BI 541 Eschatology Fall 2013 - Syllabus Instructor: Gary Spaeth I. Course Description This course concentrates on the prophecies of God s Word for the future. Students are taught a pre-tribulation rapture position and how the events following the rapture unfold in Scripture. II. Course Objectives This course will endeavor to: A. Help the student understand the significance of the literal interpretation of Scripture and the correct understanding of prophetic passages. B. Investigate the key Old Testament Covenants which are the basis of our pre-millennial position. C. Help the student understand why the pre-millennial view of the Lord s return is the only view which fits with sound hermeneutical principles. D. Help the student understand the position of the pre-tribulation rapture of the church. E. Help the student understand the significance of Daniel s 70 weeks and its relation to the tribulation. F. Understand the resurrections and judgments related to the final days and eternal state. G. Help the student to understand the various views on last things and to increase his awareness of the urgency of preaching the Gospel and getting the word out to the lost. III. Course Requirements A. Reading: 1. Textbook Reading: a. Read Understanding the Times, By Dr. Paul Chappell
Page 2 After reading the book fill out the Required Reading Report Form, and include one typed paragraph of each chapter summarizing what impressed you the most in that chapter and why. DUE: September 24 TH b. Read Millennialism, by Charles L. Feinberg. Write an 800 word summary, including his arguments for the Pre-millennial position. DUE: November 12 TH c. Read Things to Come, by Dwight Pentecost according to the following schedule: 9/17/2013 Pg. 1-64 9/26/2013 Pg. 65-128 10/10/2013 Pg. 129-227 10/31/2013 Pg. 229-368 11/14/2013 Pg. 370-542 11/26/2013 Pg. 547-581 FIRST, using the required reading evaluation sheet answer each question based on your understanding of what the author said. SECONDLY In Pentecost s book he gives several arguments for the pretribulation rapture. Find and list each of these arguments, giving the Scriptural support for each of them, then for each one would you agree or disagree with Pentecost s assessment and tell why. The arguments should be typed and turned in with the required reading report form. DUE: November 26 nd 2. Outside Reading: The student is to read a total of 500 pages on Eschatology. The student is to keep a record on the Outside Reading Report Form. This reading is to be strictly on eschatology. You may include any reading you use in your research for each paper and articles, you cannot include anything from the required reading. DUE: December 5 TH 3. Prophecy Articles: As part of your outside reading you are to find news articles either in national news papers such as the Los Angeles Times, or weekly or monthly periodicals such as U.S. New and World Report, or on the internet such as Fox News, CNN, etc. You are to search for articles that would have some relationship to prophetic events given in the Bible. Each article is to be identified with the correct bibliography information at the bottom of each article. Then write one to two sentences explaining how this article is significant to future prophecy in the Scriptures. You are to have 50 articles and placed into a notebook or three ringed binder. WARNING: No article swapping will be permitted. You may go back no earlier than the year 2009. The more recent the articles are published the better. DUE: October 15 TH B. Doctrine papers: The student will do two papers 1800-2000 words for each paper. The student must use a minimum of five outside sources with bibliography, footnotes, title page, and table of contents or outline. Two of the sources must come from a
Page 3 reputable theological Journal. You can access these Journals through your portal with the link Galaxie Journals. 1. Paper #1 is to be on the The Day of the Lord and The Day of Christ. In this paper discuss whether these are synonymous events or are they separate events. Then determine from your Scriptural exegesis when each of these Days will occur in the prophetic timetable of future events. DUE: October 3 RD 2. Paper #2 is to be a study of the rapture. The purpose of this paper is NOT ONLY to discuss if immanency is supported in the Scriptures, but also other Scriptural factors that would indicate when the rapture will occur. Be sure you support your answers from the Scriptures. DUE: November 5 TH The following table will be used to grade these papers. Content Grading 60% Poor Fair Good Excellent Points Number of words 4 6 8 10 Use and quality of outside sources 4 6 8 10 Thoroughness of study 4 6 8 10 Clearness of writing 4 6 8 10 Addressing of issue 4 6 8 10 Scriptural defense is position Grammar and spelling 30% 4 6 8 10 Poor Fair Good Excellent Points Spelling 4 6 8 10 Grammar 4 6 8 10 Sentence Structure 4 6 8 10 Format 10% Poor Fair Good Excellent Points Title Page 0 1/2 1 2 Footnotes 0 1/2 1 2
