Spring, 2006
DuSable 466
Mondays, 6:30-9:10 pm
Instructor: Larry Arnhart
Office: Zulauf 404
Office hours: Wed, Thurs, Fri 12:30-2:00 pm, other times by appointment
Telephone: 815-753-7049
E-mail: larnhart@niu.edu
TEXTS
The New Jerusalem Bible (Doubleday); Walter Pilgrim, Uneasy Neighbors: Church and State in the New Testament (Fortress Press, 1999); Rodney Stark, The Rise of Christianity (HarperCollins, 1997); Jaroslav Pelikan, Jesus Through the Centuries (Yale University Press, 1985); Raymond Brown, An Introduction to the New Testament (Doubleday, 1997).
GRADING
The final grade will be based on the grades for the journal writing (30% for journal entries #1-6 and journal responses #1-5, 30% for journal entries #7-13 and journal responses #6-12), class participation (15% for the first half of the semester and 15% for the second half), and a final paper (10%). Grades for the first half of the semester will be handed out in class on March 20.
For the journal writing, you will be put into a journal group with two other students. You should bring to class three copies of your journal entries and journal responses—one for the professor and two for the other two members of your group.
The journal entry should be at least two double-spaced typed pages on the reading for the week. The point of the journal entry is for you to set down your thoughts about anything in the reading. This will be your attempt to struggle with any issue that comes up in the reading. Usually it is best to take up one issue that you can develop a little in two pages.
You will write journal responses for each of the two journal entries you have received. Each journal response should be at least one double-spaced typed page. The point of the journal response is for you to respond in some fruitful way to the thoughts of your journal group members.
The final paper should be at least ten double-spaced typed pages. The point of the final paper is for you to elaborate your thinking about some topic related to the readings and discussions in the course. You might build upon something that has come up in your journal writing. The final paper will be due no later than 12 noon, May 8, in the professor’s office. (You may slip the paper under the office door.)
SCHEDULE OF READINGS AND ASSIGNMENTS
Jan 22: Introduction
Jan 30: Mark
Matthew
Journal #1
Feb 6: Luke
Journal #2
Response #1
Feb 13: Acts
Journal #3
Response #2
Feb 20: Pilgrim, pp. viii-6, 37-143
Journal #4
Response#3
Feb 27: Romans
Journal #5
Response #4
Mar 6: First Corinthians
Journal #6
Response #5
SPRING BREAK
Mar 20: Hebrews
Pilgrim, pp. 7-36
Journal #7
Response #6
Mar 27: Revelation
Journal #8
Response #7
Apr 3: Pilgrim, pp. 145-212
Journal #9
Response #8
Apr 10: Stark, pp. 3-94
Journal #10
Response #9
Apr 11: Stark, pp. 95-215
Journal #11
Response #10
Apr 24: Pelikan, pp. 1-108
Journal #12
Response #11
May 1: Pelikan, pp. 109-233
Journal #13
Response #12