Office: Belerman 204
Office Hours: 10:00-11:00 MWF, or by appointment
Home Phone: 352-1695
Required Textbooks:
Willis Barnstone, ed., The Other Bible
Gerd Theissen, Fortress Introduction to the New Testament
A modern translation of the Bible
Class Home Page:
http://www.jewishchristianlit.com/Courses/NewTest
Exams and Requirements:
We will have a very short evaluation every other week. Those grades
will together represent 35% of your final grade. Normally this will
only take the first 20 min. of class and class will continue
afterwards. The final exam will also be 20% of your grade. Another
25% will come from numerous daily reading checks. These will
generally consist of one question drawn from the assigned reading
for the day. A final 20% will come from a paper. This can either be
a standard short research paper (10 pages) on an approved topic, or
it can be a critical preparation of one of an ancient document such
as an apocryphal Gospel (a sample of this type of project is on the
web page). Team work (up to 3) is allowed on larger projects. I will
also reward you for class participation (but not detract for
shyness). There will be a makeup available for each of the biweekly
quizzes, but you must have a valid excuse to take it. I will allow
you to retake one failed quiz by doing the makeup -- but only if you
took the main version -- you may not make up a failed makeup. No
makeups will be available for the reading checks, but with a valid
excuse I will not average in a 0 for that grade.
This class requires that you be computer literate. There will be
materials 'on line' that I want you to use, and I will be happy to
spend some time with you early in the semester learning to use them
if needed. You will each need an e-mail account, but it does not
need to be a school account.
Office Policy:
If you need to contact me other than during my office hours, please
feel free to call me at home (Do not call after 10:00 p.m.). I can
also arrange to be in my St. Joseph's office at a time convenient
for both of us -- do not hesitate to make an appointment with me if
you feel that you need to see me.