SAS 101 Introduction to Sacred Scripture Fall 2016 Joan Morris Gilbert, S.T.D. Email: jgilbert@holyapostles.edu Phone: 203-266-7709 Cellphone (texts only): 203-217-3343 1. Course Description This course engages the Catholic understanding of Sacred Scripture: the relationship between Scripture and Tradition, the role of the magisterium, the mystery of inspiration, the unity and inerrancy of Scripture, the biblical Canon, and principles of interpretation of the Bible. 2. Envisioned Learning Outcomes Students will demonstrate a basic understanding of the Catholic theology of revelation as expressed in Vatican II s Constitution on Divine Revelation, Dei Verbum, and Benedict XVI s Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domini. Students will demonstrate a basic understanding of the Church s understanding of the mystery of inspiration and its corollaries, and the principles of biblical interpretation. Students will demonstrate a familiarity with the biblical canon and its versions, and with the various methods of interpretation. Students will demonstrate an awareness of key themes within Scripture, as they are expressed in both the Old and the New Testament, and an appreciation of the unity of the Bible. Students will demonstrate an appreciation for the reception and use of Sacred Scripture within the life and mission of the Church, and a renewed interest in Sacred Scripture, with an enlivened sense of its value in one s own life. 3. Course Schedule*: The first half of the course will focus on the study of magisterial teachings and hermeneutical principles, including a survey of the various methods of interpretation. The second half will focus on reading and discussion of the Scriptures themselves, with
readings selected according to various themes which find expression in both the Old and the New Testament. Aug 30 Introduction and Review of Syllabus Sept 1 Divine Revelation: Vatican II s Dei Verbum Sept 6 DV s Criteria for Interpretation: Content and Unity, Tradition, Analogy of Faith Sept 8 Verbum Domini of Benedict XVI Sept 13 Verbum Domini: The Marian Listening Church Sept 15 Biblical Inspiration: A Mystery of Catholic Faith Sept 20 The Effects of Inspiration Sept 22 The Unity of Sacred Scripture Sept 27 The Inerrancy of Sacred Scripture Sept 29 The Four Senses of Scripture Oct 4 The Various Methods of Biblical Interpretation Oct 6 The Biblical Canon Oct 11 The Texts and Versions of the Bible Oct 13 The Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church (VD, #50-124) Oct 18 Midterm Exam Oct 20 The Creation Oct 25 The Fall Oct 27 The Covenant Nov 1 Daughter Zion: Spouse Israel and Bride Church Nov 3 The Law Nov 8 The Priest Nov 10 The Prophet Nov 15 The King Nov 17 The Shepherd Nov 22 The Suffering Servant Nov 24 Thanksgiving Holiday Nov 29 The Institution of the Eucharist Dec 1 The Incarnation (Infancy Narratives) Dec 6 Summary and Review Dec 8 Final Exam *A coordinated Reading List will be given out in class. 4. Course Requirements: Regular attendance at class (see HAC attendance policy below). Weekly assigned readings (a schedule of readings will be provided in class). Weekly brief written assignments related to readings (typed in 12 pt font, doublespaced, with name, date, and course at upper right corner). Satisfactory completion of short quizzes (to be announced in advance), midterm exam, and final exam.
5. Required Readings The Holy Bible. Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2006. (If you already own a different copy of the RSV-Catholic Edition, you may use it. But, if you need to purchase one, please purchase this one if possible.) Ratzinger, Joseph. Daughter Zion: Meditations on the Church s Marian Belief. Trans. John M. McDermott, S.J. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1983.. In the Beginning... : A Catholic Understanding of the Story of Creation and the Fall. Trans. Boniface Ramsey. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1995.. Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives. Trans. Philip J. Whitmore. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2012.. Many Religions, One Covenant. Trans. Graham Harrison. Foreward by Scott Hahn. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1998. Church Documents (Any published copy. Most may be downloaded from www.vatican.va): Vatican II. Constitution on Divine Revelation Dei Verbum. 1965. Benedict XVI. Apostolic Exhortation Verbum Domini: On the Word of God in the Life and Mission of the Church. 2010. Pope Francis. Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium: On the Proclamation of the Gospel in Today s World. 2013. Catechism of the Catholic Church. Paragraphs 50-184. Suggested additional documents: Pontifical Biblical Commission. The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church. 1993.. The Jewish People and Their Scriptures in the Christian Bible. 2002.. The Inspiration and Truth of Sacred Scripture. 2014. A list of required readings related to course topics will be given out in class.
