This course has at least three goals: to introduce the student to the Hebrew Bible (the Christian “Old Testament” “New Testament”) literature within its ancient setting, to examine major critical issues in the interpretation of that literature, and to provide the student with an opportunity to establish a dialogue with this sometimes obscure document and make comparisons to their own lives. More simply stated, the course is designed to assist the student who desires to read and to understand this ancient text. One important presupposition of your instructor is that critical understanding of the literature, history, and religion of ancient Israel is necessary for a fruitful dialogue between the Hebrew Bible and the Christian “New Testament” and its contemporary readers.

Class outcomes wherein the Students will:

1. Begin to see more clearly the image of God in themselves, others and all of creation, “God in all things”, as Jesus & St. Ignatius model for them.
   
2. Understand and apply Catholic methods for biblical interpretation, and evaluate a spectrum of truth from rationalistic to fundamentalist.
   
3. Identify major movements in Judeo-Christian history, and the origins of modern religious conflict.
4. Become agents of their own conscience formation and empower themselves and each other to address the challenges of modern culture.
5. Uncover their master story and see how it relates to the Jewish-Christian Master Story through autobiographical writing.
6. Recognize the powerful role us/them plays in the Holocaust and connect to their experience of us/them throughout the course.
7. Become agents of their own conscience formation and empower themselves and each other to address the challenges of our modern culture.
8. Develop tools for Ignatian discernment, critical thinking, and decision-making.
9. Experience the sacraments, prayer, and their ever-deepening connection with God.

Objectives

I. Historical objective: to understand the interrelationship between text and history. The text of the Hebrew Bible and Christian Scriptures is studied against its historical background with the understanding that it emerged from a particular context.
2. Literary objective: to appreciate the various literary genres found in the text of the Hebrew Bible and Christian Scriptures and to understand their function for interpretation.
3. Social objective: to be aware of the social issues relevant to the formation of the text and to relate them to contemporary events leading to action by the student.

Requirements
I. Reading: You are expected to have read the assigned material for each class meeting before coming to class that day. Careful, critical, and active reading will prepare you to engage in productive class discussions. Students are not expected to agree with the instructor or with one another, but all students are expected to apply the civil method taught in this course. All reading assignments are to be read in preparation for the class at which the material will be discussed (dates are given for every assignment read as well as written and are posted on your instructors web site).

II. Participation: The course is set up as a forum for discussion and interaction among us. It assumes a collaborative, participatory model of learning, whereby we all contribute to each other’s understanding of the material under consideration.
Evaluation of your participation will be based on the following criteria:

1. •Frequency and clarity of your oral contributions (i.e., are you making an effort to contribute to class discussions? Is it evident that you have prepared for class?).
2. •Knowledge of the reading material and your ability to grasp its central themes (i.e., how carefully and critically did you read?).
3. •Your ability to take an independent and reflective stance toward the ideas under discussion (i.e., are you willing to think creatively? Thinking critically?).
4. •The overall development of your power of oral expression during the course of the semester (i.e., do you demonstrate increased willingness and ability to contribute to class discussion through the course?).
5. •Having your books (text + Bible), notebook along with paper and writing stuff daily.
6. •Notebook consists of several parts (1) class notes + returned tests (2) Daily Journal and "Question of the Day" (QOD) entries(3) Random Graded Journals (4) Larger papers, projects, assignments.
7. •Results of “random” 3-question quizzes.
8. •Your once a semester “GOYB” paper response.1

III. Attendance at class sessions is essential for good performance in the course. You are responsible for all material presented in class as well as in the reading assignments, whether you are absent because of illness or a school related appointment. 3 question quizzes are given several times a week at the beginning of class. If you are on the absentee list because of an illness and it is an excused absence, there is no need to make up the quiz and no grade will be given; it will not count against your the overall class grade.
Exams, quizzes and papers given during an absence in which is deemed "unexcused" by the Dean of Students result in a grade of “0.” These unexcused absences for family trips, visiting colleges or for you to join your cult to attend “end-of-the-world” gatherings may not be made up. (Even if you do them in advance) A list of students who are unexcused is posted in the faculty work room. You know the school schedule. There are always consequences for personal choices.

VI. The Journal

1. Daily written assignments: In your notebook separate from the area you use to take class notes, you are asked to keep a journal as a response to the issues raised in class. Each journal entry is a response to study questions assigned or when no specific questions are raised, you will answer the question “What did I learn in Class Today”; each assignment is listed on the homework page. Your instructor may collect these entries unannounced at any time during a marking period. If you are absent on the day they are collected, you will be expected to turn in the entire journal--instead of the specific day's entry--the following class meeting when you return. Failure to turn the material in by the following class will result in zero credit. Please feel free to come to me for feedback on your journal responses even if I have not collected the one you are interested in discussing. I will collect the entire journal of study questions at the last class meeting. Your responses to the questions should be between one and two sides of a sheet of notebook paper. You should make your journal entry before coming to class because they will be discussed in class and if you are unprepared for this you will receive a grade of zero for participation that day. For the last day of classes, you are also to include an entry in which you reflect on how your thinking has changed/or has not changed on issues raised by this course.

