Revised: October 6, 2012
Jesus: The Person & The Myth
Course Syllabus and Requirements
Theology & Religious Studies 122-01
MWF 8:00am – 9:00am, Dante Hall, Room 220
Fr. John R. Morris, O.P.
General Information:
Office: Dante Hall, 326
Office Phone: Ext 4242
Home Phone: (925) 631-8020 (preferred)
Fax #: (925) 377-0156
Email: jmorris@stmarys-ca.edu.
Office Hours: M 10:30 am - 12:00 noon
W 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
and by appointment.
Course Description:
This course will attempt to recover as much of the life and times
of Jesus of Nazareth as are possible: his teaching and his works;
his impact on his society and the call of men and women to
discipleship; the reasons for his untimely death and the
significance of his resurrection. With this perspective, we will
attempt to respond to the questions and challenges that his life
and ministry posed for the early Christian communities, most
especially as they are articulated in the Gospels and the
normative statements developed in the councils of the fourth and
fifth centuries.
We will attempt to respond to the questions
and challenges that his life and ministry pose for us today. We
will attempt to determine the meaning of Jesus for contemporary
women and men.
The Purpose of This Course:
The purpose of this course is to put the student in touch with
one of the more exciting contemporary developments in theology,
namely, the recovery of a significant amount of information
concerning the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth.
We will
attempt to trace the development that led his disciples to affirm
of him his full status as Christ, Son of God, and Lord.
The
purpose or goal of the course, however, extends beyond the
informational. It is also formational in as much as it provides
Jesus: The Person & The Myth
Course Syllabus: Page 2 of 6
an opportunity to reflect upon Jesus’ life and message and
discover what impact that might have for us in the present time
both in our personal as well as our public lives.
Thus, our
interest is not only historical but it is also theological.
Learning Outcomes for this Course:
The Learning Outcomes for this course are implied in both the
Course Description and the stated Purpose for this course. They
are articulated here so that the student may understand clearly
what we hope to accomplish this semester.
1. The student should acquire significant knowledge of Jesus of
Nazareth, that is, the Jesus of history. The focus will be on
his historical ministry, his authentic words and deeds, and
especially on his personal self-understanding.
2. The student should acquire an understanding of the postresurrection faith affirmations articulated by the primitive
Christian community contained in the New Testament.
The
student should understand the development of the various
images of Christ in the Gospels, why they came about and what
they signify.
3. The student should gain an understanding of the development of
Christology that is contained in the normative statements of
the Ecumenical Councils of the fourth and fifth centuries.
The student should understand the basic arguments that led to
these normative statements and have knowledge of the major
theological contributors.
4. The student should acquire knowledge of the development that
took place from the great Councils of the third and fourth
centuries to its contemporary articulation.
The student
should acquire knowledge of both liberation and feminist
Christologies.
5. The student should learn about the principles and method of
theology and how it is used to explore the faith of the Church
more deeply.
The student should learn to think theologically
and use the method properly.
6. The student should acquire significant understanding of the
Catholic tradition and how it relates to other faith
traditions and be able to come to a personal theological
conclusion about Christology as well as other theological
subjects.
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Course Syllabus: Page 3 of 6
Texts:





John Morris, Jesus: The Person & The Myth. Third Draft, 2012.
These chapters are a written text of the lectures and will be
provided for you.
Gerard Luttenberger, An Introduction to Christology (Mystic,
CT: Twenty-third Publications, 1998
Joseph Fitzmyer, A Christological Catechism (New York/Mahwah:
Paulist Press, 1990).
Elizabeth A. Johnson, Consider Jesus: Waves of Renewal in
Christology, (New York: Crossroad Publishing Company, 1991).
The New American Bible, Saint Joseph Edition, (New York:
Catholic Book Publishing Company).
Any version of the New
Testament will do but this particular version has wonderful
footnotes which will be referred to during the course.
Class Format or Method:
To accomplish this purpose the course will be partly lecture and
partly discussion.
The lecture will focus on the more
significant events in the life of Jesus of Nazareth.
As we
proceed, you are encouraged to ask questions about material or
terminology which you do not comprehend or of which you have no
previous familiarity.
The class discussion will serve as a
catalyst for personal reflection. In order for the discussion to
be fruitful you must carefully review class lectures and
assiduously read the material for the day it is assigned.
Students are invited and expected to enter into dialogue with the
teacher and with one another. The assigned readings and lectures
will form the basis for our discussion. Students may also expect
to be called upon to summarize and comment on the readings and
lecture material. Normally, the last ten minutes of each class
period will be spent preparing you for the reading assigned for
the following class.
Not all of the readings will necessarily be covered in class
lecture or discussion. This material, however, remains relevant
for exams.
Five-Minute Synopsis:
A
brief,
five-minute
“synopsis”
or
“snapshot”
will
be
administered at the completion of a block of material. This is
not a quiz, nor will it be graded. It is simply a technique to
get you to state what you have grasped or have not grasped in
your own words. The exercise ought to be helpful to both you and
me.
Jesus: The Person & The Myth
Course Syllabus: Page 4 of 6
Written Examinations:
There will be two examinations: one during the mid-term, one
during finals week. They will be based largely on the lectures
and readings.
