Surveys will include the Arabic, Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, and Syrian churches. Attention will be given to how living at the edge of, or outside of, Western Empires provided unique contexts for the origin and later development of the Church under Islamic rule, the role of current issues in the Middle East, and migration of these communities to the United States. Course Objectives: At the end of this course, students will be able to 1. Recognize the general history of the families of Middle Eastern Churches; 2. Articulate the basic spiritual perspectives of the Eastern, Oriental and Western theological traditions in the Middle East in light of the student s own religious heritage; 3. Analyze the importance of social-political contexts in the development of the life and identity of the Middle Eastern Christian communities; 4. Demonstrate a specialized understanding of at least one Oriental Orthodox, Catholic or Protestant Church tradition. Teaching and Learning Strategies: The course will be based upon face-to-face plenary instruction with lectures, group discussion and a final individual or group project. Students will also be required to spend time outside of the classroom in an experiential worship experience in an Eastern or Oriental Orthodox community. Required Texts: Griffith, Sidney H. The Church in the Shadow of the Mosque: Christians and Muslims in the World of Islam. Princeton: Princeton University Press, [ISBN ] Jenkins, Philip. Jesus Wars: How Four Patriarchs, Three Queens, and Two Emperors Decided What Christians Would Believe for the Next 1,500 Years. New York: HarperCollins, [ISBN ] O Mahony, Anthony and Emma Loosely. Eastern Christianity in the Modern Middle East. New York: Routledge, [ISBN ] Page 1 of 5

2 In addition: Dalrymple, William. From the Holy Mountain: A Journey Among the Christians of the Middle East. New York: Vintage, [ISBN ] OR Sahner, Christian. Among the Ruins: Syria Past and Present (New York: Oxford University Press, 2014). [ISBN ] Recommended Reading: Bailey, Betty Jane and J. Martin. Who Are the Christians in the Middle East? Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, [ISBN ] Moffett, Samuel H. A History of Christianity in Asia: vol. 1: Beginnings to Maryknoll, N.Y.: Orbis Books, [ISBN ] Parry, Kenneth, ed. The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity. Oxford, UK; Malden, Mass.: Blackwell Publishers, [ISBN ]. The Blackwell Companion to Eastern Christianity. Oxford, UK; Malden, Mass.: Blackwell Publishers, [ISBN ] Course Assignments and Assessment: Assignment Due Date(s) Course objective(s) assessed by assignment % of course grade In-Class participation Weekly #1 and #3 20% Take home exam on Jesus Wars Reflection Paper on Dalrymple or Sahner A site visit to an Eastern, Oriental Orthodox, Oriental Catholic, or Middle Eastern Protestant worship service Final Presentation (and Education lesson plans for DMin students) 24 February #2 30% 7 April #3 20% TBD #4 (reflected in Final Presentation) 24 April or 1 May #3 and #4 30% Class preparation and participation: Creative, critical, and constructive contributions of the students during the course, as well as evidence of preparation for class, will be evaluated with 20% of the grade. Page 2 of 5

