RELIGION 314
J. W. Aageson
OFFICE HOURS:
Monday and Wednesday 10:30-11:30
Tuesday and Thursday 1:00-2:00
e-mail: aageson@cord.edu
web page: http://www.cord.edu/faculty/aageson/JWAageson.html
And by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Paul is one of the most important people in the formation of early Christianity. He has also left us some of the most significant documents in the New Testament, the Pauline Epistles. This course will focus on the historical circumstances of Paul, the religious and theological significance of his epistles, and his legacy for the Christian church. Paul, however, was not appreciated by many of his contemporaries or by many people in the church since his time. He has been a figure of much controversy historically, and this course will explore why that is the case. To this end, the course will be concerned with:
1. The history of early Judaism and the social and religious world into which Paul came.
2. The development and function of the various aspects and features of the New Testament Pauline literature.
3. The varied and changing treatment of significant Pauline themes within biblical and post-biblical tradition.
4. The continuing reflection on Paul's thought in the post-biblical communities of faith.
THE STUDY OF RELIGION IN THE LIBERAL ARTS: GOALS AND OBJECTIVES:
1. To give rational and cogent explanation of religion and
religious phenomena.
2. To observe in the study of religion the interaction between
method and the
material of religion.
3. To understand that, in the study of religion and the methods
appropriate to the
study of religion, we arrive at only penultimate
conclusions and that
inquiry into religion is invariably open-ended.
4. To develop an intellectual skepticism which drives intellectual inquiry,
encourages curiosity, and prevents the collapse into cynicism.
5. To understand that religion is not primarily a private or personal
matter but is
corporate and public and therefore open to observation.
6. To observe that religion is not simply a way of believing or thinking
but is a
way of living, doing, and behaving.
7. To see that religion was, is, and will be a prime force in the
formation of
culture, social and political organization, and thus of
civilization itself.
8. To perceive that religion--both past and present--functions on the level of
ethnos (a social group, a people), ethos (a world view), and ethics (a way of
living).
REQUIRED TEXTS:
Primary Text:
New Revised Standard Edition of the Bible (mandatory)
Secondary Texts:
In the Beginning: Critical Concepts for the Study of the Bible by James
W. Aageson
The Letters of Paul: Conversations in Context by Calvin Roetzel
Paul and the Gentile Women by Tatha Wiley
Paul Among the Postliberals by Douglas
Harink
The Moral Teaching of Paul by Victor Paul
Furnish
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1. Study of the assigned texts in the Bible and the secondary sources. (This includes class participation. Coming to class unprepared, without the appropriate books or without having read the assignment will be considered an absence. Doing work during this class related to other courses or activities will also be cause to receive an absence for the day.)
2. Three examinations.
3. Three Quizzes
3. Research paper.
4. More than three absences for the semester will result in a 30% reduction in the
participation and attendance grade. More than five absences for the semester will
result in a 60% reduction in the participation and attendance (exceptions will be
made for extreme situations such as severe illness, death in the
family etc.)
6. All Assignments must be completed for a passing grade
COURSE EVALUATION:
1. Examination #
1 15 percent
2. Examinations # 2 & 3 40 percent (20 percent each)
3. Three Quizzes 10 percent (total)
4. Research Paper 25 percent
5. Attendance and Participation 10 percent
DUE DATES:
Exams
Paper Quizzes
September 7 November 21 September 28
October 31 October
19
Finals Week November
9
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY:
Students are expected to be guided by the highest expressions of academic integrity in completing course requirements. These expectations are set forth in Academic Integrity at Concordia College. Students who show a disregard for academic integrity and are detected should expect to be penalized by receiving failing grades (in such cases make-up is not possible). Each violation of academic integrity will be reported to the Academic Dean's Office and the offender will be placed on probationary status for one year.
Violations of academic integrity include cheating, plagiarism, falsification, facilitating others' violations and impeding. These violations are fully defined in Academic Integrity at Concordia College, pp. 11-13 and should be carefully studied.
These definitions were developed in a North American cultural context. Other cultures define forms of academic dishonesty differently. International students studying at Concordia, however, are expected to be guided by North American norms of academic integrity. Any student who is unclear about the application of these norms in the completion of a particular assignment should consult the course instructor.
COURSE OUTLINE:
Week 1: August 31
Introduction to the Course
Read: In the Beginning, pp. 1-144
Week 2: September 5 & 7
Independent Study
Read: In the Beginning, pp. 1-144
Exam # 1-Thursday
Week 3: September 14 (No class on Tuesday, symposium attendance expected!)
The World of
Paul
View Paul's World in Greece and Asia Minor (Maps and Pictures)
Read: Roetzel pp. 1-50.
Week 4: September 19 & 21
The World of Paul Continued
Week 5:September
26 & 28
Paul, his Letters, and his Myths
Read: Roetzel pp. 51-78, 119-132
Quiz # 1-Thursday
Week 6: October 3 & 5
Turn in on Thursday your paper topic and preliminary bibliography
1 Thessalonians
and 1 & 2 Corinthians (Interpretation groups)
Read: 1 Thessalonians and 1 & 2 Corinthians
Read: Roetzel pp. 79-96
Week 7: October 10 & 12
Galatians
Read: Galatians
Read: Roetzel pp. 96-103, Wiley pp. 9-53
Week 8: October 17 & 19
Galatians
Read: Wiley pp. 54-121
Quiz # 2-Thursday
Week 9: October 24 & 26
Philippians and
Philemon (Interpretation groups)
Read: Philippians and Philemon
Read: Roetzel pp. 113-118
Week 10: October 31 & November 2
Romans
(Interpretation groups)
Read: Romans
Read: Roetzel pp. 103-113
Exam # 2- Tuesday
Week 11: November 7 & 9
Romans continued (Interpretation groups)
Quiz # 3-Thursday
Week 12: November14 & 16
Read: Harink Read Harink, pp. 13-65, 151-254
Study Group
Presentations
Week 13: November 21
Finish Research Papers by Tuesday—No Class
Research Papers Due on Tuesday, November 21
Week 14: November 28 & 30
The Moral
Teaching of Paul
Read: Furnish pp. 11-51
Week 15: December
5 & 7
The Moral Teaching of Paul
Read: Furnish pp. 52-139
Week 16: December 12
Conclusion
Finals Week:
Exam # 3 (material from weeks 11 through 16)