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RS211 New Testament (3 credits) Spring 2007 MWF 8:30-9:20 Fr. Richard Berube, SSE -- St. Edmund's 231 (x2666); Nicolle Hall 118 (x2353)
This course on the New Testament is one of several RS200 courses which students may take to fulfill their second "Liberal Studies" requirement in Religious Studies. At least Sophomore standing is a prerequisite for all 200-level RS courses. The college catalogue describes this course as follows: "Building on introductory material in RS120 or RS130, this course explores the Greek, Roman, and Jewish contexts of the New Testament, studies the life of Jesus, and examines selected portions of the literature of the New Testament (Gospels, Acts, and Epistles)." A study of the New Testament is important for a critical understanding of the foundations and origins of Christianity in the life and teaching of Jesus Christ and the formative period of the first century of the Church's existence. However, the importance of the New Testament lies not only in the ancient past, for, as a "canonical" collection, the writings contained in the New Testament have a lasting influence on the developing shape of Christianity in history. The
objective of the course, therefore, is an understanding of the requirements
for an intelligent, "critical" reading of the foundational
literature of Christianity, and, through such a reading, a better
understanding of the foundational events themselves, particularly the life
and ministry of Jesus of Reading List > The New American Bible, > Stephen L. Harris, The New Testament: A Student’s Introduction. Fifth edition. McGraw Hill, 2006. > Fr. Paul Couture, SSE, Emeritus Professor of Religious Studies, maintains a comprehensive website for Biblical Studies. Browse around: pcouture on academics.smcvt.edu Policies --No unexcused class cuts. Class attendance and participation will be regularly noted and evaluated for 20% of the final grade. Participation includes: having your Bible with you for reference in class, sharing comments and asking and answering questions, completing occasional short written exercises, taking notes. Attendance includes being in class and arriving on time (if you’re late, check after class to be sure your presence is recorded). Absences may be excused for serious reasons only (e.g. college function, illness, family emergency). --There will be three tests during the semester and a final exam which counts as two tests. The average of these tests constitutes 80% of the final grade. Outline and Assignments -- Specific assignments will be given in class each week and published on this course’s eCollege site, generally following the outline of the Harris text.
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Contact rberube@smcvt.edu