Course Number: SAS 638
Course Title: Torah and Old Testament Historical Books
Term: Summer 2017
Professor
Dr. Matthew Ramage
1. COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is a study of the composition, structure, purpose, historical background and theological themes of the following books from the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, Joshua, I and II Samuel, and I and II Kings. There is also exegesis of selected passages.
2. ENVISIONED LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Students will be able to articulate the core content of the Torah and Old Testament historical books: their message, themes, and theology.
- Students will be able to demonstrate familiarity with the historical and geographical context in which the Torah and Old Testament historical books were written (able to recognize/identify key people, places, events, and dates, as well as some key worldview differences between ancient times and today).
- Students will be able to grasp the overarching narrative of salvation history that unfolds throughout the Torah and Old Testament historical books.
- Students will be able to apply both patristic-medieval and modern historical-critical methods of interpretation to study of the Torah and Old Testament historical books, with an emphasis on underscoring their connection with the New Testament and their relevance in the life of the Church today.
3. COURSE SCHEDULE
Week 1: Course Introduction & Foundations for Study of Old Testament
Readings
- Ramage, Jesus, ch. 3 (“Benedict XVI’s Exegetical Vision”)
Lectures
- Course overview/introduction (video)
- Foundations for the study of Sacred Scripture within the heart of the Church
- Praying with Sacred Scripture
Activities
- Take quiz
- Discussion posts
- Write a short autobiographical essay--tell the class who you are and what you hope to gain from this course (The place to write this can be found under the Discussions tab).
Week 2: Authorship of the Torah: Ancient Tradition & Modern Scholarship
Readings
- Ramage, Jesus, ch. 2 (“Benedict XVI & Modern Biblical Criticism: A Magisterial About Face?”)
- Gregory Vall, Authorship of the Pentateuch
- Brant Pitre, Who Wrote the Pentateuch?
Lecture
- Authorship of the Torah
Activities
- Take quiz
Week 3: Primeval History
Readings
- Gray, Walking with God, ch. 1
- Genesis 1-12
Lecture
- Early World
Activities
- Take quiz
Week 4: Primeval History
Readings
- Benedict XVI, In the Beginning
Lecture
- Benedict XVI on Genesis
Activities
- Discussion posts
- Submit paper proposal
Week 5: Patriarchs
Readings
- Gray, Walking with God, ch. 2
- Genesis 12-50
Lecture
- Patriarchs
Activities
- Take quiz
Week 6: Egypt and Exodus
Readings
- Gray, Walking with God, ch. 3
- Book of Exodus
- Book of Leviticus
Lecture
- Exodus and Leviticus
Activities
- Take quiz
- Exodus movies exercise
Week 7: Desert Wanderings
Readings
- Gray, Walking with God, ch. 4
- Book of Numbers
- Book of Deuteronomy
Lecture
- Numbers and Deuteronomy
Activities
- Take Quiz
Week 8: Conquest & Judges
Readings
- Gray, Walking with God, ch. 5
- Book of Joshua
- Book of Judges
- Books of 1-2 Samuel
Lecture
- Joshua, Judges, and 1-2 Samuel
Activities
- Take quiz
Week 9: Royal Kingdom
Readings
- Gray, Walking with God, ch. 6
- 1-2 Kings
Lecture
- 1-2 Kings and 1-2 Chronicles (Part I)
Activities
- Take quiz
Week 10: Divided Kingdom
Readings
- Gray, Walking with God, ch. 7
- 1-2 Chronicles
Lecture
- 1-2 Kings and 1-2 Chronicles (Part II)
Activities
- Take Quiz
Week 11: Exile & Return
Readings
- Gray, Walking with God, chs. 8-9
- Book of Ezra
- Book of Nehemiah
Lecture
- Ezra and Nehemiah
Activities
- Take Quiz
- Exegetical Paper Due
Week 12: Maccabean Revolt
Readings
- Gray, Walking with God, ch. 10
- Books of 1-2 Maccabees
Lecture
- 1-2 Maccabees and the climax of Old Testament salvation history
Activities
- Discussion posts
Week 13: Messianic Fulfillment & the Church
Readings
- Gray, Walking with God, ch. 11-12
Lecture
- Christ and the Church as fulfillment of the Old Testament
Activities
- Discussion posts
Week 14: Jesus & the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist
Readings
- Pitre, Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist, chs. 1-4
Lecture
- None
Activities
- Work on final exam essay due at the end of next week
Week 15: Jesus & the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist
Readings
- Pitre, Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist, chs. 5-8
Lecture
- None
Activities
- Final exam due
4. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Please begin each week first by reading the required text(s) then by viewing or listening to the lecture(s) I post in Populi. This order is important because my lectures will build upon the readings and assume your knowledge of them. Be sure to complete the readings and lectures before engaging in any “activity” (e.g. quizzes, discussion posts). The breakdown of your grade will be determined as follows:
- Discussion postings (20% of total grade). Students will complete four discussion posts throughout the semester (generally these occur on weeks when there is no quiz). The posts take the form of short essays made in light of knowledge gained from the required reading(s) and lecture(s) for that week. No make-up posts are allowed. Posts are due by Saturday at 11:59 PM Eastern Time of each week. However, it is better to post as early as possible in the week so that your classmates can respond to you and you respond to them.
You must post at least twice each week this assignment is due: one post directly in response to the discussion topic and then at least one post as a comment upon another’s post. While you may post as often you wish, I will evaluate your discussion contributions based upon content and not upon quantity of words.
While length may vary, aim to convey your direct response to the discussion question in approximately three to four paragraphs (roughly 500-700 words). Your essay responses to fellow students will vary in length, but make sure that they are substantial and not just “I agree” or “I disagree,” etc.
- Quizzes (30% of total grade): Students will take ten quizzes throughout the semester (generally these occur on weeks when there is no discussion due). The quiz covers the required reading(s) and lecture(s) for that week. No make-up quizzes are allowed. As with discussions, so quizzes are due by Saturday at 11:59 PM Eastern Time each week.
- Exegetical paper (25% of total grade): Students will choose a particular passage in a Torah or historical book and develop an exegetical paper. The paper should address the passage in its literary context, historical context, and canonical context. The paper should also include sections devoted to showing how the passage prefigured what is revealed in the New Testament as well as how the original passage applies in the life of the Church today. Students should identify a topic and submit to the professor for approval. Students should then develop an 8–10 page paper on the specific passage, utilizing 8–10 quality, academic resources, both ancient and modern. If you have any questions about what is a quality, academic resource, please ask.
- Final exam (25% of total grade): For the final exam, you will compose a 8-10 page essay/paper that presents the Jewish roots of the Eucharist, especially as found in the Torah and Old Testament historical books. Specifically, in this paper your job is to develop a deep understanding of Brant Pitre’s book Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist and synthesizing this understanding in the form of a structured essay-paper.
You may give your final exam essay a title of your own choosing and make your own outline, but whatever focus you develop, be sure that you (a) present the key themes and passages discussed in Pitre’s book and (b) demonstrate how the Old Testament works discussed are fulfilled in the Eucharist.
In addition to demonstrating your penetrating understanding of Pitre’s book, I encourage you to draw from our course lectures and the readings from this semester. You may use additional academic sources if desired, but this is not required. If you have any questions about what constitutes a quality, academic resource, please ask.
Guidelines for Papers
Before beginning your essays, please refer to the Guidelines for Papers, Projects, and Theses, which is available here. Guidelines for Papers, Projects, and Theses
Citations in Discussion Posts
Please use parenthetical references to document any source for the weekly discussions in Populi. When referring to an idea or when giving a direct quote from any source, you must use a parenthetical reference. A parenthetical reference is placed at the end of your sentence, before the punctuation mark. Give the author’s last name followed by a comma, an abbreviated book or article title followed by a comma, and then record the page or paragraph number to which you refer.
Example: Ramage, Jesus, Interpreted, 54.
