SYLLABUS FALL 2009 RS 235 JESUS: LIFE AND LEGACY Time: Tuesday, 7-9:50 p.m., Room 1302, Conrad Grebel University College Instructor: Tom Yoder Neufeld Office: Room 2124, Academic Bldg, CGUC Office hours: Tuesday afternoon; other times for students for whom this is not possible. In all cases, it is best to make appointment via email (via UW-ACE). Tel: 519 885 0220, ext. #24261 Email: tyoderne@uwaterloo.ca Marker: Kathy Brouwer (communicate with her via the UW-ACE) Note: This course fulfills a requirement in the Church Music and Worship Minor/Option I. COURSE DESCRIPTION By means of lectures, class discussion, and reading, this course will explore the life and teachings of the central figure of the Christian religion, Jesus of Nazareth. Along with a consideration of the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, and an exploration of their depiction of Jesus teachings and deeds, careful attention will be given to central features of the tradition, such as his birth, death, and resurrection. The course will also explore the convictions of Jesus early followers that he was the Messiah (or Christ) and divine Son of God. Relevant texts from the rest of the New Testament will thus also be taken into consideration. Regular attendance is expected and familiarity with class presentations will be assumed in the examinations. II. COURSE OBJECTIVES Students will become familiar with the New Testament sources relevant to the study of Jesus, particularly the gospels. They will become proficient at reading and analyzing them as historical documents emerging at a particular time in history, but also as religious documents that continue to play a role in shaping views of Jesus. While the course focuses in particular on the era of Jesus, students will develop an ability to engage the variety of approaches to Jesus in both scholarship and popular literature.
RS 235 Syllabus Fall 2009 2 (of 5) III. TEXTS 1. The New Testament, the most important text in the course. You are expected to have a New Testament with you in class, since we will frequently be referring to biblical texts. If you do not already possess a New Testament, purchase a recent translation of the Bible. Note, the expensiveness of the particular edition of the Bible has nothing to do with its value. What is relevant is the version or translation of the Bible. Catholic and Protestant versions are equally valuable and translate the same Greek text. They diverge only in the Old Testament. The most popular in Protestant circles is the New International Version (NIV), or the more inclusive language Today s New International Version (TNIV), and the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), or the older Revised Standard Version (RSV), and more traditional English Standard Version (ESV). Some still prefer the rather dated King James Version (KJV) or the updated New King James Version (NKJV). The most widely used Catholic translations are the New Jerusalem Bible (NJB) and the New American Bible (NAB). Note: these translations are equally valuable, each in their own way. Students are strongly encouraged to explore unfamiliar translations, many or most of which are available on the internet as well. For numerous versions of the Bible available on line see Online Translations of the Bible at http://rockhay.tripod.com/worship/translat.htm. Check also at www.biblegateway.com. Paraphrases such as The Living Bible (and New Living Bible) or The Message are not suitable for this course. 2. Thomas R. Yoder Neufeld, Recovering Jesus: The Witness of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2007). Since the instructor is the author of the text book, lectures will permit expansion of issues, as well as student interaction with the material of the course. IV. REQUIREMENTS 1. 20 Minute/20 Questions Multiple Choice On-line Test to be completed between 12:01 a.m., Oct 7 and 11:59 p.m., Oct 9. The test will be on chapters 1-4 of Recovering Jesus and the accompanying lectures and discussions during the month of September. 20% 2. Parable Analysis. Students will closely analyze an assigned parable (TBA), report on their findings, and rewrite it for a contemporary setting. (7-10 pages; 2100-3000 words); due at the beginning of class on October 27. 30% You will be given specific instructions on how to work with one particular parable all students will write on. You will analyze the parable, and then retell it
RS 235 Syllabus Fall 2009 3 (of 5) in a way that reflects today s world. This work will form the basis for class discussion. It will be imperative for you to have completed the work, to have it available at the beginning of class on the assigned date, and to hand it in at the conclusion of class. Students are strongly advised to clear the time prior to that meeting of class to complete their work. PLEASE NOTE! Late submission is not permitted, and presence in class mandatory. THIS IS NO DIFFERENT THAT AN EXAM. NO EXTENSIONS WILL BE GRANTED, unless a true emergency exists and permission has been granted PRIOR to that date by the instructor. Medical statement must be supplied in the case of illness. Unless prior arrangement has been granted in cases of emergency, late parable assignments will not be accepted and a grade of 0 will be assigned to that assignment. 3. Test : Identify the Gospel texts on November 24 at 7 pm sharp. Students will identify in which gospel selected texts appear. 