3 Take Home exam on the Jesus Wars. Based upon the first four classes, and having read Jenkins Jesus Wars students will be given a take home exam. The exam will include three essay questions (two required, and one essay of the student s choosing). The exam will be provided on the course Canvas site, and will address the following issues: a. Definitions of the Creeds; b. The theological importance of the creedal statements; and c. The role of politics and culture in the theological arguments; OR d. Why does this history matter today? The exam will be available on the Canvas course site on Sunday 19 February, 5 pm and students must post their final exam on the Canvas course site by Friday, 24 February, 5 pm. (30% of the grade.) 1,000-word Reflection Paper on Dalyrmple s From the Holy Mountain or Christian Sahner s Among the Ruins. This paper should include what you learned about: a. The different Christian communities, including the relationship between the Eastern (Chalcedonian) and Oriental Orthodox (non-chalcedonian) churches; b. At least one new historical or cultural aspect of the Christians of the Middle East that you did not know before. c. And provide critical reflections on the contemporary state of at least one community in response to the Syrian Civil War, the Arab Spring, the Wars in Iraq or Afghanistan The paper is due on the Canvas course site on Friday, 7 April. (20% of the grade.) An individual or group presentation on one of the Christian Communities reviewed in this course. If possible, the preparation for the presentation should include a site-visit to a worship service of one Eastern, Oriental Orthodox, Oriental Catholic or Middle Eastern Protestant community. Each presentation should be for 30 minutes, followed by time for questions and discussion. The presentations should be based upon information garnered in the initial lectures, the Suggested Reading resources, further printed and web-based sources, as well as the site-visit. The presentation should address as well as assess: a. The origin and historical background of the church/es; b. Theological identities and liturgical emphases of the church/es; c. Evaluation of the Work and Person of Christ vis a vis the students own theological understanding; d. Contemporary issues and challenges facing the church/es; e. Reflection on the visit to a local church. Students should submit to the instructors an annotated Bibliography and Webliography, and any handouts given to the class. The team presentation made by the students and the manner in which they respond to comments will be 30% of the grade. DMin Requirements: DMin students registered for this class should complete the presentation assignment above, as well as submit a plan for an educational opportunity that engages one s ministry context relating to one aspect of the Oriental Orthodox, Oriental Catholic, or Protestant Churches of the Middle East. The project should address a specific biblical, historical, theological or social issue. Students should negotiate with the instructors over the topic of this paper. (This will be counted toward the final presentation grade.) Page 3 of 5

4 Policies and Miscellany: Attendance: Active attendance in all classes is expected. Please contact the instructor right away if you have a conflict with any of the inter-session days. All written assignments should follow the normal conventions as in Turabian 7 th ed (or later). All papers should be hard copies, unless an electronic version is explicitly requested. Please include a title page on all papers more than one page, and make sure that your name and campus box number is included below your name on the cover page. Number all pages. If there is more than one page, please staple the pages together. Policy: The instructor will use the official Hartsem student addresses for all communications. Please check your Hartsem account regularly. Wikipedia and other non-documented websites: Please do not cite Wikipedia or other nondocumented websites. While these sites might direct one to documented sources (in the Bibliography) their authorship is unknown and cannot be considered authoritative. Students will be marked down for referencing these public sites if they are used as primary sources. Plagiarism and Academic Integrity: Academic honesty and integrity are expected of all students. Plagiarism exists when: a) the work submitted was done, in whole or in part, by anyone other than the one submitting the work, b) parts of the work, whether direct quotations, ideas, or data, are taken from another source without acknowledgement, or c) the whole work is copied from another source [especially a web based source]. See Plagiarism at Appropriate Classroom etiquette and use of technology: In order to respect the community within the classroom: 1) Turn off all cell phones during class; 2) Utilize laptops for the sole purpose of taking class notes. Please do not surf the web, , or other programs during class time. Such use of the computer during class is disrespectful of the class and professor, and will result in lowering your participation grade. Extensions: Extensions for papers will be given for illnesses or family emergencies only in consultation with the instructor. Late Assignments/Papers: As per the Student Handbook, late assignments or papers will be marked down 1/3 of a grade for every two days. The following evaluation process will be utilized as a guideline: (based on a 4 point system) A (4-3.8) Demonstrates excellent mastery of the subject matter, a superior ability to articulate this, and provides helpful connections to daily life or contemporary issues. Exceeds expectations of the course. A- ( ) Demonstrates mastery of the subject matter, ability to articulate this well, and makes connections to daily life or contemporary issues. Exceeds expectations of the course. B+ ( ) Demonstrates a very good understanding of the subject matter, able to articulate lessons B learned in the assignment well. Meets expectations of the course. ( ) Demonstrates an understanding of the subject matter and the ability to articulate lessons learned. Meets expectations of the course. B- ( ) Demonstrates an understanding of the material at hand, has some difficulty articulating this, and basic connection of the material to daily life or contemporary issues/life. Meets basic expectations for the course. Page 4 of 5

5 C+ ( ) Demonstrates a basic comprehension of the subject matter, weak articulation and connections. Does not meet expectations for the course. C (2.0) Demonstrates a minimal comprehension of the subject matter and has difficulty making connections. Does not meet expectations of the course. F ( ) Unable to meet the basic requirements of the course. DMin Grading Scale: High Pass (A) , Pass (B) , and Low Pass (C) Student Handbook: For all other questions you might have regarding policies or procedures, please check the student handbook. Page 5 of 5