Religious Studies 130: the Life and Times of Jesus

Religious Studies 130: The Life and Times of Jesus

Instructor: Eric R. Gorsuch – Spring 2012

It is the student’s responsibility to be familiar with this syllabus.

Office Hours Contact Info:

Before or after class and E-mail:

by appointment Voicemail: 714-432-0202 x22538

Student Learning Objectives

Upon completing this course, the student will be able to:

1. Develop a timeline delineating the life of Jesus from birth through crucifixion.

2. Describe the historical milieu into which Jesus was born.

3. Explain the various political and religious forces shaping the world of the Middle East in the time of Jesus.

Course Objectives

This course is designed to be an academic study of the issues and events surrounding Jesus. To meet our SLOs we will examine:

1. Information from both Christian and secular scholars.

2. The Jewish and Roman historical and cultural situations leading up to and during the life of Jesus.

3. The life and teachings of Jesus in a religious studies context.

Course Texts

Blomberg, Craig. Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey. 2nd Edition. Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2009.

The Bible. NASB, NEV, NET, NIV, RSV, Oxford, or NKJV versions are recommended.

Handouts during semester

Additional Info: Web links at OCC Web Page: occonline.occ.cccd.edu/online/egorsuch

Online Videos at www.dod.org (list to come soon)

Student Preparation for Class

This is a lecture based course. The text and handouts are guides to support the lectures. While there will be significant information disseminated, most of the exam questions will be closely linked to the main points on the handouts. The text and the handouts are for you to get an idea of the concepts we are discussing. I do teach material that is not in the text. The text will, however, give you the background information necessary to follow the lecture. I will ask test questions primarily from the lectures, but some also from the text and handouts. Study groups have worked for this class.

Grading

Your course grade will be determined according to the policies set out here in this syllabus. Although this is highly unlikely, the instructor reserves the right to alter the grading policies of the course as needed, if important educational considerations mandate. Through the semester you should retain all of your graded work as your record of the scores you have achieved.

Your grade will be based on your attendance and the points you earn for the following:

4 Exams = 100 points total

Although the instructor does not recommend this, it is possible to take this course under the CREDIT/NO CREDIT (CR/NC) grade option. You must petition for this at the Records Office. Check the Class Schedule to determine the deadline for this selection. This is YOUR responsibility, not the instructor’s.

There is no extra credit available. THE STUDENT needs to make sure they do the work necessary for the course. If you can’t do that, why should I invent more?

Examinations

It is the student’s responsibility to know the exam dates. There are NO, repeat NO, make-ups and no extra credit available. Please do not ask. Really, don’t.

The exams will cover the units of material from the lectures, handouts, and the texts as follows:

Exam #1: Lecture: Intro, Section One

Blomberg: Chapters 1-3

Exam #2: Lecture: Section Two

Blomberg: Chapters 6-9, 18

Exam #3: Lecture: Section Three

Blomberg: Chapters 4-5

Exam #4: Lecture: Section Four

Blomberg: Chapters 10-17, 19

I have designed this class so that all may feel free to discuss their views on this subject. You will be graded on the factual information presented, not on your views.

In addition to the material in the chapters (including the definitions of terms, some dates, the readings in the assigned chapters), and the handouts, unless otherwise noted anything I say in class may be on the exam. The date of the exams depends on when we finish the material. Good attendance is recommended.

These will be in-class, closed-book exams, taken without the benefit of notes, pagers, cell phones, PDAs, computers, calculators, or any other material or device. It is the student's responsibility to bring a #2 pencil and the appropriate blue 20788 ParSCORE scantron. Please write your student ID number on the exam. It is allowed for the student to sell their extra scantrons or pencils to those who don’t bring theirs for whatever they can get for them. I will not grade another type of scantron.

You are not permitted to look at, or in any way refer to, computers, pagers, or cell phones during the examinations. No students are permitted to use or refer to any kind of dictionary, whether hard-copy or electronic, during examinations. Do not give anyone near you any information. As in the rest of life, it is highly recommended that you avoid even the appearance of impropriety.

Attendance, Punctuality, Course Withdrawal Policies, Etc.

While attendance does not formally appear in your grade, your lack of attendance will affect it. Chronic tardiness will affect your grade. Please do not leave class early (except for bona fide emergencies).

Private conversations disturb the class. Please do not test my patience. You will not be treated like children and separated, you will be asked to leave for the day. Sleeping in class is also not allowed. If you are too tired to pay attention, go home.

Please turn off all cell phones and electronic devices during class. If you feel there is a reason to maintain communication with the outside world, please see me before class. This includes NO TEXT MESSAGING WHILE IN CLASS. Please do not be the first person to make or take a call/tm and be made an example of for the rest of the class.

If for some reason you miss class, you are responsible for determining what you missed, and you should do so by getting all information and notes from a fellow student (NOT from the instructor). I encourage you to get the names and telephone numbers of several of your colleagues in the class. If you do miss the distribution of a hand-out, you must determine this yourself, and then come to me during the break or at office hours to pick up a copy. I will not make more hand-outs if the first batch runs out.

