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ANES 201 Introduction to Ancient Near Eastern Studies Fall 2015 MWF 2:00–2:50 Pm, 250 MSRB Course Description

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ANES 201 Introduction to Ancient Near Eastern Studies Fall 2015 MWF 2:00–2:50 Pm, 250 MSRB Course Description Dr. Eric D. Huntsman Professor of Ancient Scripture 365-F JSB, ext. 2-3359, [email protected] Consultations: MW 3–3:50 a.m. (365-F JSB); F 1–1:50 a.m. (205 HRCB) TA: Brian Passantino, [email protected] ANES 201 Introduction to Ancient Near Eastern Studies Fall 2015 MWF 2:00–2:50 p.m., 250 MSRB Course Description: This course is designed to introduce new and potential majors to the Ancient Near Eastern Studies program. It will begin by providing a historical overview of the Ancient Near East and the Classical Mediterranean world. It will then introduce the languages and texts—particularly those that became the Hebrew Bible and Greek New Testament—while also providing a history of their interpretation, the field known as hermeneutics. Finally, it will introduce students to the profession by introducing specialty fields and discussing graduate school and employment opportunities. This Course at BYU: According to the university document “The Aims of a BYU Education,” your experience on campus and in this classroom should be spiritually strengthening, intellectually enlarging, character building, and lead to lifelong learning and service. Additionally, your instructor is committed to creating and maintaining a classroom environment that will foster respect and excitement about learning while being conducive to the expression of gospel principles. Students, too, have a responsibility in maintaining a positive classroom experience. Since so much of our time will be involved in class discussion, it is imperative that students be courteous and helpful to each other. They are also expected to practice academic honesty and all BYU standards (see “Course Requirements” below). Learning Outcomes Survey ANES history, culture, and major texts: Introduce students to the field of Ancient Near Eastern Studies, including the historical and geographical breadth from 3000 B.C.E down to 600 C.E., the development of the field of study, the major texts and their standard editions, research skills, major terms, and employment possibilities. Critical Thinking: Develop the capacity for informed, independent, critical thinking and be able to perform appropriate library and online research utilized in the professional study of 8/31/15 ANES 201 section 1 Fall 2015 Page 1 the ancient Near East. Analytical Writing: Be able to write exegetical and research papers that utilize approaches from the Social Sciences and Humanities and that integrate language and interpretive skills to analyze ancient Near Eastern topics. Intro to ANES Scholarship and Issues: Introduce students to the issues in the study of the Ancient Near East that have an impact on understanding the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, including a discussion on the challenges “believing” students face, LDS in particular. This will include a discussion of some of the ethical issues in current scholarship. Academics and Faith: Have considered and received affirmation concerning the relationship between academics and faith, and will have been encouraged to engage in a spiritually informed, lifelong pursuit of learning, scholarship, and service. Texts and other resources: The following required texts should be available in the Bookstore or students can order them through private booksellers: Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams. The Craft of Research. Third Edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2008. ISBN 978-0226065663. De Blois, Lukas, and R. J. Van der Spek. An Introduction to the Ancient World. New York: Routledge, 2008. ISBN 978-0415458276. Evans, Craig A. Fabricating Jesus: How Modern Scholars Distort the Gospels. Downers Grove, Illinois: 2006. ISBN 978-0830833559 Friedman, Richard Elliott. Who Wrote the Bible? New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1987; repr. 1997. ISBN 978-0060630355 The HarperCollins Study Bible. Student Edition: Fully Revised and Updated. Harold W. Attridge, general editor. News York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2006. ISBN 978-0060786847 Jasper, David. A Short Introduction to Hermeneutics. Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004. ISBN 978-0664227517. Magness, Jodi. The Archaeology of the Holy Land: From the Destruction of Solomon's Temple to the Muslim Conquest. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2012. ISBN 978-0521124133 The following texts are not required but are strongly recommended for majors and those who 8/31/15 ANES 201 section 1 Fall 2015 Page 2 plan to continue in the field: Alexander, Patrick H. The SBL Handbook of Style: For Ancient Near Eastern, Biblical, and Early Christian Studies. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson, 1999. ISBN 978-1565634879 Gorman, Michael J. Elements of Biblical Exegesis. Revised and Expanded Edition. Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson, 2009. ISBN 978-0801046407 The Jewish Annotated New Testament. Edited by Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Breller. