East Texas Baptist University

Department of Religion RLGN 1320.03 Introduction to the Old Testament Fall 2013 SCRB 207 TR Monty Pierce, D.Min.

Office: 903.923.2180 (leave message with Mrs. Summers) Cell: 903.452.4719 Office Hours: TR – 11:00-12:00, other times by appointment Office SCRB 211 [email protected]

SYLLABUS

1. COURSE DESCRIPTION: an introduction to the background, history, literature, andreligion of the Hebrew people as revealed in the Old Testament and related literature. Special consideration will be given to the theological message of the Old Testament text.

2. COURSE TEXTBOOKS:

a. Bible (NASB or translation of your choice)

b. Tullock, John H. The Old Testament Story. 9th ed. Revised by Mark McEntire. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2012. ISBN: 978-0-205-09783-8

3. STUDENT LEARNING OBJECTIVES

a. The student will demonstrate familiarity with the historical, theological, literary, cultural, geographical, and social background of the Old Testament.

b. The student will display understanding of the chronological framework of the Old Testament

c. The student will exhibit comprehension of the content, purpose, themes, authorship, structure and message of each of the books of the Old Testament.

d. The student will demonstrate knowledge of the process of canonization and biblical criticism.

1 e. The student will be able to identify the major characters, locations, concepts and events in the Old Testament and the Ancient Near East. (Note: Special emphasis will be given to the chronological storyline of the Old Testament.)

4. The student will display understanding regarding principles of identity development and servant leadership within the Old Testament.

5. INTEGRATING FAITH AND LEARNING:

In this course, we will be studying the text of the Bible, as well as the context of the biblical world in which the people of the Bible lived and the text was produced. This study will acknowledge and appreciate the status of the biblical text as the theological reflection of a faith community and as the inspired word of God. Simultaneously, we will engage in thoughtful examination of the social, historical and cultural backgrounds, literary structure, and vocabulary of the biblical text. Recognizing the value and importance of all approaches to the study of the Bible, we will be engaging in the integration of faith and learning as we pursue the objective of comprehending the biblical message.

6. COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

a. Students should overview the pertinent biblical material and read the assigned pages in the textbooks prior to each class session.

b. Students will complete four unit tests and one comprehensive final. Each test will be final over the material covered to that date. Questions will come from the textbooks, the biblical material, class discussions and activities, and lectures. Each test is worth 100 points. Students who are absent on the scheduled test day due to a school-related activity must schedule to take the test early. A student who is absent due to what the professor determines to be an unavoidable emergency may be allowed to take the original examination. The professor reserves the privilege to deny a student the opportunity to take a make-up examination if the reason for missing the examination is unacceptable. No make- up exams can be taken after the last regular scheduled class before the final examination. Examinations missed and not rescheduled will be graded a "0." It is the student's responsibility to arrange

2 with the professor the taking of the makeup examination.

c. Make-up examinations will be given ONLY on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month. Dates for Fall: September 2 and 15; October 7 and 19; and November 4 and 18.

d. Make-up examinations will be given in SCRB 207 at 3:00 p.m.

e. Students must get approval from the professor(s) to take the make- up examination.

f. Professors will give Mrs. Debra Summers the examination with the student’s name written on it along with the date the student is to take the exam.

g. The scheduling of the make-up examinations are the responsibility of the professor, not Mrs. Debra Summers, for she cannot make the determination as to whether or not the student’s reason for missing the exam is approved by the professor.

h. Periodic quizzes on the chronological storyline of the OT will be given based on material discussed in class and handouts.

i. Concerning final examinations, please note the following:

i.i. The final examination will be Thursday, December 12 from 9:30-11::20.

i.ii. Please do not make any arrangements that conflict with this date and time. You will not be allowed to take the test other than at the time and date indicated, unless one of the following applies:

i.ii.1. Four scheduled exams on the same day i.ii.2. Serious personal illness i.ii.3. Death of an immediate family member

i.iii. For full information, please see REQUEST TO RESCHEDULE THE FINAL EXAM on the forms page of the ETBU website.

j. Students are asked to complete the on-line evaluation of the course. For completing the survey, five points will be added to the final test grade.

3 k. For the last week, students will complete one of two possible assignments:

k.i. a comparative essay relating to the principles of servant leadership. The assignment is as follows: please go to http://www.butler.edu/volunteer/resources/principles-of- servant-leadership/ and review the article concerning the ten principles of servant leadership. Then choose an Old Testament character and write an essay of no less than 750 words detailing how the Old Testament character did or did not exhibit each one of the ten principles of servant leadership. Then write an essay of no less than 250 words indicating how YOU do or do not exhibit each one of the ten principles of servant leadership.

OR

k.ii. Based on specific Old Testament texts, describe the characteristics of a leader. In your discussion you should quote specific texts from the Old Testament to support your conclusions. The essay should be between 750-1000 words (approximately 2-2.5 pages) A minimum of two sources is required (sources must be academic in nature and may not include the Internet, class notes, chapel or sermon notes or the Bible).

l. General Notes Regarding the Leadership Reflection Essay

l.i. Style for all essays is Turabian

l.ii. Word count does not include title, heading, footnotes or bibliography

l.iii. essays will be graded both on content and grammar.

l.iv. The due date for the essay is noted on the course outline.

l.v. A copy of the essay must be submitted through Turn It In prior to the beginning of class and a hardcopy of the essay should be turned-in at the beginning of class.

l.vi. The essay should not include long or numerous quotes. Citing

4 the biblical reference (i.e. Luke 4:18-19) is usually sufficient

l.vii. Depth is better than breadth

7. Policy of Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is one of the most important values maintained by East Texas Baptist University. Violations of academic policies are considered serious breaches of both personal integrity and ETBU's student code of conduct. Plagiarism is defined as the act of appropriating or giving out as one's own the literary or artistic work of another. Cheating is defined as falsifying work, copying the work of another person, allowing another to copy your work, and/or the use of unauthorized helps. Any student who is found guilty of breaking the University’s policy of academic integrity (i.e., cheating, plagiarism, etc.) forfeits any chance of receiving credit and has earned a F for the course. In addition, religion majors are expected to abide by the religion department academic honor code: (http://www.etbu.edu/academicPrograms/School_of_Christian_Studies/Reli gion/Honor_Code.htm).

