Religion 313

                       

                        

                               

                                           JESUS THE JEW, JESUS THE CHRIST

Religion 313J

J. W. Aageson

Academy 208

 

OFFICE HOURS:

                Monday and Wednesday 10:30-11:30

                Tuesday 1:00-2:00

                Telephone: (office) 3425 

                e-mail: aageson@cord.edu

                and by appointment

               

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

 

This course will examine the Jewish context and character of Jesus of Nazareth. There will be an effort to investigate Jesus' life, ministry, and death in the social and religious context of first-century Palestine. This course will also focus on the character of the Gospels as literary narratives that tell the stories of Jesus. The man Jesus also came to be the object of worship and devotion, and this course will investigate how it is that Jesus became a focal point of the churches' thought and ritual practice. The legacy and continuing importance of Christ for the church will be explored. To this end, the course will be concerned with:

 

1. the history of early Judaism and the social and religious world into which Jesus of Nazareth came.

2. the development and function of the various aspects and features of the New Testament gospel literature.

3. the varied and changing treatment of significant Christological themes within  biblical and post-biblical      tradition.

4. the continuing reflection on the figure of Christ 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, wearrive 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 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

 

                Secondary Texts

                                In the Beginning: Critical Concepts for the Study of the Bible  by James W. Aageson

 

                                Excavating Jesus  by John Dominic Crossan and Jonathan Reed

 

                                Fortress Introduction to the Gospels   by Mark Allan Powell

 

                               The Gospel of Matthew  by Donald Senior

 

                                       The Changing Faces of Jesus by Geza Vermes  

                                                   (On reserve in the Library)

                               

                                                               

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

4. Research paper.

5. More than two absences for the semester will result in a 30% reduction in the participation and attendance grade. More than four 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 to receive a passing grade

 

COURSE EVALUATION:

 

1.             Examination # 1             15 percent

2.             Examinations # 2 & 3     40 percent (20 percent each)

3.             Quizzes                            10 percent (total)

4.             Research paper                25 percent

5.             Class attendance              10 percent

                     and participation                            

                                                         _______

                                                            100 percent

 

DUE DATES:

 

    Exams                            Quizzes                                Paper

January 19                       February 2                           April 4      

March 9                            March 23

Finals Week                       April 13

                                               

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: January  8, 9, 12

                Introduction

                Video: "Jerusalem, City of Heaven"

               Read :  In the Beginning: pp. 1-144  for discussion and exam

                               

Week 2:  January 15, 17, 19

                Continued Discussion of In the Beginning

              Exam # 1

 

Week 3: January 22, 24, 26

              Top Ten Discoveries Continued

              Maps, Geography, Pictures,

                Read: Crossan and Reed, pp. xvii-14

 

Week 4: January 29, 31, February 2

              How to build a kingdom

                              Read: Crossan and Reed, pp. 49-88

                                Lecture and Discussion

                Jesus in his place and Roman domination

                                Read: Crossan & Reed, pp. 89-223          

                                Lecture and Discussion

                                "Masada" Video

                                Quiz # 1

 

Week 5: February 5, 7, 9

                Jesus in his place and Roman Domination Continued

                  Excavating Jesus: Conclusion

                                Read: Crossan & Reed, pp. 224-324

                                Discussion

                               

Week 6: February 12, 14, 16

                The Jesus of John

                                Discussion and lecture

                                Read: Powell pp. 112-138 & The Gospel of John

                 

Week 7: February 19, 21, 23

                The Jesus of Luke

                                Discussion  and lecture

                                Read: Powell pp. 85-111 and the Gospel of Luke

                 

Week 8: March 5, 7, 9

                The Jesus of  Mark

                                Discussion and lecture

                                Read: Powell pp. 38-60 and the Gospel of Mark

                                Exam  # 2

 

Week 9: March 12, 14,  16

                The Jesus of Paul and Acts

                                Discussion and lecture

                                Read: Vermes, pp. 83-156

                               

Week 10:  March 19, 21, 23

                Video: "From Jesus to Christ," part 3

                           The Gospel of Matthew

                           Read Senior, pp. 19-38, 53-62, 87-96 and Matthew 1:1-4:11

                           Quiz #2

                                                                               

Week 11: March 26, 28,  30

                                The Gospel of Matthew

                                Read: Senior, pp. 39-44, 63-79, 97-118 and Matthew 4:12-7:29

                                                                 

Week 12: April 2, 4

                                The Gospel of Mathew

                                Read Senior, pp. 45-52, 119-134 and Matthew 8:1-16:12

 

Week 13: April 11, 13

                                The Gospel of  Matthew

                                Read: Senior, pp. 71-84, 135-150 and Matthew 16:13-28:20

                                Quiz #3

                               

Week 14:  April 16, 18, 20

                                The Gospel of Matthew

                                Read: Senior, pp. 151-177

                                                                               

Week 15:  April 23

                                Conclusions

Final --Exam # 3