RS 120E: Christianity Past and Present
Syllabus- Fall 2004
Section E: TTH 1:00-2:15 pm
Section F: TTH 2:30-3:45 pm
JEM 375
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Instructor: |
Dr. Raymond A. Patterson |
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Office: |
SE 225 |
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Phone: |
ex. 2427 |
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E-mail: |
rpatterson@smcvt.edu |
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Web Page: |
http://academics.smcvt.edu/rpatterson |
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Office Hours: |
M Tu
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10-11:30 am 4-5:30 pm and by appointment |
Course Description
RS 120: Christianity Past and Present is a survey of Christianity divided into five major segments:
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1) |
An examination of Christian Scriptures and their testimony to the significance of Jesus Christ
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A study of basic Christian doctrines
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An overview of the history of the Christian tradition, including significant theological and spiritual movements
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An examination of the major Christian denominations, including differences in worship and polity
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A survey of various issues facing Christianity in the modern world
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Required Texts:
Students should have access to a Bible. I’ll be using the New American Bible, but other translations are acceptable. The text for the class, available at the bookstore, is:
Cory, Catherine, and Landry, David, ed. The Christian Theological Tradition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2003.
Other readings will be made available on Reserve. Students should use the library catalog to look up the folder numbers of the reserve readings, which are organized by the title of the article under my name. Please do not mark the Reserve readings when taking notes.
Class Requirements:
Regular attendance is expected of all students. If a student is unable to attend class, he or she should notify the instructor. More than one absence without the instructor’s permission will negatively impact the final grade. Frequent absences will result in a failing grade.
Students should be on time for class. Arriving late or leaving during the class period is disruptive for the class and the instructor. Excessive tardiness will be reflected in a lower grade for class attendance.
A student who fails to show up for an exam without the permission of the instructor will receive a zero. A make-up exam will only be given for a student experiencing a serious family emergency or illness, which must be verified by the Dean’s office.
All assignments should be handed in during class. I will consider an assignment completed when I receive a hard copy- you should not submit a paper as an E-mail attachment.
Students will be evaluated on the following course work:
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Exam #1 |
20%
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Exam #2 |
20%
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Exam #3 |
20%
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3 Written Assignments (3 pages each)
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30% |
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Class Participation/Attendance
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10% |
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to adhere to the Academic Integrity Policy established by St. Michael’s College and distributed to all students. Plagiarism of any kind will result in a failing grade and could result in dismissal from Saint Michael’s College.
(The instructor reserves the right to change the schedule. Students will be notified in class of any changes.)
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August 31 |
Class Requirements Introduction-Cosmologies
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Christian Scriptures
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September 2 |
Hebrew Bible-I
Christian Tradition, 1-6, 13-43
Genesis 1-3, 11: 1-9, 12:1-6, 17, 27 Exodus 3, 12-14, 19-20
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September 7 |
Hebrew Bible-II
Christian Tradition, 44-69
Psalm 22, 23, 69, 110 Isaiah 7:10-16, 9:1-6, 11:1-9, 53
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September 9 |
New Testament- I
Mark 1-10 Christian Tradition, 71-81
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September 14 |
New Testament- II
Mark 11-16
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September 16 |
New Testament- III
Christian Tradition, 81-86.
Matthew 1-2, 5-7 Luke 1-4:13, 24
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September 21 |
New Testament- IV
Christian Tradition, 86-102.
John 1-2; 6:24-59, 19:28-37, 20 Acts 1, 2 1 Corinthians 11:17-34; 12-13, 15
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Basic Christian Doctrines
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September 23 |
Canon of Scripture
Christian Tradition, 109-122.
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September 28 |
Creed-I: Trinity and Incarnation
Christian Tradition, 123-132.
Written Assignment #1 Due
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September 30 |
Creed II: Soteriology and Eschatology
TBA
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October 5 |
Exam #1
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History of Christianity
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October 7 |
Early Church
Christian Tradition, 132-152.
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October 12 |
Columbus Day Break
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October 14 |
Early Medieval Church
Christian Tradition, 153-162, 182-195.
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October 19 |
High Medieval Church
Christian Tradition, 196-229. |
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October 21 |
Reformation-I
Christian Tradition, 230-242, (250-257), 259-274.
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October 26 |
Reformation II
Christian Tradition, 275-303.
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October 28 |
Reformation-III Enlightenment
Christian Tradition, 325-334.
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November 2 |
American Christianity
Christian Tradition, 345-363.
Written Assignment #2 Due
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November 4 |
Christianity and Culture
Christian Tradition, 334-342. |
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November 9 |
Exam #2 |
Christian Worship and Polity
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November 11 |
Christian Polity Sacraments
TBA
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November 16 |
Christian Worship- I
First Visit to an Orthodox Church
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November 18 |
Christian Worship- II
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November 23 |
Religious Orders
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November 25 |
Thanksgiving Holiday
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Issues in Modern Christianity
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November 30 |
Roman Catholic Church and the Modern World: Vatican II
Christian Tradition, 365-378.
Written Assignment #3 Due
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December 2 |
Christianity and other Cultures:Evangelization and Inculturation
Christian Tradition, 309-323.
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December 7 |
Christianity and the Political World: Liberation Theology
Christian Tradition, 378-386.
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December 9 |
Christianity and Women’s Issues
TBA
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December 14 (Tuesday)
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Section E Final Exam 1:00- 3:30 pm
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December 16 (Thursday)
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Section F Final Exam 1:00- 3:30 pm
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