Philosophy and Religion 236-001
Introduction to the New Testament
Spring, 2010 - Tues./Thurs. 12:30-1:45 PM - Bear
261
Course Syllabus
Instructor:
Dr. George T. Zervos
Office: Bear Hall, Room 263
Office Hours: By Appointment
E-mail:
zervosg@uncw.edu
Textbook:
The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to
the Early Christian Writings,
by Bart D. Ehrman (New York: Oxford University Press, 4th edition, 2008)
Attendance: Required
Roll will be taken consistently to enhance personal
interaction between the instructor and the students and to reward students
with excellent attendance (No more than two absences for the semester). More
than two absences for the semester will have an incrementally detrimental
effect on final grades. Students who come to class late will NOT be
counted as present.
Grading:
Ten Point Grading System
Plus and Minus Will Be Employed
Blackboard Proficiency Required for the Course
20% - Exam #1 (Blackboard)
20% - Exam #2 (Blackboard)
20% - Exam #3 (Blackboard)
20% - Final Exam
20% - Blackboard Modules
The instructor reserves the right to add or deduct
up to 10 points from individual students' final grades
based on his perception of their academic attitude,*
i.e.,
their willingness to engage in the scholarly academic process.
Exams 1, 2, and 3 are objective and will be
conducted via
Blackboard (BB login
instructions -
TAC Support). It will be the responsibility
of each student to establish a link to the UNCW Blackboard Learning System
and to familiarize themselves with this online testing system. The Final
Exam will be a short essay and will be given in the Bear 261 classroom
during the scheduled time. There will be four learning modules accessible to students on Blackboard,
each of which will have an
accompanying Blackboard Assessment; cumulatively the modules will represent
20% of the final grade.
By the end of this course students should have:
-
knowledge about the
Christian New Testament and its formation and history from an
interdisciplinary perspective.
-
the ability to apply critical thinking in the analysis and
interpretation of major early Christian documents with respect to their
authorship,
date, provenance, sources and purpose.
-
knowledge about the
history, cultures, and peoples
mentioned in the New Testament, and an understanding of the early
history and documents of the Christian religion and its place in the
contemporary world.
-
a thorough comprehension of the difference between the academic, scientific,
historical-critical study of the New Testament as opposed to the
faith-based, confessional approach.
*The purpose of this course is to examine the
writings and history of early Christianity from the
Academic-Scientific-Historical-Critical Perspective. Students are expected
to approach this subject with an unbiased and non-confessional attitude.
Students will be required to learn the scholarly viewpoints presented in the
course, but not necessarily to accept them as their own. Please read the
disclaimer linked below carefully
before continuing with this course. Your continuation in this course implies
that you have read and accepted the principles stated in this disclaimer. If you
have any questions concerning this policy, please feel free to discuss your
concerns with the
instructor before the withdrawal deadline.
Disclaimer ---
UNCW Mission Statement ---
UNCW Honor
Code
This syllabus is a basic outline for this course
of study;
dates and assignments are subject to change as class discussion
develops during the semester;
Blackboard Modules and later links will be activated as the course progresses.
Some Helpful Links for this Course:
Five Gospel Parallels -
Bible Gateway -
Concordance -
New Testament Gateway
Society of Biblical Literature -
Links to Biblical Studies Web Pages
-
The Jesus Seminar
Early Church Texts -
The Journal of
Higher Criticism
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
If you have a disability and need reasonable
accommodation in this course, you should inform the instructor of this fact in
writing within the first week of class or as soon as possible. If you have not
already done so, you must register with the Office of Disability Services in
Westside Hall (962-3746) and obtain a copy of your Accommodation Letter. You
should then meet with the instructor to make mutually agreeable arrangements
based on the recommendations of the Accommodation Letter.
