CLAREMONT SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY Course of Study 2010
June 28-July 6; 1:30-4:30 pm
Dr. Susan Slusher Bell
Contact: e-mail: sbell@cst.edu
Course Description
The books of the Bible were written or preserved orally over a period of 2,000 years. Many different writings were considered sacred by various communities until the cannon was established and agreed upon. The development of the texts and ideas within the texts will be considered. The modern means of viewing the Bible by Critical Analysis will be presented. The major findings from three centuries of Biblical Criticism will be discussed (i.e. the Synoptic Problem).
Exegesis and the art of preaching will be presented and discussed, with students given the chance to exercise new skills informed by class information and discussion. The basics of the theology of John Wesley and Christian biblical theology will be presented to guide students in their preaching and teaching.
Course Objectives:
- To explore the role of the pastor as interpreter of the Bible in the church context.
- To understand how the Biblical cannon was formed.
- To understand the methods of Biblical criticism.
- To develop basic exegetical skills and written preaching techniques.
- To survey the main concepts presented in the Bible.
- To form a community at CST of students and faculty who live as the disciples of Jesus Christ.
Required Textbooks:
What They Don’t Tell You: A Survivor’s Guide to Biblical Studies,
Michael Joseph Brown. ISBN: 0-664-22220x
The Bible: The Book that Bridges the Millennia Part 1: Origins & Formation,
Maxine Clarke Beach, ISBN: X933523
The Bible Makes Sense, Walter Brueggemann. ISBN: 0-664-22495-4.
SCM Study guide To Biblical Hermeneutics, David A. Holgate and Rachel Starr.
ISBN: 0-334-04004-3
A Critical Introduction to the New Testament, Carl R. Holladay ISBN: 0-687-08569-1
Suggested texts:
The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha NRSV
John Wesley’s Theology Today: A study of Wesleyan tradition in the Light of Current
Theological Dialogue, Colin W. Williams. ISBN 0-687-20531-X.
God Sense: Reading the Bible for Preaching, Paul Scott Wilson
The River of God, Gregory Riley
Can These Bones Live? Kevass J. Harding ISBN: 978-0-687-33557-2
How to prepare your Homework and Class Papers
- Prepare your work with the Class No.:111, your name and the instructor’s name on the first page top. Number all pages. Begin each numbered item on a new sheet of paper without writing out the question. Make sure that your papers meet the length criteria for each item of written work.
- Type your work, unless you have no computer available to you. At Claremont School of Theology the computer lab will be accessible to you at all times. Double space your work. Use 12-point type, either Times New Roman or Arial font.
- When quoting from a book, a journal, a teacher, a website, or another student, quotations marks must surround the quote with a source noted including the page number of the book or journal preferably in a footnote or in parentheses following the quotation. If you reference books that are not on the reading list for this class, then you must include a Bibliography.
- Make a copy of your work and bring it with you for your own use during the Course of Study.
Homework: Before coming to Claremont:
The date for turning in the following homework assignments is June 21 (a week ahead of arriving at Claremont). You may send these by email (sbell@cst.edu), or by post office mail (Susan Bell, 1325 N. College Ave., Claremont, CA 91711). The homework will be accepted on the first day of class for a reduced grade.
- Read The Bible: The Book that Bridges the Millennia.
- Find the dates for the following events in the reading of The Bible: The Book that Bridges the Millennia or from another reliable source and then place them on the timeline that is found later in this syllabus. Events: a. Life of King David, b. Northern Kingdom of Israel taken into exile, c. Sothern Kingdom of Judah taken into exile and the first temple destroyed, d. King Josiah’s renewal and discovery of the Deuteronomic writing, e. Reading of “the Book of the Law” (Torah) by Ezra in Jerusalem, f. Essences arise, begin writing the Dead Sea Scrolls,
g. Dead Sea Scrolls discovered in a cave near Qumran, h. Destruction of the second Jerusalem Temple, i. Septuagint (Old Testament in Greek) translated into Greek from Hebrew, j. Birth of Jesus, k. Council of Jamnia, l. Gospel of Mark written, m. Gospels of Matthew and Luke written, n. Gospel of John written, o. Epistles of Paul written, p. Marcion challenges the use of the Old Testament by Christians, q. Athanasius writes the first list of the 27 books of the New Testament, r. Council of Nicaea, s. Council of Constantinople,
t. Cannon ratified by the Council of Trent, u. Gutenberg Bible produced (printing press first used for printing the Bible). The completed timeline is due on the first day of class.
