OLD TESTAMENT HISTORY
RLGN 1301
COURSE SYLLABUS
WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY
[Eielson AFB Base Education Center]
DIVISION OF RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY
[Summer 2014]
Wayland Baptist University exists to educate 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
Course Number and Title:
RLGN 1301, Old Testament History
Class Time and Location: Thursdays at 6-10 PM; Eielson AFB, Base Education Center, BLDG 2631/
Room 318
Catalog Description: An introductory survey of the historical literature with special attention to the
institutions, religion, and national life of the Hebrew people.
Prerequisite: None
Resources
 Required Texts
 The Learning Bible , NIV. New York: American Bible Society, 2003. ISBN 978-15851668-1-7
 Arnold, Bill and Bryan E. Beyer, Encountering the Old Testament: A Christian Survey (2nd
Edition), Baker Academics, 2008. ISBN - 978-0-8010-3170-0
 Required Articles
 “The Whole Bible: What Does God Want Of Us?” Mark Dever found in The Message of the
Old Testament (pp 19-44) – Will be available in Blackboard
Course Outline, Calendar, & Requirements
Date
Week 1
29 May
Class Topic
Introduction to the Hebrew
Bible
The Story of Four Trees
Assignment
Encountering - pp. 1-75
Quiz
Week 2
5 June
Hebrew Literature
Genesis (Part 1)
Encountering - pp.77-126
Quiz
1
Essay Due at the beginning of class
Week 3
12 June
Genesis (Part 2)
Exodus and the Law
Encountering - pp. 127-179
Quiz
Week 4
19 June
Leviticus & Numbers
Deuteronomy; Joshua
Encountering - pp. 179-235
Quiz
Essay due at the beginning of class
Week 5
26 June
Judges and Ruth
Review for Mid-Term
Encountering - pp. 237-261
Quiz
Week 6
3 July
Mid-Term
Ester, I & II Samuel; I &
II Kings
Encountering - pp. 263-312
Quiz
Mid-Term
Week 7
10 July
Ezra & Nehemiah Job,
Psalms,
Encountering - pp. 313-368
Quiz
Essay due at the beginning of class
Week 8
17 July
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes,
Song of Songs, Isaiah,
Jeremiah, & Lamentations
Encountering - pp. 369-416
Quiz
Essay due at the beginning of class
Week 9
24 July
Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea,
Joel, Amos, Obadiah,
Jonah, Micah, Nahum,
Habakkuk, & Zephaniah
Encountering - pp. 417-449
Quiz
Week 10
31 July
Haggai, Zechariah,
Malachi
Review for Final
Encountering - pp. 451-476
Essay due at the beginning of class
Quiz
Week 11
7 August
Final
Final Exam
Course Outcome Competencies: Students will:
 Demonstrate knowledge of the historical, religious, and social context of the Old Testament
world.
 Demonstrate knowledge of some of the critical methods used in Old Testament studies.
 Demonstrate an understanding of the basic content of the Old Testament and its main
teachings (theological content).
 Demonstrate knowledge of the canonical process producing a more complete understanding
of the Old Testament.
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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
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

Quiz Average – 200 points (20 points per quiz)

Mid-Term Exam– 250 points

Final Exam – 250 points

Essays – 250 points (50 points per essay)

Participation – 50 points
 Quiz, Exam, & Essay Information
1. QUIZZES: Quizzes will be given weekly over the reading assignment. The quizzes will cover
the material read in The Learning Bible. Regardless of where we are in the class lecture, the materials
covered on the quizzes will not change. 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.
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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. I want the content of the paper to be 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.
Grammar and spelling matter! You will be graded according to the grading rubric that will be presented 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.
4. PARTICIPATION – Your participation grade will be given based upon your involvement and
participation in the class.
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. 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
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I know that this is a required class and that your familiarity with the Old Testament may be
minimal. The printed prerequisite for the class is listed as “none.” I assume little or no knowledge of the Old
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 Old Testament will be challenged. The bottom line is that I want
you to do well. I want you to love the Old Testament, as I do (or more). This may be your first interaction
with the Old Testament; I want it to be a good one!
Finally, I reserve the right to change the syllabus to best suit learning objectives and class needs.
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