The format for these daily entries is the following:
a.m.d.g.

Question of the Day Response (see below)
Your Name
Date
Topic:

(2) Random Journal Questions: occasionally during the semester you will also be responsible for a longer reflection. These entries must be typed and double spaced otherwise they will not be accepted. The assignments should be a minimum one page in length(unless specified), double-spaced (standard margins, 12 point font). The topic of these entries may be similar to your daily entries (i.e. some new insight or idea you gained as a result of our work together), and as such, you should use your daily entries as notes, or suggestions for what to write in your longer reflections as needed. As with your daily entries, these longer pieces should make reference to the dates and material we cover.
These longer entries, however, should be more reflective and discuss not only the idea or insight, but also the impact (if any) it has on you, and some of the major movements and events in your life.

 (3) QOD (Question of the Day) is also contained in this notebook before your daily journal entry. When the student enters the class room there will be a quote of the day on the screen. The student will open his/her notebook and write a response to that particular quote.
The format for the longer typed Journals is the following:

                  <centered>a.m.d.g.</centered>
                                                                        Your Name
                                                                        Class Period
                                                                        Date
                                             Journal #
Note Bene All of these entries are confidential, but you should only write in them what you feel comfortable having me read. By state law, I am a “mandatory reporter.”

V. Late Homework is never accepted. Assignments are due on the date listed for the assignment in class or by 3.30 pm on the date due. Any time later (3.31 pm) results = zero. These assignments may be emailed before 3.30 pm. (The email server time-stamps all incoming messages). A hard copy from the email must be turned in by the next class meeting for credit.  No excuses will be accepted for missing work. (printer didn’t work; internet connection was down, a meteor fell on my auntie, etc.). Plan ahead.

VI. Grades and Grading

(1) The following standards govern the grading of papers/essays in this class: (letter grade or numeric grade)

A (5) = Shows superior command of the primary literature, and the ability to use a consistent approach in interpreting the primary literature. Demonstrates a clear understanding of the major scholarly views or explanations of the words, phrases, verses, passages, and/or ideas raised by the subject under consideration, and the ability to describe and defend one’s own views of these matters. Uses flawless English grammar and rhetoric.
B (4) = Shows strong command of the primary and secondary literature, and some ability to form independent interpretive judgments. Uses flawless English grammar and rhetoric.
C (3)  = Shows some grasp of primary and secondary literature, and a general awareness of the central theoretical issues covered by the course, but shows little ability to form independent scholarly judgment. Serious English flaws in grammar and rhetoric and composition may lower an otherwise A or B paper to a C.
D (2) = Lacks coherence or significant awareness of the issues raised in the course and/or by the passage under consideration.
F (1) = Unacceptable work.

(2) Grade Standards (percentage) for report cards and objective tests:

  97.00 – 99.99  A+                 94.00 – 96.99   A                    90.00 - 93.99   A-
  87.00 - 89.99   B+                 84.00 - 86.99   B                    80.00 - 83.99   B-
  77.00 - 79.99   C+                 74.00 - 76.99   C                    70.00 - 73.99   C-
  67.00 - 69.99   D+                 64.00 - 66.99   D                   Below   60.00    F

(3) Category Percentages: (Subject to Change)

Chapter/Note Tests        15% 
Quizzes                           5% 
Homework/Projects        40% 
Mid-Term Grade            25% 
Final Exam                   15%

VII. Academic Honesty: Plagiarism and cheating constitute grave violations of the academic integrity policy of the Department of Religious Studies and the Prep. The policy of Religious Studies is that anyone who is found to have blatantly cheated or plagiarized on an assignment may fail the course and be referred the academic dean for further disciplinary action. Always document both direct quotations and other people’s ideas, whether from books, websites or other sources.

VIII. Autobiography
Throughout the course of the first semester you will be asked to write a rough draft of your autobiography drawn from the topic(s) we are covering in class at the time. You will be asked to write (and save) sections of this work and to turn in a corrected and completed version of your life story before the final exam in December. This work, with all the extras, will be returned to you the day we return to school at the beginning of the second semester.
As each section is completed and ready to turn in you will be asked from time to time, to share what you want from it with other members of this class.  Complete directions and suggestions for this is posted on the "Downloads" section of the RS 200 website.

IX. GOYB(Subject tp Change) - (Stands for “Get Off Your Butt”) is either a service experience, lecture attendance, movie or other ‘activity’ pre-approved by your teacher which takes the student a little out of their comfort zone to experience the message of the Gospel in some way.

X. Success
There is no secret to success in this class. Most of the objective requirements are listed above, but what is not listed is an appeal to your sense of wonder and your desire to move from being just a student getting grades to being a learner.

Contact:
paul hanley, m.a.
phanley@siprep.org
(415) 731-7500 x725

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I have read this syllabus and agree to abide by it.

 

 

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