REL 1001:
JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, AND ISLAM
Professor: Dr. Sandy D. Martin
Department of Religion - UGA Name______________________________
Office: #213, Peabody Hall; 542-5356 Date_______________________________
Office Hours: MTuWF 10:00-10:50; martin@uga.edu
Maymester 2008
A. COURSE
DESCRIPTION
The purpose of this course is to provide a general introduction to the academic study of religion, particularly Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This course shall include discussions on:
(a) the broader meaning of religion
(b) methods for the study of religion
(c) the historical-theological development of Judaism
(d) the historical-theological development of Christianity
(e) the historical-theological development of Islam
(f) the place of religion in modern, and especially, western cultures.
The Maymester is an intensive semester in which a week of fall or spring semester is covered in ONE day. It is absolutely imperative that attendance be regular and that readings and assignments remain current. If you feel that you are unable to commit to such a rigorous enterprise, you should withdraw from the course.
B. REQUIRED TEXTS/READINGS
The required texts, available in
the UGA Bookstore, for this course are:
1) Gary E. Kessler, Western Ways of Being Religious
2) Willard G. Oxtoby, ed., World Religions: Western Traditions
Some students might select to purchase a copy of the Holy
Bible (OT and NT) and the QurÕan to pursue additional readings of
interest. Contemporary
translations of the Bible include:
Revised Standard Version,
New Revised Standard Version, Jerusalem Bible, New International
Version. While many prefer the more contemporary translations, the King James Version is still popular
with many. If you would like,
these texts should be available for your purchase in the UTS Bookstore:
1) The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha (NRSV)
2) The Koran
C. REQUIREMENTS / GRADING / ATTENDANCE
I. Pre- Final
Examinations and the
II. Final Examination will all count for
..................................90 %
II. DPG: Daily Participation Grade . . .
ÉÉÉÉÉ.É..ÉÉ10 %
(Attendance, classroom participation, written assignments. Required assignments include two essay papers -- an Introduction of Yourself paper of 3-4 pages, and a Course Reflection Paper -- NOT an evaluation paper -- of 3-5 pages.)
The final exam is cumulative, that is, covering the
entire course.
TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS ...............................................100%
The Professor will use the
following grading scale:
90-100 –----
A
87-89 -------B+
77-79 ------ C+
89.1-89.99 - A-
80-86 -----
B
70-76 ------ C
79.1-79.99
- B-
69.1-69.99 - C-
67-69 -- ----D+
60-66 ------ D Below 60 -- F
59.1-59.99 --D-
IMPORTANT NOTE: Attendance and classroom participation are absolutely required. There are two (2) class periods in each day. Each period missed by a student with an unexcused absence beyond THREE class periods will mean the loss of 2 percentage points from the final semester grade average -- that is, two points for each unexcused absence above THREE class periods. Any student not attending at least TWENTY (20) class sessions will be assigned an F, regardless of grades on exam and assigned work. An excused absence is recognized by the professor as an absence that is unavoidable for emergency or vitally pressing reasons. Please be aware that each day we will cover the equivalence of one week of material of fall or spring semester. Therefore, it is imperative that students attend regularly and remain current on all readings and assignments.
Absences by sessions
(not days):
0 -- Very Good Attendance
1-2 -- Good Attendance
3-4 -- Fair Attendance
5 or more -- Bad Attendance
Also, the professor, in addition to the grading formula outlined above, may consider regular class attendance and classroom participation in assessing each studentÕs final grade. Therefore, class attendance and classroom participation might prove to be a very crucial, determinative factor in cases where the average is borderline between two grades.
NOTE: Students are required to take all exams and
do all assigned work. Students who miss an exam and/or assigned work for
non-sufficiently valid reason(s) will be assigned "0" for that exam and/or
work, which will be computed as part of the final grade.
When an attendance sign-up sheet is not passed around, then the class roll will be taken 5 minutes after time for class is scheduled to begin. Students arriving 6-10 minutes late will be marked extra late; two extra lates equal one absence. A student not present within the first 10 minutes of each class session will be marked absent for that class session and is requested not to enter the class during that period.
