Time Schedule:
Michael A Williams
RELIG 210
Seattle Campus
Basic ideas and motifs of Judaism: God, Covenant, Law, Life Cycle (birth, marriage, family life, sexual laws, role of women, death); Cycle of the Year (Sabbath, holidays, festivals); Holy Land, prayer, Messianism.
Class description
This course introduces the modern scholarly study of the New Testament and the socio-cultural milieu within the New Testament literature originated. Attention is given to significant Jewish and Greco-Roman traditions and institutions that were of importance in shaping the earliest Christian movements. The various writings in the New Testament are examined individually, with interest in such issues as: The relationship between the author and audience and the immediate historical context of the writing, if known; literary genre; intertextuality; key religious issues of concern in a given writing, and their relation to the diverse spectrum of developing early Christian thought, practice, and social formation.
Student learning goals
General method of instruction
Four lecture days, often illustrated with slides and/or select video, overheads, etc. The autumn enrollment for 220 currently tends to run about 200 students. Questions are welcomed and some discussion is possible in the lecture sessions. The class breaks down into six smaller sections for end-of-the-week section meetings led by graduate TAs. These are normally devoted to discussion and exercises intended to amplify and/or reinforce material covered in the lectures.
Recommended preparation
The course has no formal prerequisites. The course does include a quantity of new information and new concepts that many students often find challenging. Good study habits (including a commitment to careful reading of the textbooks) are very important.
Class assignments and grading
In the Autumn 2001 offering, the assignments were as follows (there may be some adjustment or revision of these for autumn 2002): 1. Written exercises for the first six weeks of the course. Each is evaluated on a credit/no credit basis, with points accumulated by successful credit on each item. A point score calculated from total points on all such exercises is then 10% of course grade. 2. Midterm exam 30% of course grade. The Mid-term and final exams usually consist of about half multiple choice and half essay questions. The course study guide provides samples of questions to be on the exams 3. A brief essay assignment, of about 4-5 pages. The specific content of the assignment has varied from year to year. 20% of course grade. 4. Final exam. 40% of course grade.
In the Autumn 2001 offering, the assignments were as follows (there may be some adjustment or revision of these for autumn 2002): 1. Written exercises for the first six weeks of the course. Each is evaluated on a credit/no credit basis, with points accumulated by successful credit on each item. A point score calculated from total points on all such exercises is then 10% of course grade. 2. Midterm exam 30% of course grade. The Mid-term and final exams usually consist of about half multiple choice and half essay questions. The course study guide provides samples of questions to be on the exams 3. A brief essay assignment, of about 4-5 pages. The specific content of the assignment has varied from year to year. 20% of course grade. 4. Final exam. 40% of course grade.
