PHILOSOPHY 206 (SPRING 2013) – PHILOSOPHY OF THE BIBLE II (CHRISTIAN SCRIPTURES)
(MW)
Instructor: Dr. Ted Stolze
Office: SS-132
Office Phone: 562-860-2451, extension 2774
Office Hours: MTTh 9-9:30am, M 11am-12:30pm
E-mail: tstolze@cerritos.edu
Webpage: www.cerritos.edu/tstolze
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at
his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who longed to satisfy his hunger with what fell from
the rich man’s table; even the dogs would come and lick his sores. The poor man died and was carried away by
the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was being
tormented, he looked up and saw Abraham far away with Lazarus by his side. He called out, ‘Father Abraham,
have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in agony
in these flames.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your lifetime you received your good things, and
Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. Besides all this, between
you and us a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so,
and no one can cross from there to us.’ He said, ‘Then, father, I beg you to send him to my father’s house— for I
have five brothers—that he may warn them, so that they will not also come into this place of torment.’ Abraham
replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’ He said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if
someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the
prophets, neither will they be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” (Luke 16:19-31)
Transfer Credit:
CSU, UC
Prerequisite:
Satisfactory completion of the English Placement Process or ENGL 52 or equivalent with a grade of Credit or "C"
or higher
Course Description:
This course is a general introduction to the philosophical, religious, cultural and historical influences on the
development of the Christian Scriptures. The methods of critical analysis of Biblical materials from an academic
point of view will be presented and discussed.
Texts:
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Marcus Borg, Evolution of the Word (HarperOne) = EW
J. Nelson Kraybill, Apocalypse and Allegiance: Worship, Politics, and Devotion in the Book of Revelation
(Brazos) = AA
Student Learning Outcomes:
At the completion of this course students will be able to:
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Understand and critically appreciate the different methods of interpretation (historical, literary, cultural,
and philosophical) of the Christian scriptures.
Explain the importance of such non-canonical gospels as Thomas and Mary, for understanding pluralism
in early Christian communities.
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Explain the significance of the Dead Sea scrolls for the intertestamental period.
Compare, contrast, and criticize the leading Jewish religious groups of the intertestamental period.
Explain and evaluate the significance of the quest for the historical Jesus.
Explain the significance of “Q” in New Testament studies.
Discuss and evaluate the development of the New Testament Canon.
Explain how early Christians were viewed by the Roman authorities.
Evaluate the reasons why some first-century Jews accepted Jesus as the Messiah and some rejected him.
Understand and illustrate the four different portraits of Jesus in the canonical Gospels.
Course Requirements:
1.
Show up regularly, on time, and prepared to discuss the readings. You should carefully read the
assignment before class, noting difficult passages and writing down any questions you’d like to pose in
class. You should also briefly reread the assignment after class to confirm that you now understand the
author’s main points. NOTE: you must turn off all electronic devices before class begins (unless you
have a demonstrable need); there is absolutely no texting permitted during class.
NOTE: I reserve the right to drop any student who is absent for more than six class sessions
during the semester. Also, if you leave class early without permission, you will be
considered absent for that session.
2.
Take two exams, each of which is worth 25% of your final grade.
3.
Write two short papers (around 750 words in length), each of which counts for 25% of your final grade.
These papers will be responses to questions dealing with key themes covered in the selections we read
from the New Testament. The first paper is due on
4.
Final grades will be based on the following scale:
90-100 points
80-89 points
70-79 points
60-69 points
0 – 59 points
A
B
C
D
F
NOTE: You should hold on to all graded work until the end of the course in case there turns
out to be a dispute over your final grade.
5.
Plagiarism is ethically unacceptable and will result in automatic failure for a particular assignment. For
the official Cerritos College Academic Honesty/ Dishonesty Policy, see http://cms.cerritos.edu/academicaffairs/academic-honesty.
6.
If you have a disability for which you would like to request an accommodation, you are encouraged to
contact both me and the Disabled Student Programs and Services at (562) 860-2451 ext. 2335, as early
as possible in the term.
Standards for Classroom Behavior and Discussion:
Our goal in this course is to achieve respectful philosophical dialogue in which everyone feels affirmed in the
value of his or her ideas and contributions to the class. This means not only that we should speak in certain
ways, but also that we should listen in certain ways. Respectful philosophical dialogue demands that even if we
strongly disagree with others, we should be very careful not to speak in a way that demeans them or their
ideas. We should instead engage in active listening—a technique that helps us to be less defensive in responding
to criticism or disagreement. Mindful, active listening requires each of us to focus on the words of the person
speaking rather than on what we ourselves might want to say, and to reserve judgment until he or she has
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finished speaking and we are sure that we really understand his or her perspective. At the very least, active
listening requires the following respectful behavior:
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No sleeping in class! If you are tired or ill, stay home and rest.
No side conversations, passing notes, or texting.
Body language that indicates supportive attention (e.g., eye contact with the speaker).
No body language that is disrespectful (e.g., sighs, eye-rolling, muttering under your breath, throw-away
comments after the speaker is finished).
Weekly Topics and Reading Assignments:
1/14
1/16
1/21
1/23
1/28
1/30
2/4
2/6
2/11
2/13
2/18
2/20
2/25
2/27
3/4
3/6
3/11
3/13
3/18
3/25-31
4/1
4/3
4/8
4/10
4/15
4/17
4/22
4/24
4/29
5/1
5/6
5/8
5/13
5/15
5/22
Introduction
Video on the Historical Jesus
NO CLASS – MLK BIRTHDAY
Marcus Borg on the Formation of the New Testament (EW, pp. 1-18)
Video on the Gospel according to Mark (EW, pp. 149-191)
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Exam #1
Video on the Apostle Paul
NO CLASS – WASHINGTON’S BIRTHDAY
Paul’s Letter to the Thessalonians (EW, pp. 19-44)
Paul’s Letter to the Galatians (EW, pp. 45-56)
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Paul’s First Letter to Corinthians (EW, pp. 57-83)
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(Paper #1 is Due)
The Letter of James (EW, pp. 193-202)
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NO CLASS – SPRING RECESS
The Gospel according to Luke (EW, pp. 456-488)
Ched Myers, “’Pay Attention to the Great Economy!’: Reflections on Luke 12:13-34, Earth
Cosmology, and Sabbath Economics” (http://www.chedmyers.org/articles/biblicalinterpretation/pay-attention-great-economy-reflections-luke-1213-34-earth-cosmolog)
The Gospel according to Luke (EW, pp. 456-488)
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The Resurrection Narratives (EQ, pp. 274-275, 346-348, 486-488)
“”
The Revelation to John (EW, pp. 363-370; AA, pp. 13-40)
(Paper #2 is Due)
AA, pp. 41-70
AA, pp. 71-96
AA, pp. 97-124
AA, pp. 125-138
AA, pp. 139-155
AA, pp. 156-181
AA, pp. 182-193
Exam #2 (10am-12pm)