In more detail:
Consistent with the instructor's own educational philosophy and the rules and regulations of the University of Georgia, attendance, regular and prompt, and for the entire duration of the class sessions, is required. Students who have unavoidable appointments or unavoidable obligations that require their absence during any portion of the class time should see the professor prior to or as soon after the date of the appointment/obligation as possible because under no circumstances whatsoever should students leave class before it is dismissed by the professor. Students who cannot stay for the entire class period must miss that class period rather than leave during class time. Failure to abide by this policy will result in being marked absent for the entire class session and removal from class if the professor believes such becomes necessary.
Of course students must attend class on the examination days. Students are 100% responsible for all information missed because of absences. Exam dates are subject to change with at least a one-week notice. Students are responsible for keeping abreast of all exam schedules originally projected or revised.
This class will be largely lecture in nature. The professor will attempt to provide time for class discussion and participation. The professor will consider participation and discussion in determining final grades in borderline situations between two grades.
An excused absence is one for which a student has written proof (if at all attainable) that one's absence was necessitated by a valid cause, e.g., incapacitating illness, death in one's immediate or close family or of someone close to the student. (Sleeping late, hangovers, and studying for exams are not accepted as excused absences.) Doctor and dental appointments, participation in extra-curricular UGA activities, and job interviews may or may not be excusable. Consult the instructor prior to the absence, if at all possible; if such is not possible, then consult the instructor as soon as possible after the fact. Attendance at weddings, baptisms, bar or bat mitzvahs, etc. are not normally excusable absences. But, again, consult the instructor.
The professor does not generally give make-up examinations, even for unavoidable absences. Instead, if the class is given an extra exam, persons might use that one as a substitute for an exam missed because of valid reasons or they may take an extended final examination that compensates for an exam missed because of valid reasons. But please consult professor if an exam is missed for excusable reasons.
Honesty Policy: All academic work must meet the standards contained in ÒA Culture of Honesty.Ó All students are responsible to inform themselves about those standards before performing any academic work.
This
Syllabus: The course syllabus is a general plan for the
course; deviations announced to
the class by the instructor may be necessary.
Office Hours: Note the professor's office hours and use them as the need or inclination arises. Remember, if you have questions or concerns, it is your responsibility to discuss these matters in a rational, courteous, and responsible manner with your instructor.
D. RELI
1001 COURSE OUTLINE
I. Introduction: The
Course
II. Introduction: The Academic Study of Religion
A. Defining Religion/Terms/Issues
B. Various Approaches to the Study of
Religion
Required
readings for A and B:
Kessler,
ch. 1, especially pp. 3-6;
Kessler,
ch. 2, especially pp. 17-20;
Kessler,
ch. 3, especially pp. 25-29
Recommended,
but not required: all of chapters
1, 2, and 3 in Kessler.
C. Understanding Biblical Criticism -- Required readings for C
1. Genesis, chs. 1-3; Mk, ch. 1; Mt, chs.
1-2; Lk, chs. 1-3; Jn, ch. 1
2. Mk 5:21-43; Mt 9:18-26; Lk
8:40-56.
Also,
see day-by-day schedule.
III. Judaism:
Historical/Theological Survey
Required
readings:
1. Oxtoby, ch. 2, pp. 32-157
2. Kessler, portions of ch. 4: Ò4.2.1 Torah,Ó pp. 48-62
Ò10.4.1
Principles of Faith,Ó pp. 70-71
Ò4.5.1
Reform and Conservative Judaism,Ó
pp. 78-81
Recommended,
but not required: All of ch. 4 of
Kessler.
For those students
interested in biblical passages relating to the following themes of Judaism, consider the
readings under each of the sub-headings below.
A. Patriarchal/Matriarchal
Period, c. 1800 BCE
Genesis
11:26-19:38; 22:1-14; 37:1-28; 45:1-28
B. The Exodus Event, c.
1250 BCE
Exodus
Chs. 1, 2, 3; 12:1-36; 13:17-15:21; 19:16-20:20; Lev. 11:1-47; chs. 19-20;
Numbers,
ch. 12.
