RS 211 New Testament            Fall Semester, 2002                        Prof. Jeffrey Trumbower

  Section A:  TTh 10:00-11:15 a.m.   Jeanmarie 391

Section B:  TTh   1:00-2:15   p.m.   MacCarthy 221

  Course pre-requisites:

1)      a 100-level religious studies course (RS 120, RS 130, or an equivalent course at some other college)

2)      sophomore or above standing

3)      curiosity and a willingness to learn

(Note: This course is NOT open to anyone who took RS 110, “Introduction to the New Testament.”  The course has moved levels and is now more advanced, but covers the same material).

  The purpose of this course is to engage the student in an in-depth study of the New Testament and related literature from the ancient world.  Students are expected  to immerse themselves in the social and intellectual worlds of the early Christians who produced these documents.  Attention will also be paid to how various parts of the New Testament have been understood by Christians, Jews, Muslims and others over the past nineteen centuries.   This course presupposes no particular faith relationship to the material under study.  Students of all religious backgrounds (or none) are welcome.

Required books:

Wayne A. Meeks, ed., The HarperCollins Study Bible: New Revised Standard Version (HarperCollins, 1993).  ISBN 0-06-065526-7.  You must have this particular edition of the bible, since we will be using the introductions and notes as well as the translation.

C. K. Barrett, ed., The New Testament Background: Writings from Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire that Illuminate Christian Origins.  Revised Edition.(HarperCollins, 1989) ISBN 0-06-060881-1.

Bart D. Ehrman, The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings. Second Edition (Oxford, 2000). ISBN 0-19-512639-4

Course requirements:

I.                    Periodic unannounced pop quizzes on the readings, short one-page reflection papers, and class participation. Collectively, 20% of the final grade.

II.                 First writing assignment on an assigned topic, due October 1.  10%

III.               Midterm examination, given on October 10, 20%

IV.              Research paper on a topic chosen by the student in consultation with the professor, 25%

V.                 Final examination, 25%

Academic Integrity Policy:

Consistent with the policies of St. Michael's College, each student is to do his or her own work.  Of course, studying together for exams is encouraged, but anyone who cheats on an exam will receive a zero on that exam.  Cheating includes (but is not limited to) giving or receiving answers on an exam, or using unauthorized notes during an exam.  Once an exam begins, no one will be allowed to leave the room except in dire emergency.  In the research paper, all ideas from, allusions to, summaries of, and citations of others' works must by properly acknowledged. Procedures for doing so will be discussed in class.  Claiming someone else's ideas as your own is called plagiarism, and will result in a zero on the paper, meaning probable course failure. In the last several years I have given zeroes to four students for various types of plagiarism on papers. Each one as a result failed the course, and has a notation of plagiarism on file in the associate dean's office.  DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!   If you have any questions about what constitutes plagiarism, consult with me immediately. All assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date.  Late assignments will be accepted for up to one week at a penalty of one full letter grade.

Grading Scale

A = 92-100;  A- = 90-91;  B+ = 88-89; B = 82-87;  B- = 80-81;  C+ = 78-79;  C = 72-77;  C- = 70-71;  D+ = 68-69; D = 60-67;  F= 59 or below.

Office Hours

My office is in St. Edmund's Hall, Room 246, phone 654-2373.  My email address is jtrumbower@smcvt.edu.  I am available almost any weekday by appointment; see me before or after class to set up a time.  Because of my committee work this semester, I cannot determine my office hours until the second week in September.  I will announce those hours and you can fill them in here: _____________________

Course Schedule

T Sep 3 Introduction. What is the New Testament?  Reading: Ehrman, pp. 1-15.

Th Sep 5 The context of the New Testament.  Reading: Ehrman, pp. 16-42.

T Sep 10  Hebrew Bible traditions.  Reading: Genesis 1-7; 11-12; 17; 25; 35; 46; Exodus 1-3; 13-14; 19-21; Deuteronomy 34; 2 Samuel 7.