8. Concerning Students with Disabilities

Students with a disability may request appropriate accommodations for this course by contacting the Office of Academic Success and Graduate Services, Marshall Hall, Suite 301, and providing the required documentation. If accommodations are approved by the Disability Accommodations Committee, the Advising Office will notify you and your professor of the approved accommodations. You must then discuss these accommodations with your professor.

9. COURSE ATTENDANCE, ABSENCES, PARTICIPATION, AND BEHAVIORS:

a. Students are expected to attend all class sessions. Please be in class and be on time . An automatic failing grade will be earned if the allowed percentage of absences set by East Texas Baptist University is exceeded. According to school policy, to be eligible to earn credit in a course, the student must attend at least 75% of all class meetings.

5 b. In accordance with the current ETBU policy, food and drinks are prohibited in classrooms. Water in approved containers is acceptable. Approved water containers include squeeze bottles with tops and hard plastic cups with a screw-on lid.

c. If a student chooses to withdraw from this course, he/she will continue to be considered as a member of the course (i.e., accumulating absences) until the student completes the appropriate withdrawal form, meets with the professor, and receives the professor’s permission to withdraw from the course. If a student exceeds the number of allowable absences prior to process noted above, he/she will have earned a “WF” for the course and will not be allowed to withdraw from the course. The last day to withdraw from this course without penalty is November 8, 2013.

d. Constant tardiness, as well as constant early departures, disrupts the class; therefore, in order to discourage such behavior, three (3) late arrivals or three (3) early departures will constitute one absence.

e. Please turn off all electronic equipment that makes a sound during class (e.g., cell phones, PDA alarms, and beepers). You are not to be seen using your cell phone for any purpose (calling, text messaging, etc.) and/or listing to an ipod or any other electronic devise that does not pertain to the day’s subject matter.

f. Laptop computers are allowed only to be used for classroom purposes. If you bring a laptop or IPad, please be prepared to use them as directed by the professor.

g. Please do not “play games” with others in the class (e.g., “Words with Friends,”etc.)

h. Please do not engage in private conversations to the exclusion of the others in the class.

i. Although I do understand that a state of sleepiness can attack anyone at anytime, especially in a classroom, please do not sleep.

j. Please do not spend class time working on assignments for another class.

6 k. Students are expected to complete the assigned readings and to be able to dialog with the professor and the class related to the assigned material.

10. COURSE GRADING:

The course grading will be as follows:

 Examination #1 15%  Examination #2 15%  Examination #3 15%  Examination #4 15% 10%  Final Examination 20%  Comparative Essay on Servant Leadership 10%  Chronology Quizzes 10%

Students who earn

 90% + earn an A  89%-80% earn a B  79%-70% earn a C  69%-60% earn a D  59% or less earn a F

11. TENTATIVE COURSE OUTLINE AND SCHEDULE

Date Topics Reading Assignments Aug Review Syllabus (reading in the Primary Text: 20 The Old Testament Story) 22 Geography, Historical setting Chapter 2 27 Development of OT, Overview of Chapter 1 Storyline, Intro to Genesis 29 Beginnings: Genesis’ Early pp. 37-47 stories Sept 3 Covenant and Patriarchs pp. 47-56 5 Joseph, slavery to Passover pp. 56-58 10 Moses, Exodus pp. 61-71 12 Examination 1 17 Wilderness, Law, Tabernacle pp. 72-93 19 Joshua and conquest of promised pp. 95-104

7 land 23 Period of Judges, pp. 104-116 26 Samuel, Saul pp. 117-133 Oct 1 Elijah, Elisha pp. 160-168 3 David, Solomon Pp. 128-143; 145-155 8 Examination 2 10 Fall Break 15 Divided kingdom, Assyrian Pp. 155-160; 168-172; conquest 17 Prophets Prior to Exile to Israel: Pp 273-278; 280-284 Amos, Hosea 22 Kings of the Southern Kingdom Chapter 8 24 Prophets to Judah prior to Exile, Pp. 177-181; Chapter 10; pp. Joel, Isaiah, Micah, Zephaniah, 234-252; 278-280; 286-288; Jeremiah, Habakkuk, 289-292 Lamentations 29 Prophets prior to Exile to others: Pp. 284-286; 288-289 Jonah, Nahum, Obadiah 31 Babylonian Conquest, Life and Pp. 187-199 culture in Babylon, Persian Empire Nov 5 Examination 3 7 Prophets during Exile: Daniel, Pp. 252-267 Ezekiel (11/8 last day to drop) 12 Ezra Nehemiah Pp. 199-205 14 Prophets after Exile: Haggai, Pp. 292-298 Zechariah, Malachi 19 Esther: Persian Queen; Ruth Pp. 335-343; 21 Wisdom lit: Proverbs, Job Pp. 300-317 26 Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Pp. 317-332; Psalms 28 Inter-biblical Period Chapter 14 Dec 3 The Continuing Story, Review Chapter 15 5 Unit 4 test Leadership Essay due 12 Final

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