Moses: bronze sculpture by Ivan Mestrovic at Syracuse University
 
 
 

 
Syracuse University
Spring 2002
REL 214
THE BIBLE
Time: MW 12:50-1:45 p.m.
Place: Watson Auditorium

Course Description:
The Bible has been the most widely read literature in Western culture, influencing literature, law and politics as well as religious traditions. This survey of Jewish and Christian scriptures in their ancient Near Eastern and Hellenistic contexts will pay particular attention to the literary form of biblical books, their history of composition, and their role in the development of Western religions and cultures. 

Teaching Team:

 Crucifixion triptych by Rico Lebrun, 1950; in SU art collection
Instructor:   JIM WATTS (PhD) 
Office:    505 HL 
Office Hours: M 2-3:30 & W 10:00-11:30 & by appointment 
E-mail:    jwwatts@syr.edu
Phone:    443-5713		 T.A.: Andrew Saldino 
Office: Shine lounge, upstairs 
Office Hours: W 2-3 p.m. & 
by appointment
E-mail: Saldino@excite.com		 T.A.: Marc Beard 
Office:
Office Hours: T 1:30-3:00 p.m. & by appointment 
E-mail: guadior@hotmail.com

Course Requirements:
The course consists of class discussions, lectures, student projects, and, most of all, readings. This course is a reading course, and students' completion of all reading assignments is essential for their success. Assignments, discussions, lectures and tests all presuppose that students have read carefully and on schedule the assigned readings. 

Weekly discussion sections will focus on interpretation of particular biblical texts, while class lectures survey larger blocks of material. Attendance at lectures and participation in discussions is expected of all students and will influence evaluation of their work (15%), which will also be based on their performance on three midterm tests (20% each) and a final exam (25%). 

Required Textbook (available at the campus bookstore in Schine Student Center): 
        Beasley, Fant, Joiner, Musser & Reddish, An Introduction to the Bible, revised ed. (Abingdon, 2001) 
Recommended:  New Oxford Annotated Bible = NOAB (New Revised Standard Version) 
Topics & Assignments: Readings from biblical books appear as book title, chapter, and (sometimes) verse numbers; World Wide Web assignments are marked WWW. Click on underlined topic titles for printable PDF files of class presentations (must have Adobe Acrobat Reader; to download a free copy, go to http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html). Further resources for biblical studies and religion may be found by at http://web.syr.edu/~jwwatts/UsefulLinks.htm:
Date Topic Assignment (due by class on date listed)
M Jan 14 Introductions
W Jan 16 Reading the Bible Genesis 1; Introduction, Chap. 1
F Jan 18 Historical Criticism Genesis 2-3; Introduction, Chap. 2
M Jan 21 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day NO CLASS
W Jan 23 Development of the Bible Genesis 4:1-6:8; Introduction, Chap. 3
F Jan 25 Sections: Comparing Ancient Texts  Genesis 6:9-9:17; WWW Gilgamesh IX
M Jan 28 Geography and Archeology Genesis 9:18-11:32; Introduction, Chap. 4
W Jan 30 The Origins of Israel: Genesis-Deuteronomy Genesis 12, 15-17, 28, 37, 45; Exodus 1-4, 7-13; 19, 24; Deuteronomy 32-33; Introduction, Chap. 5
F Feb 1 Sections: Writing Stories and Songs Exodus 14-15
M Feb 4 The Origins of Scripture: Torah Exodus 20-24; Leviticus 19; Deuteronomy 6, 31
W Feb 6 Ritual and Law Leviticus 1-2, 9-11, 16, 25. 
F Feb 8 TEST # 1 Study! (study guide)
M Feb 11 Early Israel Joshua 1-6, 23-24; Judges 1, 4-5, 15-16; Introduction, Chap. 6
W Feb 13 Kings and Historians 1 Samuel 8:1-18:16; 2 Samuel 1-2, 6-7; Introduction, Chap. 7
F Feb 15 Sections: The Bible As Literature 2 Samuel 11-19
M Feb 18 End of Monarchy: 2 Kings 1 Kings 11:41-12:33; 2 Kings 17:1-14; 24:1-25:30; Introduction, Chap. 8
W Feb 20 Prophecy 1 Kings 13, 17-21; Introduction, Chap. 9
F Feb 22 Sections: Oral and Written Prophecy Hosea 1-3, 11-14
M Feb 25 Prophetic Literature Isaiah 6-9; Amos 4:1-5, 5:14-24, 7:1-9; Jeremiah 1:1-10, 5:1-6:30; Introduction, Chap. 10
W Feb 27 The Babylonian Exile Ezekiel 1:1-5:12 37:1-14; 40:1-47; Isaiah 40:1-31; 42:1-4; 46:1-13; 52:13-53:12; Introduction, Chap. 11
F Mar 1 Sections: Literature of Exile and Diaspora Jonah (all); Esther (all)
M Mar 4 Judea under the Persians Ezra 1:1-4, 9:1-10:43; Ruth (all); Introduction, Chap. 12
W Mar 6 Psalms and Wisdom Psalms 8, 22, 32, 80, 110; Song of Solomon 1, 5; Proverbs 7:1-27; 10:1-32; Ecclesiastes 1:1-3:22; 12:1-14; Job 1-3, 18-19, 38-42; Introduction, Chap. 13
F Mar 8 TEST # 2 Study! (study guide)
Mar 9-17 Spring Break No class
M Mar 18 Second Temple Judaism Daniel 1-3; 1 Maccabees 1:1-5:68; Introduction, Chap. 14
W Mar 20 Apocalyptic Daniel 7, 12; Introduction, Chap. 15
F Mar 22 Sections: Reading Apocalyptic  Isaiah 24; Daniel 7; Mark 13
M Mar 25 Jesus of Nazareth Mark (all); Introduction, Chap. 16
W Mar 27 The Dead Sea Scrolls WWW Scrolls from the Dead Sea
F Mar 29 Good Friday No class
M Apr 1 The Gospels Compare Matthew 12:1-50 with its parallels in WWW Five Gospels (instructions); Introduction, Chap. 17
W Apr 3 The Gospels (cont.) Matthew 26-28; Luke 1-2, 24; John 1, 17; Introduction, Chap. 18
F Apr 5 Marc's Sections only: Reading John's Symbolism  John 6, 9, 13
M Apr 8 Jesus, the Jewish Rabbi Luke 4; Matthew 5-7
W Apr 10 Earliest Christianity Acts 1-2, 5:27-8:3; 9:32-10:48; Introduction, Chap. 19
F Apr 12 TEST # 3 Study!
M Apr 15 Paul Acts 9:1-31, 15:1-35; 16-17; 19:1-10, 22-28; Galatians 1-2; Introduction, Chap. 20
W Apr 17 Paul's Letters 1 Corinthians 1:1-25; 7:1-40; 12:12-13:13; 15:1-19; Romans 3:1-20; 4:13-5:21; 8:1-39; 12:1-21; Introduction, Chap. 21
F Apr 19 Sections: Reading Ancient People's Mail Galatians (all)
M Apr 22 The Early Church James 1-2; 1 John 1,4; 2 Thessalonians 2; 1 Timothy 4; Introduction, Chap. 22
W Apr 24 Christianity in Conflict Hebrews 8-11; Introduction, Chap. 23
F Apr 26 Andrew's Sections only: Reading John's Symbolism  John 6, 9, 13
M Apr 29 Revelation Revelation 1-5, 20-22
T May 7, 10:15-12:15 FINAL EXAM Study!