C. Settlement in
Palestine: Confederacy and
Monarchy, c. 1200, c. 100 BCE
Joshua
6:1-27; Judges 4, 5; I Samuel Chs. 8-9, 17; II Samuel Ch. 7; I Kings Ch. 3
D. The Prophetic Period
of Protest and Reform, c. 783-538 BCE
Amos
Chs. 1, 3-6; Hosea Chs. 1, 4, 12, 14; Micah. Ch. 4
E. Babylonian Exile, 586
BCE
Lamentations
Ch. 5; Jeremiah Ch. 31; Ezekiel Chs. 33, 34, 37
F. The Restoration and
Hellenistic Periods, c. 538-63 BCE
Isaiah
Chs. 53, 55, 56, 58, 60, 61; Ezra Chs. 1, 10; Ruth; Jonah; Daniel Chs. 11- 12
G. The Early Roman
Period, 63 BCE-135 CE
H. Canonization and the Codification of the Talmud,
90-500
I. Judaism during the Medieval and Early
Modern Periods, 500-1750
J. The Rise of Modern
Judaism, 1700-present
Examination
#1 (Scheduled: May 21)
IV. Christianity:
Historical/Theological Survey:
Required
readings:
1. Oxtoby, ch. 4, pp. 200-339
2. Kessler, ch. 5:
Ò5.2
Early Christian Writings,Ó pp.
106-124
Ò5.3
Christianity in the Middle Ages,Ó
pp. 127-131
Ò5.4 Reforming Christianity,Ó pp. 136-143
Ò5.7 African American Women and Christian
Redemption,Ó
pp. 160-168Ó
Recommended,
but not required:
All of chapter 5 in KesslerÕs text.
For students
interested in biblical passages related to the sub-headings below, please
see lists of readings.
A. Background and Introduction
B. Jesus of Nazareth (c.
4 BCE-30 CE): Quest for the
"Historical" Jesus
Matthew Chs. 5-7; Chs. 24, 25, 28; Mark;
Luke Chs. 10, 15, 24; John Chs.
10- 11.
C. Earliest Christian
Communities and the Death of Jesus, c. 30-500
Mk 13; Revelation, chs. 1-3; 15-16;
21-22.
D. Christianity: From Jewish Sect to Gentile Religion,
30-500
Acts Chs. 1, 2; 10:1-11:18; 15:1-35;
Galatians; I Thessalonians; I Cor 12, 13, 14; and
James Chs. 2, 5
E. Christianity: From Persecuted Sect to State Religion,
30-500
F. Defining the Faith by Creeds, Councils,
and Canonization, 30-500
G. Christianity: From Charismatic Movement to the Rise
of Roman Papacy in Northern
Africa and Western Europe, 30-500
H. Early African
Churches, 30-500
I. Some Developments during the Middle
Ages, 500-1500
J. The Protestant Reformation
Era, 1500-1648
K. Some Trends in American Christianity, 1607-present
Examination #2
(Scheduled: May 28)
V. Islam: Historical/Theological Survey
Required
readings:
1. Oxtoby, ch. 5, pp. 340-461 and 479-485.
2. Kessler, ch. 6:
ÒSources,Ó pp. 179-188
ÒAl-AshÕari,Ó
pp. 188-200
ÒAl-Hilli,Ó pp. 200-201
Ò6.3.3
Sufism,Ó pp. 201-203, 204-206
ÒAl-Afghani,Ó pp. 208-211
ÒContemporary
Scholarship,Ó pp. 213-227
Recommended,
but not required: All of ch. 6 of
KesslerÕs text.
Students
interested in supplementary readings might wish to read these passages from the
Koran or the QurÕan:
Chs. 1-4; 19; 20; 22; 23; 53:1-18; 55; 73-75; 81:15-29.
