Storm
Hall 248 * Tuesday
4:00-6:40 p.m. * 3 credits
Personal Data
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Dr. Moore |
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4226
Adams Humanities |
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619-594-6252 |
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remoore@mail.sdsu.edu |
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http://222-rohan.sdsu.edu/~remoore |
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Office Hours
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MW 1-1:45
p.m. and Tuesdays 2:3-45 p.m. at 4226 Adams Humanities; and by appointment. I
am usually available before and after classes. Please knock if you see the
door closed; I may be inside. If you need accommodation due to disability,
please let me know. |
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Course Description
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This
graduate course examines voices, texts and traditions in early Christianity
that were eventually suppressed by an "orthodox" Christianity at
the Council of Nicea in 325 C.A. We will read gnostic gospels and texts,
pseudepigraphy ("fake writings" from key biblical figures), and
some of the weirder and wilder gospels that fail to make it into the New
Testament canon. We will see how politics and persuasion went into the
creation of the New Testament, and into the development of what eventually
became normative Christianity. |
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Goals of the Course
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What I
would like you to learn How
complex and diverse the history of early Christianity is How
contemporary methods of biblical scholarship offer insights into ancient
texts and truths What I
would like you to learn to do How to
use the vocabulary and methods of critical textual scholarship How to
think and write critically and coherently How to
write a scholarly exegetical paper |
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Texts
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Bible,
any translation (Oxford Study Bible recommended) Bart D.
Ehrman, Lost Christianities Elaine
Pagels, The Gnostic Gospels James M.
Robinson, ed. The Nag Hammadi Library Course
Reader available from copy shop |
Preliminary Schedule |
Please
come to class having completed the readings for that day. Always bring the appropriate texts. |
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25 Jan |
Introduction
to the subject of canon formation, orthodoxy, and heresy |
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1 Feb |
Read the
four canonical gospels (Mark, Matthew, Luke, John) and bring Bibles to class |
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8 Feb |
Ehrman:
Read all of Part One, "Forgeries and Discoveries" Reader:
Gospel of Peter, Secret Gospel of Mark, Acts of Paul and Thecla Paper Topics Assigned
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15 Feb |
Ehrman:
Chapter 5, "Polar Ends of the Spectrum" (Jewish Christianity) Reader:
Gospels of the Hebrews, Ebionites, and Nazoreanes, the Didache, Epistle of
Barnabas Library Orientation TBA
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22 Feb |
Ehrman:
Chapter 6, "Early Christian Gnosticism" Pagels:
Introduction Nag
Hammadi: Gospel of Thomas Annotated Bibliography Due
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1 Mar |
Pagels:
Chapter 1 Nag
Hammadi: Gospel of Mary, Apocalypse of Peter, Treatise on the Resurrection |
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8 Mar |
Pagels:
Chapter 2 Nag
Hammadi: Apocryphon of John (Secret Book of John), Gospel of Philip,
Hypostasis of the Archons, Valentinian texts Questions for Test # 1 Distributed
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15 Mar |
Test # 1 Due in Class
Instructions
given regarding presentations and papers |
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22 March |
Pagels:
Chapter 3 Nag
Hammadi: Apocalypse of Adam, Trimorphic Protennoia, Thunder-Perfect Mind,
Dialogue of the Savior, Paraphrase of Shem |
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28 Mar |
Spring Break, No Class
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5 Apr |
Pagels:
Chapter 4 Nag
Hammadi: Second Treatise of Great Seth, Acts of John, Secret Book of James,
Second Apocalypse of James Reader:
Martyrdom of Polycarp, Martyrdom of Blandina One-page Abstract of Paper Due, or two
pages of draft paper
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12 April |
Pagels:
Chapter 5 Nag
Hammadi: Testimony of Truth, Interpretation of Knowledge, Tripartite Tractate |
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19 Apr |
Pagels:
Chapter 6 Nag
Hammadi: Gospel of Truth, Teachings of Silvanus, Thomas the Contender,
Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth, Allogenes |
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26 Apr |
Pagels:
Conclusion; Ehrman: Chapter 7 Reader:
Letters of Ignatius of Antioch Preliminary draft of paper due
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3 May |
Ehrman:
Chapters 8, 9, 10 Nag
Hammadi: Apocalypse of Peter Reader:
Infancy Gospel of Thomas |
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10 May |
Ehrman:
Chapter 11 Nag
Hammadi: Acts of Peter Final Paper due
Questions
for Test # 2 distributed |
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17 May |
Test # 2 due in AH 4226 by 5:00 p.m. NO
EXCEPTIONS!
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Grading
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Exegetical
Paper (graded in stages) |
40 |
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Presentation
of Research to Class |
15 |
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Two
take-home essay exams, 20 points each |
40 |
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Participation |
5 |
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Total |
100 |
The
following percentage grading scale will be used:
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87-89 =
B+ |
77-79 =
C+ |
67-69 =
D+ |
59 or
less = F |
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95-100 =
A |
84-86 = B |
74-76 = C |
64-66 = D |
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90-94 =
A- |
80-83 =
B- |
70-73 =
C- |
60-63 =
D- |
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To calculate your
standing in the class at any time, simply take the number of points currently
available, divide this figure into the number of points you have earned, and
look at the percentage chart above to see what your grade is.
Grading Criteria (from
2004-2005 General Catalog, p. 429)
Grade of A = outstanding achievement; available only for the
highest accomplishment
Grade of B = praiseworthy performance, definitely above
average
Grade of C = average; awarded for satisfactory performance;
the most common undergraduate grade
Grade of D = minimally passing; less than the typical
undergraduate achievement
Grade of F = failing
1. I
will no longer accept any papers via email. They must be submitted directly to me in hard copy.
2. You
have exactly one week (seven days) to take a missed exam or to turn in a paper
late. Regardless of
the reason for being late, you have an unfair advantage over students who
complete the work on time, or take the test in the appointed hour, therefore
you will be docked 10% points for late papers and exams. If you fail to talk
with me or to make other arrangements regarding make-up work within one week,
then you will receive a zero on the assignment. No exceptions!
3. Academic
Honesty: If I
suspect you of cheating on a test, or of presenting a paper as your own which
you have not written, I will confront you with my suspicions and ask you to
provide documentary evidence that either you have not cheated (e.g. you provide
a complete set of notes) or that the paper is your own (e.g. a rough draft,
evidence of original work, notes.) If you are caught cheating--by which I mean
if I find similar material on the Internet--you will receive a zero on the
assignment, with no opportunity to do make-up work. Please read the guidelines
on academic honesty, and the consequences of cheating by looking at my website,
http://www-rohan.sdsu.edu/~remoore/honesty.html. If I decide it¹s not worth the
hassle, I will simply turn over your paper and evidence of my own suspicions to
the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities, and let them deal with the
issue.
4. Please,
PLEASE do not come
to see me the day after the final exam to cry about what kind of grade you need
because of a) car insurance; b) academic probation; c) frat house rental
agreement; d) sports qualification; or any other reason that I have not heard
before (the above-mentioned have been used). The time to see me about your
grades is during the course of the semester. I am happy to discuss your standing in the course at
any time. I am happy to go over drafts of papers, explain grades on tests, and
help you improve in the course. I am not happy to hear why you need such and
such a grade when it is too late for you to do anything about it.