Their intention is not merely to indicate that
the student has mastered a certain amount of positive material
but also to test his or her ability to think reflectively on a
given theological question.
Please Note: Make-up exams are
rarely permitted.
Written Papers:
There will be two short papers assigned during the semester: one
during the midterm period; the other the week before final
examinations. They will permit the student more creativity than
is possible during the examinations.
They will also be judged
more strictly than the exams since the student will have more
time and the availability of resources not available during the
exams. The papers will provide the student with the possibility
to express his or her ability to understand intellectually a
serious theological problem and respond to it using the methods
and information already assimilated as well as researching the
subject matter.
These papers provide the student with the
opportunity to develop his or her own theological opinions.
Student Requirements for Class:
 Attendance:1 You are expected to attend class regularly and
habitually and be on time. Please honor this rule. Failure to
do so will have a very significant negative impact on your final
evaluation. Please note that the current Student Handbook leaves
penalties for absences in the hands of the professor. Therefore,
be apprised that more than six absences will be cause for
disqualification from the course.
Tardiness or leaving class
early is never permitted and carries with it serious penalties.
A significant number of absences, tardiness or leaving class
early will be sufficient reason to lower your final grade,
regardless of how well you do on your exams and other course
work. They may be counted as absences in determining your final
grade. Please, no eating or drinking during class time, and no
cell phones. Please come properly attired for class, that is, no
pajamas. Men, please remove your hats/caps.
Please refer to Academic Regulations in the current Student Handbook.
The brief statement concerning absences will be posted on Gael Learn.
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Course Syllabus: Page 5 of 6
 Assigned Reading: Students are expected to carefully complete
the assigned readings on time, paying particular attention to the
primary source, which is the selected texts from the Scriptures.
Approximately 3 hours preparation for each class hour is highly
recommended.
It may help students in their study to prepare a
brief outline of the readings and to note issues that require
further clarification.
The reading assignments are given in detail in the Reading
Syllabus.
Besides the reading in Morris and Fitzmyer, be
assiduous in reading the primary data, which are the Scriptures.
 Participation: Students are expected to participate, even to
take the initiative, in class discussion.
Feel free to enter
into dialogue with your peers and with me.
It is a valuable
learning tool for you and will give me a better perception of the
level of the class. Your willingness to participate will set the
tone for the class and guarantee its success. Without it we are
all impoverished.
 Academic Integrity: Beginning the academic year 2004-2005, a
new Academic Honor Code was initiated. You would be well served
to refer to the Academic Honor Code in the Undergraduate Student
Handbook.2
The penalties for cheating are now quite severe. We
will address this issue and the issue of academic integrity
within the first two class periods of the semester.
Grading will be based on the following:
The Examinations will constitute the major portion of your final
grade.
They will be based largely on the lecture and discussion
material and will test how well you know the general information
and are able to resolve theological questions. Two papers will
also be assigned, one during the midterm period, the other the
week before finals week. Each will be more strictly graded than
the in-class exams since you will have time to reflect, research
and organize your thoughts.
 Midterm Examination = 30%
 Final Examination = 40%
 Papers = Each is worth 15%
 Participation in class activities (this includes listening
attentively to others as well as articulating your own ideas)
will not be assigned a percentage of your grade.
However,
failure to adequately participate will have the effect of
lowering your final grade.
Please consult the Student Handbook at http://www.stmarys-ca.edu/yoursafety-resources/student-handbook [for traditional undergraduate
students]
2
Jesus: The Person & The Myth
Course Syllabus: Page 6 of 6
 No credit is given for attendance since this is a prerequisite
and is expected.
Lack of attendance (three or more absences),
tardiness or inappropriate classroom behavior will have the
effect of lowering your final grade.
The highest final grade
possible if you have four absences is a B; five absences is B/C+; six absences is a C. More than six absences will be cause
for academic disqualification from the course.
Saint Mary's College employs the following final grades: A,
excellent; B, very good; C, satisfactory; D, barely passing; and
F, failing.
Plus/minus grading is employed to further
distinguish the letter grading system.
See the current College
Catalog.
This grading system suggests the following:
C, or “satisfactory”, indicates that all the course requirements
have been met, assignments have been presented in a clear and
timely fashion, and attendance, deportment and participation have
been good.
B, or “very good”, indicates a comprehensive development beyond
“satisfactory”.
For a “B” grade, the student must acquire a
deeper assimilation of the course material and be capable of
articulating it.
A, or “excellent”, indicates exceptional work.
The student
demonstrates an in-depth understanding and insight of the
problems presented and their solutions, which must be reflected
in all areas of study, including: class participation, daily
homework, the research paper, and examinations.
Student Disability Services:
Student Disability Services extends reasonable and appropriate
accommodations that take into account the context of the course
and its essential elements for individuals with qualifying
disabilities. Students with disabilities are encouraged to
contact the Student Disability Services Office at (925) 631-4358
to set up a confidential appointment to discuss accommodation,
policies,
guidelines
and
available
services.
Additional
information regarding the services available may be found at the
following
address
on
the
Saint
Mary’s
website:
http://www.stmarys-ca.edu/academics/academic-advising-andachievement/student-disability-services.html
Calendar/Outline of Course:
Please see
Syllabus.
the
Reading
Syllabus
that
follows
this
Course