Page 4 Bibliography 0 1/2 1 2 Page Numbers 0 1/2 1 2 Margins and font 0 1/2 1 2 All papers must follow these guidelines or they will be returned ungraded. First page must be a Cover Page. (A sample is included with this syllabus) Margins set to one (1) inch. Page Numbers on the bottom right of every page. Times New Romans or equivalent twelve (12) point font. Follow the template (Termpaperstyle.docx) uploaded at http://spaeth.wcbc.edu Direct and indirect quotes can only make up 20% of the content of your paper; to exceed this would be reflected by point reductions on the paper s content. Use only scripture references. Do not include the entire text of the scriptures. Only include portions of the verse that are absolutely essential. All papers and projects must be the student s own work. No student is permitted to work with another person on any paper or project unless the instructor has given his permission. All papers should be emailed to me using either Microsoft Word or PDF format by 5:00 PM of the date due. The class code and the title of the assignment MUST appear in the subject line of the email for you to get credit for your work. Once submitted, you should receive a confirmation email from me verifying I receive the assignment. If you do not receive a confirmation email within 24 hours of sending, please contact me immediately so you do not loose credit for the assignment. C. Exams: Exams will be given at the Mid-term and Final and are accumulative in nature. Exam days and the class period prior to exams are considered no cut days. Late Project policy: All projects are to be turned in by 5:00 PM the day they are due Any project turned in after 5:00 PM of that day will have a 5 point deduction on the grade. Each additional
Page 5 day late will result in a reduction of 5 points off the final grade of the project. If the due date falls on a Friday, the weekend will only count as one day late. If you have a question or an emergency comes up please talk with your instructor for a possible solution before the due date. No excuses will be accepted after the due date. NOTE- MOST STUDENTS WHO DO NOT PASS THIS COURSE DO SO BECAUSE THEY DO NOT TURN IN THEIR ASSIGNMENTS! IV. Spiritual and Academic Integrity Classroom Behavior: A. Arrive on time!! If you arrive late, it is your responsibility to see instructor after class to insure your attendance has been recorded. Failure to do so will result in being marked absent for class. Please see instructor prior to the start of class if you need to leave early. B. No Sleeping during class! If you find yourself starting to fall asleep, you may stand in the back of the room until you are alert. C. No texting or use of mobile phone allowed, except for the purpose of taking notes. D. The use of the internet is not permitted during class, except by direction of the instructor. E. Each student must participate in class discussions. F. Bring notebook or computer to class to take notes. Attendance Policy If you are anywhere from 1 to 9 minutes late, you will be counted as late; if you are 10 minutes or more late, you will be counted as absent. If you leave class 10 minutes or more early, you will be counted as absent. You are responsible to get the class notes from other students, and to make up any quizzes in the event of an absence. Makeup quizzes will be more comprehensive than the ones given in class. In your student portal, you are able to track your attendance. If you miss more than fifteen (15) percent of this class (5.5 days), you will be automatically dropped from the roster and receive an F for the course. The amount missed contains the accumulation of tardies, cuts, and any other absences. If you are absent on a quiz or test day, it is your responsibility to know what you have missed. Each student will have 48 hours (excluding weekends) from the end of class to make up the missed test or quiz. If these are not made up within that time frame, they will be recorded as a 0.
Page 6 Make-up times for quizzes and exams: 6:45-7:20 Tuesday-Friday mornings 1:00-2:00 Monday-Friday afternoons Academic Honesty: Cheating, plagiarism, collusion, and any act designed to give an unfair advantage to the student (such as, but not limited to, submitting the same written assignment for two courses or providing false or misleading information in an effort to receive a postponement or an extension on a test, quiz, exam, or other assignment) is considered cheating and will not be tolerated. Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one s own original work. Common forms of plagiarism are copying words or ideas and not giving the author credit for them by providing proper reference. Another author s specific words must be placed within quotation marks with an appropriate reference given. Another author s ideas must include an appropriate reference. You may choose to use appropriate footnotes, endnotes, or parenthetical references. V. Grading Your grade will consist of the following percentages. A. Textbook Reading 30 % B. Outside Reading (includes articles) 20 % C. Research Papers 30 % D. Exams 20 % Total Score 100 % VI. A Final Word: I am looking forward to teaching this class and prayerfully asking God to use this class to equip you in preparation for your ministry through the mighty working of the Holy Spirit, both in your life and mine. If there is any way I can be of assistance, please email me or stop by my office on the second floor of the North Building. Contact points: In person: Office hours are Monday Friday, 2:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Office: 946-4663, ext. 756 E-mail: gary.spaeth@lancasterbaptist.org or gary.spaeth@westcoastbaptist.edu Web Site http://spaeth.wcbc.edu
Page 7
Page 8 1 inch margins 4 lines down WEST COAST BAPTIST COLLEGE 6 lines down THE DAY OF THE LORD AND THE DAY OF CHRIST. 6 lines down A PROJECT SUBMITTED TO BROTHER GARY SPAETH IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE BI 541 ESCHATOLOGY 6 lines down BY JOHN DOE BOX # 6 lines down LANCASTER, CALIFORNIA 7 NOVEMBER 2011