Hartfrd Seminary Hebrew Bible Survey DI-511 Spring 2018 Deena Grant, Ph.D., dgrant@hartsem.edu Intrductin t Judaism Class Time: Mndays frm 7:00 t 9:45 @ 77 Sherman Rm 205 Office hurs: Mndays and Tuesday 12:30-3 and by appintment Curse Descriptin: This curse examines the variety f elements that calesce t define Judaism as bth a civilizatin and a religin. The curse uses Jewish histrical phases such as the biblical, rabbinic, medieval and mdern perids, as backdrps against which Judaic thelgy, practice and ritual are examined. The primary means by which Judaism is analyzed is via the study f biblical, rabbinic and mdern Jewish texts. Curse Objectives: In this curse students will: 1. Analyze the relatinship between Jewish practice, thelgy, identity and histry. They will assess and articulate hw Jewish histry has infrmed and cntinues t infrm Jewish practice, thelgy and identity. 2. Investigate hw the Hebrew Scriptures have been understd within the classical rabbinic traditin. They will engage in Jewish methds f exegesis and distinguish the cmmnalities and differences between Jewish, Christian and mdern academic exegeses. 3. Appraise the rle f Oral Trah within Jewish traditin. They will hypthesize the rigins f and evaluate the prcess by which biblical law became subrdinate t rabbinic law. 4. Investigate and analyze the rigins f and ritual practices that cmprise Jewish hlidays and life cycle events. They will cnsider and frmulate the rle f the hlidays and life cycle events in sustaining Jewish identity bth in the past and currently. 5. Critically examine the histry f Jewish thught. They will assess and articulate hw Jewish thelgy has infrmed mdern Judae-Christian thught. Learning Outcmes: 1. T demnstrate fundatinal and critical knwledge f ne s wn religin (MARS # 1) 2. T demnstrate knwledge f the practices f ne s wn religius traditin and the capacity t appreciate the practices f ther religius traditins (MARS #3) 3. Demnstrate knwledge and skills fr dialgical and cnstructive engagement with diversity (MARS #4) 4. T demnstrate the knwledge, capacities, and willingness t respectfully engage the religius pluralism f cntemprary American sciety thrugh expsure t the teachings f ther faiths and thse wh practice thse faiths (DMIN # 3) 5. Demnstrate knwledge f the larger scial and cultural dynamics affecting religius life and rganizatins in the 21 st century and their implicatins fr ministry setting (DMIN #4) 1
Required Texts & Readings: 1. An English translatin f the Hebrew Bible (This shuld be brught every class.) 2. Jhn Efrn, ed., The Jews: A Histry (New Yrk: Ruteledge, 2016) 3. Articles n Canvas Recmmended Readings: 1. Rbert Seltzer, Jewish Peple, Jewish Thught: The Jewish Experience in Histry (Pearsn, 1982) 2. Miltn Steinberg, Basic Judaism (New Yrk: Harcut, 1974) 3. Menahem Mansr, Jewish Histry and Thught: An Intrductin (Hbken: KTAV, 1991) 4. Irving Greenberg, The Jewish Way: Living the Hlidays (Simn and Schuster, 1993) 5. Martin Gdman, ed., The Oxfrd Handbk f Jewish Studies (New Yrk: Oxfrd University Press, 2002) 6. Jacb Neusner, The Way f the Trah: An Intrductin (Belmnd: Wadswrth, 2004) 7. Nahum Glatzer ed.,the Judaic Traditin: Jewish Writings frm Antiquity t the Mdern Age (Nrthvale, Jasn Arnsn, 1987) 8. Dan Chn-Sherbk, Judaism: Histry, Belief and Practice (New Yrk: Ruteledge, 2003) Curse Requirements and Assessment: 1. Regular Attendance and Active Participatin - 10% Active attendance in class is required. Missing tw sessins will result in an autmatic lwering f yur final grade by 10%. (If yu knw in advance that yu will be missing a class please infrm the prfessr.) Missing three r mre sessins will result in autmatic failure f the curse. Students shuld cme t class having read the week s biblical passages and Cgan reading, and be prepared t discuss the material. As we are engaging in cperative study f text, students shuld remain cgnizant f peers perspectives in rder t engage in respectful and cnstructive dialgue. 2. 3 Critical Review and Reflectin Essays 30% (Assessing MARS #1, MARS #3, DMIN #3, DMIN #4) Essays shuld be 3 (MARS)/ 4 (DMIN) pages in length. They shuld include a summary and critique f an article f the student s chsing and which has been apprved by the prfessr. The critique shuld include: Critique f and reflectin n f the article s thesis/cntributin. Reflectin n an ethical actin, spiritual practice r ministerial praxis that relates t the article (MARS ptinal DMIN required). Upn submissin, essays will be partially graded and returned with suggested revisins. Students will incrprate revisins and resubmit fr the remainder f the grade. Further instructin and a grading rubric will be handed ut in class 2