6. Evaluation Grading scale: A 94-100; A- 90-93; B+ 87-89; B 84-86; B- 80-83; C+ 77-79; C 74-76; C- 70-73; D 60-69; F 59 or below Class Attendance and Participation: 20% of grade. Weekly written assignments: 20% of grade. Quizzes: 20% of grade. Midterm: 20% of grade. Final exam: 20% of grade. Extra Credit: By special arrangement, other texts may be read and summarized for extra credit. A supplementary suggested reading list will be provided in class. You are encouraged to read more than the required readings! 7. Disabilities Accommodation Policy Holy Apostles College & Seminary is committed to the goal of achieving equal educational opportunities and full participation in higher education for persons with disabilities who qualify for admission to the College. Students who have documented disabilities requiring special accommodations should contact Bob Mish, the Director of Disability Services, at rmish@holyapostles.edu or 860-632-3015. In all cases, reasonable accommodations will be made to ensure that all students with disabilities have access to course materials in a mode in which they can receive them. Students who have technological limitations (e.g., slow Internet connection speeds in convents) are asked to notify their instructors the first week of class for alternative means of delivery. 8. Academic Honesty Policy Students at Holy Apostles College & Seminary are expected to practice academic honesty. Avoiding Plagiarism In its broadest sense, plagiarism is using someone else's work or ideas, presented or claimed as your own. At this stage in your academic career, you should be fully conscious of what it means to plagiarize. This is an inherently unethical activity because it entails the uncredited use of someone else's expression of ideas for another's personal advancement; that is, it entails the use of a person merely as a means to another person s ends. Students: Should identify the title, author, page number/webpage address, and publication date of works when directly quoting small portions of texts, articles, interviews, or websites. Students should not copy more than two paragraphs from any source as a major component of papers or projects.
Should appropriately identify the source of information when paraphrasing (restating) ideas from texts, interviews, articles, or websites. Should follow the Holy Apostles College & Seminary Stylesheet (available on the Online Writing Lab s website at http://www.holyapostles.edu/owl/resources). Consequences of Academic Dishonesty: Because of the nature of this class, academic dishonesty is taken very seriously. Students participating in academic dishonesty may be removed from the course and from the program. 9. Attendance policy It is expected that students will attend all classes. Sickness for either on campus or off campus students is a legitimate excuse for absence. Seminarians are to communicate to the instructor through a fellow seminarian before class begins. Sickness, inclement weather or traffic are possible excuses for off campus students. Students are asked to communicate by phone or e-mail directly to the instructor. Students should see the instructor upon return to class. 10. Incomplete Policy An Incomplete is a temporary grade assigned at the discretion of the faculty member. It is typically allowed in situations in which the student has satisfactorily completed major components of the course and has the ability to finish the remaining work without re-enrolling, but has encountered extenuating circumstances, such as illness, that prevent his or her doing so prior to the last day of class. To request an incomplete, distance-learning students must first download a copy of the Incomplete Request Form. This document is located within the Shared folder of the Files tab in Populi. Secondly, students must fill in any necessary information directly within the PDF document. Lastly, students must send their form to their professor via email for approval. Approval should be understood as the professor responding to the student s email in favor of granting the Incomplete status of the student. Students receiving an Incomplete must submit the missing course work by the end of the sixth week following the semester in which they were enrolled. An incomplete grade (I) automatically turns into the grade of F if the course work is not completed. Students who have completed little or no work are ineligible for an incomplete. Students who feel they are in danger of failing the course due to an inability to complete course assignments should withdraw from the course. A W (Withdrawal) will appear on the student s permanent record for any course dropped after the end of the first week of a semester to the end of the third week. A WF (Withdrawal/Fail) will appear on the student s permanent record for any course dropped after the end of the third week of a semester and on or before the Friday before the last week of the semester.
11. About Your Professor Joan Morris Gilbert, S.T.D. received the Doctorate in Sacred Theology, as well as the Licentiate in Sacred Theology, from the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, through the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family (Washington, D.C. Session). She received the M.A. in Theology and the B.A. in Humanities from Holy Apostles College and Seminary. She is sacramentally married, and has seven children and seven grandchildren. She is a life-committed Benedictine Oblate. Telephone 203-266-7709 Cellphone: 203-217-3343 (Texts only please: include your full name in text.) email: jgilbert@holyapostles.edu