(Section B will end early so that we may attend the lecture by Thomas Friedman at 1:30. Attendance is free, but you must secure an entrance pass at the SMC bookstore several days before the lecture.  For extra credit: write a one-page response to Friedman’s talk. Other extra credit opportunities will be announced during the semester)

Th Sep 12 Studying the Gospels. Reading: Ehrman, pp. 43-59 and 442-450; Philostratus, Life of Apollonius (selections found in Barrett, pp. 81-85); Selected parables and stories from Rabbinic literature (Barrett, pp. 189-192); Tacitus, History, 4.81 (provided in class).

T Sep 17 The Gospel of Mark.  Readings: Mark 1-8; Ehrman 60-69; Barrett, pp. 34-36.

Th Sep 19  The Gospel of Mark.  Readings: Mark 9-16; Ehrman 69-75; Barrett, pp. 156-157 (Josephus, War, ii. 169-177).

T Sep 24 The Gospel of Matthew.  Readings: Ehrman pp.76-92; Matthew 1-4; Commentary on Habakkuk from Qumran (Barrett, pp. 239-246); Barrett, pp. 151-153 (selections dealing with Herod the Great).

Th Sep 26 The Gospel of Matthew.  Readings: Matthew 5-11; Luke 6:17-49; Ehrman pp. 92-102.

T Oct 1 The Gospel of Matthew.  Readings: Matthew 18-28.  First writing assignment due. 

Th Oct 3 The Gospel of Luke. Readings: Luke 1-4, 7-8, 10-16; Ehrman pp.103-110. 

T Oct 8 The Gospel of Luke. Readings: Luke 19-24; Ehrman, pp. 110-121.

Th Oct 10 Midterm examination.

T Oct 15 (Fall Break—No class)

Th Oct 17 The Gospel of John. Readings: John 1-4; Barrett pp. 65-70 (on the early Stoics); Proverbs 8 (Old Testament).

T Oct 22 The Gospel of John. Readings: John 5-12; Ehrman pp. 141-161.

Th Oct 24 The Gospel of John. Readings: John 13-21; the letters 2 John and 3 John in the New Testament; Ehrman, pp. 162-170. 

T Oct 29 Gnosis and Gnosticism.  Readings: Ehrman, pp. 170-178; Barrett, pp. 92-107.

Th Oct 31  Extracanonical material about Jesus.  Readings: Ehrman, pp. 179-212; Barrett, pp. 275-279.   Prospectus on the research papers DUE (the prospectus itself will be graded as a short writing assignment)

T Nov 5 The Historical Jesus.  Readings: Ehrman, pp. 213-259; Barrett pp. 331-333 (Assumption of Moses 10) and Barrett pp.337-341 (Psalms of Solomon 17 and Daniel 7); Zechariah 9-14 (Old Testament).

Th Nov 7 The beginnings of Christianity. Readings: Ehrman, pp. 252-259; Acts 1-7; 1 Corinthians 15

  T Nov 12  The Book of Acts.  Readings: Ehrman, pp. 122-140; Acts 8-28.

Th Nov 14  Paul  Philemon and 1 Thessalonians.  Readings: Philemon; 1 Thessalonians; Ehrman, pp. 260-289 and 316-318.

T Nov 19  Paul. 1 Corinthians. Readings: 1 Corinthians; Ehrman, pp. 290-303.

Th Nov 21 Paul.  Galatians and Philippians. Readings: Galatians; Philippians; Ehrman, pp. 303-316; Barrett, pp. 192-194 (Rabbinic statements about the Torah).

T Nov 26 No class-- I will be at the American Academy of Religion Convention in Toronto.  Use the extra time to work on your research papers

Th Nov 28 No class—Happy Thanksgiving!

T Dec 3  Paul.  Readings: Romans; Ehrman, pp. 319-331.

Th Dec 5  Paul’s Legacy.  Readings: 1 Timothy;  Ehrman, pp. 332-374.

T Dec 10 Christianity in relation to Jews and Pagans.  Readings: Ehrman, pp. 375-409.

Th Dec 12  The Book of Revelation.  Readings: Revelation 1-7; 12-13; 17-22; Ehrman, pp. 425-437; Barrett, pp.19-22..   Research papers DUE. 

Final Examinations: Section A: Wednesday, December 18, 9:00-11:30 a.m.

          Section B:  Friday, December 20, 9:00-11:30 a.m.