COURSE SYLLABUS
WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
[Fairbanks]
DIVISION OF RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY
[Spring 2014]
Wayland Baptist University Mission Statement
Wayland Baptist University exists to education students in an academically challenging, learning-focused
and distinctively Christian environment for professional success and service to God and humankind.
Instructor Bryan Myers
 Phone Numbers: Mobile 907-322-3302;
Office 907-479-5063
 Email address: bryan.myers@wayland.wbu.edu & myers.br@gmail.com
 Conference Hours: 10AM-9PM & 30 minutes before each class (or earlier is prearranged)
Course Number and Title:
RLGN 1302, New Testament History
Location and Class Time: Eielson AFB, Building 2631, Room 318; Thursdays from 6-10 PM
Catalog Description: New Testament History is an introductory survey of the historical literature with
special attention to the background and origins of Christian beliefs and practices, and to the life
of Jesus Christ and the early Christian community.
Prerequisite: None
Resources
 Required Texts



Elwell, Walter A., & Robert W Yarbrough. Encountering the New Testament: A
Historical and Theological Survey, Grand Rapids, Baker Academic, 2013 ISBN
978-0-8010-3964-5.
The Learning Bible , NIV. New York: American Bible Society, 2003, ISBN 9781585166817.
Required Articles
 “The Message of the New Testament: Promises Kept” Mark Dever found in The Message
of the New Testament: Promises Kept (pp 21-35) – Will be available in Blackboard
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Course Outline, Calendar, & Requirements
Date
Week 1
27 Feburary
Assignment
Encountering pp. 1-62
Quiz – due 1 Mar @ midnight
Week 3
13 March
Class Topic
Course Overview
Introduction to the New
Testament
The Inter-Testamental Period
& New Testament Historical
Setting
Gospels & The Life of Jesus
(Part 1)
Spring Break
20 March
Week 4
27 March
Gospels & The Life of Jesus
(Part 2)
Encountering pp. 166-206
Luke
Quiz – due 29 Mar @ midnight
Essay due at the beginning of
class
Mid-Term
Encountering pp. 207-234
Encountering pp. 235-266
Quiz – due 12 April @ midnight
Essay due at the beginning of
class
Encountering pp. 267-308
Quiz – due 19 April @ midnight
Week 2
6 March
Week 5
3 April
Week 6
10 April
Acts (Part 1)
Review for Mid-Term
Acts (Part 2)
Mid-Term
Week 7
17 April
Early & Major Letters
(Galatians, 1&2 Thes, 1 & 2
Cor, Romans)
Prison & Pastoral Letters
(Ephesians, Philippians,
Colossians, I & II Timothy,
& Titus)
The General Letters
(Hebrews, James, I Peter; IIII John, Jude)
Revelation
Review for Final
Week 8
24 April
Week 9
1 May
Week 10
8 May
Week 11
15 May
Final
Course Outcome Competencies: Students will:
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Encountering pp. 63-104
Quiz – due 8 Mar @ midnight
Encountering pp. 105-166
John
Quiz – due 15 Mar @ midnight
Essay Due at the beginning of
class
Encountering pp. 308-342
Quiz – due 26 April @ midnight
Essay Due at the beginning of
class
Encountering pp. 343-356
Quiz – due 3 May @ midnight
Encountering pp. 356-376
Quiz – due 10 May @ midnight
Essay due at the beginning of
class
Final Exam
The Division of Religion and Philosophy has determined the following standardized student learning outcomes.
Students will:
 Demonstrate knowledge of the historical, religious, and social context of the New Testament world
 Demonstrate knowledge of some of the critical methods used in New Testament studies
 Demonstrate an understanding of the basic content of the New Testament and its main teachings (theological
content)
 Demonstrate knowledge of the canonical process producing a more complete understanding of the New
Testament.
Attendance
 Roll will be checked each class meeting. If you are late for class, it is your responsibility to
have your absence removed form the grade book.
 The Division's "no cut" policy allows no unexcused absences.
 No student missing more than 25% of the class meetings (including both excused and
unexcused absences) can pass the course. Students who need to leave class early must get
approval from the professor in advance.
Attendance - External Campuses
 Students enrolled at one of the university's external campuses should make every effort to
attend all class meetings. All absences must be explained to the instructor, who will then
determine whether the omitted work may be made up. When a student reaches that number of
absences considered by the instructor to be excessive, the instructor will so advise the student
and file an unsatisfactory progress report with the campus dean. Any student who misses 25
percent or more (3 Classes) of the regularly scheduled class meetings may receive a grade of F
in the course. Additional attendance policies for each course, as defined by the instructor in the
course syllabus, are considered a part of the university's attendance policy. A student may
petition the Academic Council for exceptions to the above stated policies by filing a written
request for an appeal to the provost/academic vice president.
Course Evaluation (Method of Determining Grade)
 University Grading System
A
90-100
B
80-89
C
70-79
D
60-69
F
BELOW 60