When quoting from a website, providing the link to the web address of the article suffices. You may also provide the author’s name and the title of the piece. However, be judicious about citing from internet sources. Countless important and helpful sources are available online, but remember that not every source is credible. Citing from poor sources will be reflected in the grade of your posts and paper.
5. REQUIRED READINGS and RESOURCES:
- Holy Bible (any translation is acceptable but RSV-CE2 is preferred and references I make in lectures, quizzes, etc. will be to this; a free, searchable version is also available here: http://quod.lib.umich.edu/r/rsv/
- Gray and Cavins, Walking with God: A Journey Through the Bible
- Pitre, Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist: Unlocking the Secrets of the Last Supper
- Ramage, Jesus, Interpreted: Benedict XVI, Bart Ehrman, and The Historical Truth of the Gospels
- Any other required resources and readings not listed above will be provided in Populi
6. SUGGESTED READINGS and RESOURCES:
- Pope Benedict XVI, Verbum Domini
- Second Vatican Council, Dei Verbum
- Ignatius Catholic Study Bible
- St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology – www.salvationhistory.com
- The Sacred Page – www.thesacredpage.com
- Truth in Charity (Dr. Ramage’s blog) – www.truthincharity.com
7. EVALUATION
Basis of evaluation with explanation regarding the nature of the assignment and the percentage of the grade assigned to each item below. Students who have difficulty with research and composition are encouraged to pursue assistance with the Online Writing Lab (available at http://www.holyapostles.edu/owl).
GRADING SCALE:
A 94-100; A- 90-93; B+ 87-89; B 84-86; B- 80-83; C+ 77-79; C 74-76; C- 70-73 D 60-69; F 59 and below
Grading Rubric for the Paper and for Discussion Board Postings
1 (F) | 2 (D) | 3 (C) | 4 (B) | 5 (A) |
CONTENT
Absence of Understanding Demonstrates no awareness of the discipline or its methodologies as they relate to the topic. | Lack of Understanding Demonstrates a misunderstanding of the basic concepts addressed in the topic through an inability to articulate them. | Adequate understanding Demonstrates an adequate understanding of basic concepts addressed in the topic but could express them with greater clarity. | Solid Understanding Demonstrates a clear understanding and articulation of concepts with some sense of their wider implications. | Insightful understanding Clearly demonstrates an understanding and articulation of concepts of the topic; highlights connections to other concepts; integrates concepts into wider contexts. |
RESEARCH
Missing Research Shows no evidence of research: citation of sources missing. | Inadequate research and/or documentation Over-reliance on few sources; spotty documentation of facts in text; pattern of citation errors. | Weak research and/or documentation Inadequate number or quality of sources; many facts not referenced; several errors in citation format. | Adequate research and documentation but needs improvement Good choice of sources but could be improved with some additions or better selection; did not always cite sources; too many citation errors. | Solid research and documentation A number of relevant scholarly sources revealing solid research; sources appropriately referenced in paper; only a few minor citation errors. |
WRITING & EXPRESSION
Incomplete writing Is only partially written or completely misses the topic. | Writing difficult to understand, serious improvement needed Fails to address the topic; confusing organization or development; little elaboration of position; insufficient control of sentence structure and vocabulary; unacceptable number of errors in grammar, mechanics, and usage. | Acceptable writing, but could use some sharpening of skill Is an uneven response to parts of the topic; somewhat conventional treatment; satisfactory organization, but more development needed; adequate syntax and diction, but could use more vigor; overall control of grammar, mechanics, and usage, but some errors. | Solid writing, with something interesting to say. Is an adequate response to the topic; some depth and complexity in treatment; persuasive organization and development, with suitable reasons and examples; level-appropriate syntax and diction; mastery of grammar, mechanics, and usage, with hardly any error. | Command-level writing, making a clear impression Is a thorough response to the topic; thoughtful and insightful examination of issues; compelling organization and development; superior syntax and diction; error-free grammar, mechanics, and usage. |
RESPONSES TO OTHER STUDENT POSTS
(for discussions, not applicable to the paper)
Inadequate response Response merely provides laudatory encouragement for original post | Poor response Response misses the point of the original posting. | Acceptable response Response makes a contribution to the posting to which it responds. | Individually-conscious contributory response Response makes a contribution to the posting to which it responds and fosters its development. | Community-conscious contributory response Response makes a contribution to the learning community and fosters its development. |
8. DISABILITIES ACCOMMODATIONS POLICY
Holy Apostles College & Seminary is committed to the goal of achieving equal educational opportunities and full participation in higher education for persons with disabilities who qualify for admission to the College. Students enrolled in online courses who have documented disabilities requiring special accommodations should contact Bob Mish, the Director of Online Student Affairs, at rmish@holyapostles.edu or 860-632-3015. In all cases, reasonable accommodations will be made to ensure that all students with disabilities have access to course materials in a mode in which they can receive them. Students who have technological limitations (e.g., slow Internet connection speeds in convents) are asked to notify their instructors the first week of class for alternative means of delivery.
9. ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY
Students at Holy Apostles College & Seminary are expected to practice academic honesty.
Avoiding Plagiarism
In its broadest sense, plagiarism is using someone else's work or ideas, presented or claimed as your own. At this stage in your academic career, you should be fully conscious of what it means to plagiarize. This is an inherently unethical activity because it entails the uncredited use of someone else's expression of ideas for another's personal advancement; that is, it entails the use of a person merely as a means to another person’s ends.
Students, where applicable:
- Should identify the title, author, page number/webpage address, and publication date of works when directly quoting small portions of texts, articles, interviews, or websites.
- Students should not copy more than two paragraphs from any source as a major component of papers or projects.
- Should appropriately identify the source of information when paraphrasing (restating) ideas from texts, interviews, articles, or websites.
- Should follow the Holy Apostles College & Seminary Stylesheet (available on the Online Writing Lab’s website at http://www.holyapostles.edu/owl/resources).
Consequences of Academic Dishonesty:
Because of the nature of this class, academic dishonesty is taken very seriously. Students participating in academic dishonesty may be removed from the course and from the program.
10. ATTENDANCE POLICY
Even though you are not required to be logged in at any precise time or day, you are expected to login several times during each week. Because this class is being taught entirely in a technology-mediated forum, it is important to actively participate each week in the course. In a traditional classroom setting for a 3-credit course, students would be required, per the federal standards, to be in class three 50-minute sessions (or 2.5 hours a week) and prepare for class discussions six 50-minute sessions (or 5 hours) a week. Expect to devote at least nine 50-minute sessions (or 7.5 quality hours) a week to this course. A failure on the student’s part to actively participate in the life of the course may result in a reduction of the final grade.
11. INCOMPLETE POLICY
An Incomplete is a temporary grade assigned at the discretion of the faculty member. It is typically allowed in situations in which the student has satisfactorily completed major components of the course and has the ability to finish the remaining work without re-enrolling, but has encountered extenuating circumstances, such as illness, that prevent his or her doing so prior to the last day of class.
To request an incomplete, distance-learning students must first download a copy of the Incomplete Request Form. This document is located within the Shared folder of the Files tab in Populi. Secondly, students must fill in any necessary information directly within the PDF document. Lastly, students must send their form to their professor via email for approval. “Approval” should be understood as the professor responding to the student’s email in favor of granting the “Incomplete” status of the student.
Students receiving an Incomplete must submit the missing course work by the end of the sixth week following the semester in which they were enrolled. An incomplete grade (I) automatically turns into the grade of “F” if the course work is not completed.
Students who have completed little or no work are ineligible for an incomplete. Students who feel they are in danger of failing the course due to an inability to complete course assignments should withdraw from the course.
A “W” (Withdrawal) will appear on the student’s permanent record for any course dropped after the end of the first week of a semester to the end of the third week. A “WF” (Withdrawal/Fail) will appear on the student’s permanent record for any course dropped after the end of the third week of a semester and on or before the Friday before the last week of the semester.
12. ABOUT YOUR PROFESSOR