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011. ISBN: 9780195297706 In addition to these texts, readings and other handouts will be posted on Learning Suite or will be available on electronic reserve: For electronic reserve, got to http://docutek.lib.byu.edu/eres/coursepass.aspx?cid=5323 and enter the password “Hun201.” Course requirements: The standard scale will be 930–1000 A, 900–929 A-, 880–899 B+, 830–879 B, 800–829 B-, u.s.w. Assignments are due when scheduled, and late work will not be accepted. Only in cases of extreme duress (in medical cases with a physician’s note) will the instructor make exceptions. Point distribution will be as follows: Reading quizzes (5 points each) 50 Take-home quizzes (50 points each) 100 Midterm examinations (200 points each) 400 Literature review 50 Exegetical paper 100 Research paper 200 Final examination 100 The reading quizzes will be short, in-class assessments from that day’s reading given periodically during the semester. There will be 2 examinations during the semester and a final exam. Identifications and short answers will comprise the beginning of each exam, while the bulk of the exams will consist of paragraph answers and essays that will require control of both the works read and the materials covered in class. Take-home quizzes will be distributed prior to the exams to serve as practice exams. Whereas the final will be taken in class (Thursday, December 18, 11:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m.), the midterms will be available in the testing center in order to allow more time for developing and writing the essays. Note the hours of the testing center and the schedule of the class in advance so that you can take each midterm. A literature review will help students jump-start their work on their research paper. An exegetical paper will provide students with the opportunity to try their hermeneutical skills on a passage of scripture. The final research paper will then allow 8/31/15 ANES 201 section 1 Fall 2015 Page 3 them to demonstrate research and critical writing skills. Students are responsible for the grades that they earn; if one needs a certain grade for academic reasons, then he or she should plan accordingly. There will be no extra credit. If students have disabilities that may impair their ability to complete this course successfully, they are encouraged to inform the instructor and to contact the Services for Students with Disabilities Office (422-2767) for additional assistance. Inappropriate Use Of Course Materials: All course materials (e.g., outlines, handouts, syllabi, exams, quizzes, PowerPoint presentations, lectures, audio and video recordings, etc.) are proprietary. Students are prohibited from posting or selling any such course materials without the express written permission of the professor teaching this course. To do so is a violation of the Brigham Young University Honor Code. Class Preparation: Readings for each day should be completed before class so that students are prepared to understand the lecture and participate in discussion. When readings are heavy, students should nonetheless do their best to get through the material, exercising judgement as to what sections can be skimmed and which require greater study. 10 unannounced reading quizzes will help students keep up with their reading and make sure that they are mastering the basics before coming to class. Each day’s lecture subject includes “topics” and “readings.” In many cases the topics listed will help students identify the most important points that they should look for in the readings. They can also serve as useful reviews before exams. Partial Reading Key BCW Booth, Colomb, and Williams, The Craft of Research. Coogan Michael D. Coogan, A Brief Introduction to the Old Testament. CRJ Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism. Hanks, ed. deBS deBlois and Van der Spek, An Introduction to the Ancient World. Evans Craig Evans, Fabricating Jesus. Friedman Richard Elliot Friedman, Who Wrote the Bible? HSCB The Harper Collins Study Bible JANT The Jewish Annotated New Testament Jasper David Jasper, A Short Introduction to Hermeneutics. JCWNT Holzapfel, Huntsman, and Wayment, Jesus Christ and the World of the New Testament. Magness Jodi Magness, The Archaeology of the Holy Land. Pratico Pratico and van Pelt, Basics of Biblical Hebrew. Wallace Wallace, Greek Grammar beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament 8/31/15 ANES 201 section 1 Fall 2015 Page 4 Course Schedule M31Aug Course Introduction. Topics: The ANES major, its two tracks, and their requirements. Students of the Ancient Near East (SANE). Course objectives and standards. Review of texts and basic resources. HISTORICAL OVERVIEW W02Sep Third Millennium. Topics: Egyptian and Mesopotamian origins. Early Bronze Age: Egyptian Old Kingdom; Sumer and Akkad. Reading: deBS, 1–19; Epic of Gilgamesh excerpt (handout online). F04Sep Second Millennium Topics: Middle Bronze Age. Egypt, Middle Kingdom and Second Intermediate Period. Old Assyrian and Babylonian Empires. Late Bronze Age and “The Concert of Powers.” Egypt, New Kingdom. Kassites. Mitanni. Hittite Empire. Minoan Crete and Mycenaean Greece. Reading: deBS, 20–32. M07Sep LABOR DAY. No class. W09Sep First Millennium. Topics: Iron Age. Egypt, Third Intermediate Period; Syria, Phoenicia, and “Israel.” Neo-Assyrian Empire. Neo-Babylonian Empire. Persian Empire.
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