If you decide to drop the class, it is your responsibility to withdraw officially at the Records Office. It is not guaranteed that if you stop coming to class that I will automatically drop you. If you stop coming to class and do not officially drop, you will receive the grade your accumulated points have earned. Check the class schedule to determine the last day to withdraw from the course.

For the evening class breaks will generally be towards the middle of the class session. This may change periodically. I will let the class know at the beginning of any changes. I will also listen to any needs before class. I will try to work with the student as much as possible.

Personal Integrity

Essentially, cheating amounts to committing a fraud on society, can damage others in the class, is impolite and arrogant, and in really poor taste in a class on Jesus. Cheating also damages the personal integrity of the cheater. In the interests of protecting society's need to know about your success in assimilating the course material and methods, as well as protecting the honest members of the class, (and in order to assist the weak-willed by limiting their opportunities to damage their integrity), the instructor will be alert for any signs of cheating, and any who are caught will be expelled from the course (at a minimum). Also, the instructor reserves the right to administer impromptu oral examinations or re-examinations of specific students if there are good grounds to suspect that cheating has taken place. If you have any question about what constitutes cheating, please ask the instructor or the Dean of Students.

Class Ethos

The demands of professionalism and integrity lay equally upon instructor and students. An instructor should do their best to teach what they believe is the essential elements of the course. The student should do their best to learn, i.e. understand, the essential elements of the course. If the student is having difficulty understanding, they should ask for clarification. In this respect there is no “stupid question.”

If a student is having learning difficulties, the instructor will assist the student with advice on overcoming those difficulties. The decision to follow that advice belongs to the student. The student should not wait until the end of the semester to seek help.

A light and informal atmosphere is sought. Professional decorum is entirely compatible with humor and liveliness. What you get out of this class is what you put into it.

This class is designed to examine and discuss what information scholarship has discovered about the life, teachings, and culture during the time of Jesus. This experience can not only be enlightening, but is emotional for some as well. A few ground rules to remember:

1. I am a “benevolent dictator,” so when I am talking, everyone else shuts up. While everyone will be given the chance to express their views, I am the one charged with keeping the class running smoothly. I must at times stop discussion to keep things moving. Therefore, your assistance and understanding is appreciated.

2. I have designed this class so that all may feel free to express their views on the different aspects of Jesus. Please, no speeches. I also expect discussion to be done in a respectful and tolerant manner. Proselytizing, ad homonym, certain language, violence and “steam rollering” are not allowed.

3. While determining if Christianity is true is not a goal of this class, I do believe that seeking the truth should be the primary function in all philosophical endeavors. I believe that a claim, if it is true, can be questioned and challenged and will remain so. I also prefer clarity over agreement. That means that being clear about the factual issues is more important than if we agree about an issue, worldview, etc. If you believe that there is more information on the topic we are discussing that will add to the class’s understanding (and perhaps mine), or some important facts that have not been addressed, please let me know. It is important that the views we discuss are represented fairly.

4. I may question and challenge some views that are commonly presented in the public square. You are not required to adopt any of the views expressed here in class as your own, nor do you have to change what you believe to get a good grade. Please do not take offense because a question was posed, or a claim presented, by myself or anyone else in class, but use the opportunity to examine your views. Profound questions may expose problems with one’s view, may drive one to discovering deeper truths their views hold, or they may lead to a reaffirmation of one’s beliefs. The student should feel free to ask questions concerning my views and why I hold them as well.

Office Hours

My office hours are shown at the beginning of this syllabus. I consider office hours to be an ordinary and important aspect of the educational process. Indeed, we instructors are paid (in part) to supply time to meet with students individually. For me, it is can be the most enjoyable part of teaching.

Many people taking this course find that they need some assistance from the instructor outside of office hours. This is fine, but it will be at my convenience. If you need, please call or email me. I try to check my voicemail and email several times a week, especially the day of the class.

Since I am a part-time instructor, I do not have an official office. But, they do have an office for adjuncts to the rear of the bookstore, on the west side, by the stairs. It is recommended that if you need to see me, make an appointment.

Basic Course Outline (subject to change)

Introduction

I. Two views of Jesus scholarship

II. Religious Studies Definitions

Section One: Historical Background and Situation

I. Political Background

II. Religious Background

III. Socioeconomic Situation

Section Two: Information About Jesus

I. Christian

II. Non-Christian

III. Development of the Canon

Section Three: Looking for the Historical Jesus

I. Notable Searchers

II. Critical Methods

Section Four: The Life and Teachings of Jesus

I. The Birth and Childhood of Jesus

II. Baptism / Early Events

III. Jesus’ Galilean Ministry

IV. Jesus’ Judean Ministry

V. The Final Week

VI. The Passion

VII. The Disciples Claim of the Resurrection

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