3. Research Paper 40% (Assessing MARS #1, MARS #3, DMIN #3, DMIN #4) In 5-6 (MARS)/6-7 (DMIN) pages the student will explre a religius and/r histrical tpic r theme within Judaism. Thrugh this paper the student will achieve a detailed understanding f a particular aspect f Judaism. Further instructin and a grading rubric will be handed ut in class 4. Peer Review 10% (Assessing MARS #3, MARS #4, DMIN # 3, DMIN #4) Students will cmplete a peer review n the research paper f ne f their clleagues. In this peer review, students will cmment n the paper s thesis, the aspects f the paper which are/are nt effective in supprting the thesis, as well as the clarity, rganizatin and grammatical crrectness f the paper. Further instructin and a grading rubric will be handed ut in class 5. Presentatin and Facilitated Discussin f Research Paper 10% (Assessing MARS #3, MARS #4, DMIN # 3) Further instructin will be handed ut in class Assignment Due Dates: 1. Review and Reflectin Essay 1: Resubmissin: 2. Review and Reflectin Essay 2: Resubmissin with revisins: 3. Review and Reflectin Essay 3: Resubmissin with revisins: 4. Research Paper: Tpic and Bibligraphy: Rugh Draft: Peer Review: Final Paper: Late Assignments: A late assignment will be reduced by ½ letter grade per each week that the assignment has nt yet been submitted. Extensins fr papers will be given fr illnesses r family emergencies nly in cnsultatin with the instructr. Plagiarism and Academic Integrity: Academic hnesty and integrity are expected f all students. Plagiarism exists when: a) the wrk submitted was dne, in whle r in part, by anyne ther than the ne submitting the wrk, b) parts f the wrk, whether direct qutatins, ideas, r data, are taken frm anther surce withut acknwledgement, c) the whle wrk is cpied frm anther surce [especially a web based surce], r d) significant 3
prtins f ne s wn previus wrk used in anther curse. See Plagiarism at http://www.hartsem.edu/current-students/plicies/. Apprpriate Classrm Etiquette and use f Technlgy: In rder t respect the cmmunity within the classrm: 1) Mute all cell phnes during class; 2) Utilize laptps fr the sle purpse f taking class ntes. Please d nt surf the web, email, r ther prgrams during class time. Such use f the cmputer during class is disrespectful f the class and prfessr, and may result in lwering yur participatin grade. Inclusive Language: Hartfrd Seminary is cmmitted t a plicy f inclusin in its academic life and missin. All members f the cmmunity are expected t cmmunicate in language that reflects the equality f genders, penness t diverse cultural and thelgical perspectives, and sensitivity t ne anther s images f Gd. Grading Scale: A (95-100) Demnstrates excellent mastery f the subject matter, a superir ability t articulate this, and prvides helpful cnnectins t daily life r cntemprary issues. Exceeds expectatins f the curse. A- (90-94) Demnstrates mastery f the subject matter, ability t articulate this well, and makes cnnectins t daily life r cntemprary issues. Exceeds expectatins f the curse. B+(87-89) Demnstrates a very gd understanding f the subject matter, able t articulate lessns learned in the assignment well. Meets expectatins f the curse. B (83-86) Demnstrates an understanding f the subject matter and the ability t articulate lessns learned. Meets expectatins f the curse. B-(80-82) Demnstrates an understanding f the material at hand, has sme difficulty articulating this, and basic cnnectin f the material t daily life r cntemprary issues/life. Meets basic expectatins fr the curse. C+(77-79) Demnstrates a basic cmprehensin f the subject matter, weak articulatin and cnnectins. Des nt meet expectatins fr the curse. C (70-76) Demnstrates a minimal cmprehensin f the subject matter and has difficulty making cnnectins. Des nt meet expectatins f the curse. F (belw 70) Unable t meet the basic requirements f the curse. Grades range frm A t C and F; A+ s and C- s are nt part f the grading system. On a 4.0 GPA scale -- A(4.00), A-(3.66), B+(3.33), B(3.00), B-(2.66), C+(2.33), C(2.00) and F(0.00). A grade pint average f n less than B- (2.66) is required t maintain gd standing. The minimum G.P.A. required fr graduatin is 2.75. The DMIN Grading Scale: High Pass(95-100), Pass (83-94), Lw Pass(70-82), and Fail(belw 70) Other Plicies: Fr all ther questins yu might have regarding plicies r prcedures, please check the student handbk http://www.hartsem.edu/current-students/student-handbk/ and seminary plicies at Academic plicies are listed at http://www.hartsem.edu/current-students/plicies/ Schedule f Tpics and Readings: (Readings Subject t Change) 4
1. The Wrld f Ancient Israel Efrn, pp. 32-56 2. Biblical Frefathers: Abraham and Mses Efrn pp. 1-15 3. The Mnarchy, its Cllapse and Israel s Exile Efrn, pp. 16-21 4. The Persian Perid, Cannizing the Bible Efrn, pp. 32-57 5. Hellenism and Judaism in Israel and in the Diaspra Efrn, pp. 58-79 6. Rman Rule, Sectarianism, and the Fall f the Secnd Temple Efrn, pp. 85-115 7. Rabbinic Judaism: The Emergence f the Mishnah and Talmud Efrn, pp. 131-148 8. Jewish Liturgy: The Prayerbk and Religius Festivals 9. Ritual Practice: Sabbath, Ksher, Ritual Purity 10. Life Cycle: Circumcisin; Bar Mitzvah; Marriage, Death 11. Jews under Islam and Christendm: Plitics, Thelgy and Philsphy Efrn, pp. 149-208 12. The Enlightenment, Mdernity and the Rise f Refrm Judaism Efrn, pp. 287-324 13. Messianism and Sabbatianism 5
14. Antisemitism, and the Hlcaust and the Dream f Zinism Efrn, pp. 406-483 15. Mdern Jewish Life 6