15% 4. Final Examination (date TBA) 35% V. UW policy on Academic Integrity and Related Matters Academic Integrity: In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the University of Waterloo community are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. [Check www.uwaterloo.ca/academicintegrity/ for more information.] Grievance: A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of his/her university life has been unfair or unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. Read Policy 70, Student Petitions and Grievances, Section 4, www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/policies/policy70.htm. When in doubt please be certain to contact the department s administrative assistant who will provide further assistance. Discipline: A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity [check www.uwaterloo.ca/academicintegrity/] to avoid committing an academic offence, and to take responsibility for his/her actions. A student who is unsure whether an action constitutes an offence, or who needs help in learning how to avoid offences (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about rules for group work/collaboration should seek guidance from the course instructor, academic advisor, or the undergraduate Associate Dean. For information on categories of offences and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71, Student Discipline, www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/policies/policy71.htm. For typical penalties check Guidelines for the Assessment of Penalties, www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/guidelines/penaltyguidelines.htm. Appeals: A decision made or penalty imposed under Policy 70 (Student Petitions and Grievances) (other than a petition) or Policy 71 (Student Discipline) may be appealed if there is aground. A student who believes he/she has a ground for an appeal should refer to Policy 72 (Student Appeals) www.adm.uwaterloo.ca/infosec/policies/policy72.htm. Note for Students with Disabilities: The Office for Persons with Disabilities (OPD), located in Needles Hall, Room 1132, collaborates with all academic departments to arrange appropriate
RS 235 Syllabus Fall 2009 4 (of 5) accommodations for students with disabilities without compromising the academic integrity of the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability, please register with the OPD at the beginning of each academic term. Make sure you familiarize yourself with the summary of Policy #71. If you need help in learning how to avoid offences such as plagiarism, cheating, and double submission, or if you need clarification of aspects of the discipline policy, ask your course instructor or TA for guidance. Please consult How to Avoid Plagiarism and Other Written Offences: A Guide for Students and Instructors (http://watarts.uwaterloo.ca/~sager/plagiarism.html). In cases where plagiarism has been discovered, I am obligated to notify the Associate Dean of Arts, Undergraduate Affairs, who oversees the disciplinary process and enters the offence in the student s record. NOTE!! The front page of every assignment must include a word count. It must also include the following signed sentence: The work presented here is solely my own. I have read and complied with UW Policy #71. Name: Student #: VI. Sep 15 Sep 22 Sep 29 LECTURE SCHEDULE (required reading is indicated in brackets) Introduction to the course Many faces of Jesus; many views of Jesus Getting at the real Jesus: from Jesus to Christ? or is it from Christ to Jesus? Problems and issues in the study of Jesus (during the first two weeks of the course please read the four Gospels in their entirety; Recovering Jesus, Chapters 1-2) Sources for a study of Jesus The four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Brief consideration of extra-canonical gospels such as Thomas and Judas, as well as a discussion of the earliest writings in the New Testament, the letters of Paul and what they say about Jesus. (Recovering Jesus, Chapter 3) Jesus world Palestinian Jewish society; groups, classes, political and religious institutions. Introduction as well to the Roman imperial reality in Palestine, as well as the Hellenistic cultural influence on Jewish Palestinian life. (Recovering Jesus, Chapter 4)
RS 235 Syllabus Fall 2009 5 (of 5) Oct 6 Oct 7-9 Oct 13 Oct 20 Oct 27 Nov 3 Nov 10 Nov 17 Nov 24 Dec 1 Beginning at the beginning? The birth of Jesus according to Matthew and Luke. Consideration of the puzzle of why only two sources say anything about Jesus special birth, and do so in divergent ways. What s at stake in this tradition? (Recovering Jesus, Chapter 5; Matthew 1-2; Luke 1-2, and the genealogy in chap. 3) On-line Multiple-Choice Test What is the Kingdom or Reign of God? (Recovering Jesus, Chapter 6) Jesus as follower: John baptizes Jesus Jesus and his followers: circle(s) of disciples (Recovering Jesus, Chapter 7) Parables: Teaching the Kingdom of God (Recovering Jesus, Chapter 8) Parables assignment is due at the BEGINNING of class, at 7 p.m.), since it will form the basis of class discussion. Parables (continued) (Recovering Jesus, Chapter 8) Enacting the Kingdom of God: healings, exorcisms, and shared food (Recovering Jesus, Chapter 9) Living the Kingdom of God: the Sermon on the Mount/the Sermon on the Plain, and other radical teachings ( see especially Matthew 5 and Luke 6; Recovering Jesus, Chapter 10) Who killed Jesus? For what? (reread the passion narratives toward the end of each of the gospels; Recovering Jesus, Chapter 11) Test: Identify the Gospel texts (immediately at 7 p.m.) Resurrection: opening episode of cosmic transformation (reread the resurrection narratives at the end of each of the gospels; read also 1 Corinthians 15; Recovering Jesus, Chapter 12) The Galilean woodworker becomes Ruler of the Cosmos (see especially the Christological hymns in John 1:1-18, Philippians 2:6-11; Colossians 1:15-20; Recovering Jesus, Chapter 13) FINAL EXAMINATION: DATE TO BE ANNOUNCED