I
INCOMPLETE**
Cr
FOR CREDIT
NCr
NO CREDIT
WP
WITHDRAWAL PASSING
WF
WITHDRAWAL FAILING
W
WITHDRAWAL
**A grade of incomplete is changed if the deficiency is made up by midterm of the next
regular semester; otherwise, it becomes "F". This grade is given only if circumstances
beyond the student's control prevented completion of work during the semester enrolled
and attendance requirements have been met. A grade of "CR" indicates that credit in
semester hours was granted but no grade or grade points were recorded.
Elements of Final Grade

Essays – 250 points (50 points per essay)

Mid-Term Exam– 250 points

Final Exam – 250 points

Quiz Average – 200 points (23 points per quiz)

Participation – 50 points
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
Extra Credit – (If over 75% of the class submits the end of term class
review, I will give the entire class 20 extra
points.)
 Quiz, Exam, & Essay Information
1. QUIZZES: Quizzes will be given weekly over the reading assignment. The quizzes will cover
the material read in A Survey of the New Testament and reading from the Bible. Regardless of where we are
in the class lecture, the quizzes will be taken from the reading material for the week. Follow the syllabus
and you will do fine. I’ll post the quiz on Blackboard on Monday and remove it Saturday at midnight. The
quizzes will be open book, but once you take it, there are no retakes. Makeup quizzes will be sparingly
administered with prior consent of the instructor. If a student either fails to submit a quiz or obtain prior
consent, the student will be given a score of zero for that quiz.
2. MID-TERM and FINAL EXAMS: The mid-term and final exams will cover lecture material. If
you miss the exam and have my prior consent you will be given a different make-up exam. Make up exams
will generally be taken within a week of the scheduled exam. Please contact me to make arrangement for
make-up exams. The final exam will not be comprehensive.
3. ESSAYS (Five Total): Students will be responsible for an on time submission of a 600-800 word
(about two pages) essay on the given topic or question(s). Each essay will be worth 50 points. Regarding
the content of these essays, please understand the writing assignment before you start writing. If you do not
understand, ask. I want to help you. The content of the paper should be based upon your thoughts and
interactions, so quotations should be minimal. Finally, please do not try to take a position that you feel I will
find agreeable, in hopes of a better grade or thinking “this is what he [Bryan] wants me to say.” You
should give an honest response that indicates that you are familiar and interacting with the material. If
something in the reading uplifts, encourages, challenges, or upsets you, I want you to tell me in your paper.
As far as the grading criteria, I am looking for fulfillment of the essay objectives. You will be
graded based upon their success in answering the question and carrying on a logical and coherent argument.
Also, grammar and spelling matter! You will be graded according to a grading rubric that will be presented
and explained on the first night of class.
Some other grading criteria include prompt turn-in time. (Essays should be turned in on the day
marked in the syllabus by the beginning of class. The instructor on a limited basis will approve late
submissions). Essays will lose one points for every day they are late for a max loss of eight points. Essays
not submitted within two weeks of assigned due date will receive a score of zero. All essays will be
submitted via safe assignment on Blackboard. Essays will not be received any other way. Finally, format
should be a 12-point font and double-spaced reaching a minimum of 600 words. If you are struggling to
meet the required number of words, focus on more content rather than filler words and sentences.
All of this is designed to help you to know how your papers will be graded. My effort is to be fair
to you on the front end. If you focus on solid content presented in a logical format with few, if any,
grammar or spelling errors you will do well. Finally, I want you to do well because I am interested in your
thoughts on the assigned topics.
Academic Honesty (Plagiarism):
University students are expected to conduct themselves according to the highest standards of
academic honesty. Academic misconduct for which a student is subject to penalty includes all forms of
cheating, such as illicit possession of examinations or examination materials, forgery, or plagiarism.
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Plagiarism is the presentation of the work of another as one’s own work. It is the student’s responsibility
to be familiar with penalties associates with plagiarism stated in the catalog.
Academic dishonesty in any of its forms will not be tolerated.
Services for the Disabled
It is university policy that no otherwise qualified disabled person be excluded from participation
in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any educational program or activity in the
University. The Dean of Students serves the University as coordinator or activities for the handicapped and
should be contacted concerning initial contact with the Dean of Student’s office as soon as possible before
registration to ensure adequate time for assistance.
Disclaimers
I know that this is a required class and that your familiarity with the New Testament may be
minimal. The printed prerequisite for the class is listed as “none.” I assume little or no knowledge of the
New Testament. If you are not a “biblical scholar,” you can do well in the class. At the same time, I expect
that even those who are quite familiar with the New Testament will be challenged. The bottom line is that I
want you to do well. I want you to love the New Testament, as I do (or more). This may be your first
interaction with the New Testament; I want it to be a good one!
Finally, I reserve the right to change the syllabus at any time when doing so will contribute
towards the fulfillment of the learning objectives.
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