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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: "RL 299"
COURSE NAME: "Special Topics in Religious Studies: The Bible and the Ku'ran"
SEMESTER & YEAR:
Spring Semester 2012
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SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR:
Roggema Barbara
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS:
TTH 16:00-17:15
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS:
45
CREDITS:
3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:
By appointment, preferably Tue/Thu at 17.15
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course is designed as a detailed introduction to the Scriptures of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, together with an analysis of their commonalities and differences. It will, first and foremost, explore the major themes, stories, and compositional structure of the Hebrew Bible (‘Old Testament’), the New Testament and the Qur’an through assigned reading and class discussions. The course will also look at the historical background of the books concerned; in particular the processes behind the canonization of the texts. Next it will investigate the role of these scriptures in the life of the religious communities, dealing with questions of hermeneutics and scriptural foundations of theology. Lastly the course will explore the ways in which Jews, Christians and Muslims have read each other’s Scriptures through the ages and exploited them for the confirmation of their own faiths.
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SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
The course explores the texts of the Bible and the Qur’an, discusses the historical background of their composition and canonization, and takes a detailed look at its major themes and best-known narratives. The course also explores the relationship between the the New Testament and the Hebrew Bible, as well as the relationship between the Qur’an and the Bible.
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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Students who have successfully completed the course will:
-- have been thoroughly introduced to the (a) historical background (b) structure, and (c) major themes of the Bible and the Qur’an.
-- have a thorough understanding of the historical relationship between these three Scriptures
-- be able to make sensible comparisons between various stories and themes in these Scriptures.
-- be able to understand the importance of scripture in the formation of Judaism, Christianity and Islam as religions.
--have improved their writing skills
-- have improved their critical reading skills
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TEXTBOOK:
| Book Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN number | Library Call Number | Comments | Format | Local Bookstore | Online Purchase |
| The Old Testament: A Very Short Introduction | M. Coogan | Oxford University Press | 978-0-19-530505-0 | | | | | |
| The New Testament: A Very Short Introduction | L.T. Johnson | Oxford University Press | 978-0-19-973570-9 | | | | | |
| The Koran: A Very Short Introduction | M. Cook | Oxford University Press | 978-0-19-285344-8 | | | | | |
| The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics) | M.A.S. Abdel Haleem | Oxford University Press | ISBN-10: 0199535957 | | | | | |
| The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha: New Revised Standard Version, College Edition | M. Coogan | Oxford University Press | ISBN 10: 0195289609 | | | | | |
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REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
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GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
| Assignment | Guidelines | Weight |
| midterm exam | midterm exam | 25% |
| class discussions | Class discussions on selected readings from the Bible and the Qur'an. | 25% |
| paper and presentation | Paper and presentation on one aspect of the Quranic portrayal of Jesus. | 25% |
| final exam | final exam | 25% |
-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
A-excellent
B-good
C-satisfactory
D-poor but passing
F-failing
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
Attendance is mandatory. A maximum of three classes may be missed, but any missed class beyond that will result in an F for the class discussions (25% of your grade).
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ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic
dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred.
In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment,
may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of
academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student
who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from
the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation
to the President, who will make the final decision.
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STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap.
Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning
of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
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SCHEDULE
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Class
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Date
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Subject
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Readings[1]
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1
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Jan 17
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Introduction
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2
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Jan 19
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Origin, structure, major themes of Hebrew Bible
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Coogan, Old Testament, Ch. 1-2
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3
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Jan 24
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Origin, structure, major themes of Hebrew Bible
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Coogan, Old Testament, Ch. 3-4
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4
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Jan 26
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Origin, structure, major themes of Hebrew Bible
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Coogan, Old Testament, Ch. 8, 9, 10, 11
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5
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Jan 31
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Genesis, Exodus
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Coogan, Bible
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6
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Feb 2
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Book of Job
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Coogan, Bible
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7
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Feb 7
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Book of Daniel
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Coogan, Bible
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8
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Feb 9
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Apocrypha
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Coogan, Bible
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9
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Feb 14
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The role of scripture in ancient and medieval Judaism
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Coogan, Old Testament, Ch. 6, 7, Coogan, Bible, 2208-2213
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10
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Feb 16
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Origin, structure, major themes of the New Testament
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Johnson, New Testament, Ch. 1-3
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11
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Feb 21
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Origin, structure, major themes of the New Testament
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Johnson, New Testament, Ch. 4-5, 10
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12
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Feb 23
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The Synoptic Gospels
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Johnson, New Testament, Ch. 6
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13+14
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Feb 24
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The Synoptic Gospels
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Coogan, Bible
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15
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Feb 28
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MIDTERM EXAM
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16
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Mar 1
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The Apocryphal Gospels
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Coogan, Bible
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17
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Mar 6
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Paul’s Letters
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Johnson, New Testament, Ch. 7
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18
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Mar 8
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Christian appropriation of the Hebrew Bible
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Coogan, Bible, 2204-2208
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19
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Mar 13
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The role of scripture in ancient and medieval Christianity
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Coogan, Bible, 2213-2221
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20
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Mar 15
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Origin, structure and major themes of the Qur’an
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Haleem, Qur’an, Introduction
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21
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Mar 27
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Origin, structure and major themes of the Qur’an
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Cook, The Koran
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22
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Mar 29
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The role of the Qur’an in Islamic theology, law, and daily life
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Cook, The Koran
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23+24
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Mar 30
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Qur’anic appropriation of the Bible. The examples of Abraham, Moses and Jesus
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EQ, ‘Moses’, ‘Ibrahim’, Leirvik, Images of Jesus Christ in Islam, Ch. 2
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25
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Apr 3
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Islamic views of the Bible
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selections from al-Tabari’s History
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26
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Apr 5
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Islamic views of the Bible
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selections from `Abd al-Jabbar’s Tathbit
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27
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Apr 10
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Christian views of the Qur’an
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selections from the Bahira Legend; the Letter of al-Kindi, Nicholas of Cusa’s Cribratio Alchorani
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28
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Apr 12
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Presentations
Take-home exam to be distributed. Due on Monday April 16
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Paper deadline
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[1] The readings listed here do not include occasional handouts and short reference materials. This list may be subject to small changes.
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