A. Introduction: Definitions, Membership
B. Muhammad the Prophet
(570-632)
1. Early Life
2. Prophetic Message
3. Development of Religion
C. QurÕan, Central
Doctrines, and Five Pillars of Islamic Duty or Worship
1. QurÕan
2. Central Doctrines
3. Five Pillars of Religious Duty
D. The First Eight
Centuries (632-1300s)
1.
Early Caliphate and Islamic
Dynasties/Kingdoms
2. Early Growth of Islam
3. Reactions to Ummayad Dynasty
4. Sunni-Shiah Division
5. Development of Religious Law
6. Development of Theology
7. Sufism/Mystical Movement
E. Developments
within Islam since 1400
1. Rise of Sikhism - 1400s/1500s
2. Wahhabi Movement - 1700s
3. Rise of Bahai Religion - 1800s
4. Islam in the US - 1900s
Examination #3
(Scheduled: June 2)
VI. Conclusion/Course Evaluation:
Required Reading:
Oxtoby, chs. 6 and 7, pp. 462-509
FINAL EXAMINATION (Scheduled: June 4, 2007)
NOTE: Keep this syllabus and consult it often. It is a vital guide for this course. Students are encouraged, expected, and advised to ask questions during the quarter about this syllabus in particular or the course in general concerning points which they feel require greater clarity. The instructor reserves the right to alter the format or content of this course outline as his professional discretion dictates or allows or as the occasion demands. But the format and content should remain reasonably and fundamentally intact.
This Syllabus: The course syllabus is a general plan for the course; deviations announced to the class by the instructor may be necessary.
PLEASE SEE THE FOLLOWING PAGE FOR AN APPROXIMATE
DAILY SCHEDULE FOR THE COURSE.
E. RELI
1001: An Approximate Daily
Schedule
Dr. Sandy D. Martin
Maymester 2008
Dates: Class
Sessions
Topic
I./II.
May 13/14
INTRODUCTION
13 I./II. Introduction/Defining Religion/
Academic Study (A/B)*
14 II. Academic Study/ Scripture (C)*
III. May 15, 16, 19, 20, 21 JUDAISM
Intro Essays due May 15 15 III. Judaism A/B/C*
16 Judaism D/E/F
19 Judaism G/H/I
20 Judaism I/J
21 Exam #1 (May 21)**
IV. May 21, 22, 23, 27, 28 CHRISTIANITY
(Midpoint: May 22)
21 IV. Christianity A/B
22 Christianity C/D/E
23 Christianity F/G/H
27 Christianity I/J/K
28 Exam #2 (May 28)
V. May 28, 29, 30, June 2 ISLAM
28 V. Islam A/B
29 Islam B/C/D
30 Islam E
June 2 Islam E
June 2 Exam #3
VI. June
3 CONCLUSION
Course Reflection Essays June 3 VI. Conclusions/
due June 3 Course Evaluations
FINAL EXAMINATION: Scheduled June 4, 2007
*Alphabets
(A, B, C, etc) designate material designated on course outline above.
Note: This schedule is an approximation based upon course content, hours available, and prior course offerings. Some aspects, therefore, may be altered, deleted, or enhanced. It is the responsibility of each student to keep abreast of all developments and modifications in the course. Use this with syllabus.
** Exam dates are target dates; they are subject to change.
WHERE DO I STAND?
RELI 1001
Maymester Session 2008
DR. S. D. MARTIN
martin@uga.edu
(706) 542-5356 - Peabody
Hall, Rm. 213
NAME _____________________________________________
MAJOR EXAMS
____________ #1, plus
____________ #2, plus
____________ #3, equals
____________ divided by 3 = ____________ X .90 =
____________, plus
____________ DPG points equals _________________ *
*This is where you stand in the course going into the final.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COMPUTING SEMESTER'S GRADE
Add all four exams (three pre-finals and the final), divide by 4, multiply that number by .90, and add the DPG points. That is your semester's grade, assuming acceptable attendance.
Ex#1 ____ + Ex#2 ____+Ex#3 + Final Ex _______ divided by 4 = _______ X .90
= _______ + DPG Points _______ = Semester's Grade _____________
.........................................................................................................