- Paper: Explain what the words “sacred,” “canon,” and “inspired” mean after reading The Bible: The Book that Bridges the Millennia. (1 ½ pages)
- Fill out the maps found later in this syllabus with the following locations.
The Old Testament Map: a. Sea of Chinnereth, b. Salt Sea (Sea of Arabah), c. Bethel,
d. Hazor, e. Jerusalem, f. Schechem, g. Hebron, h. Shiloh, i. Samaria, j. Mount Carmel,
k. Plain of Megiddo, l. Beersheba
The New Testament Map: a. Bethsaida, b. Sea of Galilee (Sea of Tiberias, Lake of Gennersaret), c. Capurnaum, d. Nazareth, e. Cana, f. Jerusalem, g. Bethlehem, h. Dead Sea, i. Jericho, j. Emmaus, k. Qumran, l. Decapolis, m. Bethany
- Read Chapter 3, “Tools for Exegesis,” Chapter 7 “Our Goal- Life-Affirming Interpretations” and pages 140-146 of SCM Study Guide to Biblical Hermeneutics.
- Paper: Compare the Lord’s Prayer found in Luke 11:2-4 and Matthew 6:9-13. What differences do you find in Luke and Matthew’s versions of the prayer? Using Tradition criticism: Do you see any theological differences in the material added in Matthew? Can you understand how one church might use one version of the Lord’s Prayer that became standard for that church’s tradition in the saying the prayer?
Using Textual Criticism: Distinguish between the footnotes. Look not for notes that show modern authors’ opinions on the meaning of the text or differences in translation, but for the small letters in the text that show the differences in manuscripts. What variants between different manuscripts of Luke 22:2-4 do you find by looking at the notes of this passages (small alphetical letters in the text lead to the notes at the bottom of the page, if you have no notes find another bible that does - New Revised Standard Edition is suggested)? These letters tell us that different manuscripts use different words or add/omit words in their versions of these texts. Sometimes the footnotes actually say ‘Other ancient authorities add/ omit…” What variants do you find in different manuscripts of Mathew 6:9-13? In both Luke and Matthew do you see any reason for the different variants? Which variants do you find to be the better reading of these texts? (1 ½ -3 pages)
- Read The Bible Makes Sense
- Paper: Write a summary of the author’s main ideas in Chapters 5, 7, and 8. (1/2 – 1 pages per chapter).
Homework Summary: You will have the following items to be turn in before you arrive at Claremont: a Biblical timeline, two maps (Old and New Testament), and 3 papers. Your homework is to be mailed by June 21 (a week ahead of arriving at Claremont) or any date before June 21. You may send these by email (sbell@cst.edu), or by post office mail (Susan Bell, 1325 N. College Ave., Claremont, CA 91711).
Course Work while at CST
All work must be completed before leaving CST. Grading will be on the basis of 90% - 100% A; 80%-89% B; 70%-79% - C; etc.
Presence and participation: Students must be present for every class session for all of the three hours. Full participation of the students in group projects and class discussion is expected.
Papers to be completed:
Papers should be typed and double spaced. Computers are available in the CST Library’s computer lab. Good grammar and sentence structure is expected. You must produce your own work. When you use an author’s ideas in your work, make sure to footnote that use. Do not compose a paper of quotes of other individuals. This type of paper gives no understanding of your own creative process and your ability to write and think.
Reports
1. Each student will be assigned several of “the rules of thumb” found in Brown’s book, What They Don’t Tell You, to explain and comment upon during the class sessions. A short period at the beginning of class will be given for each oral presentation.
2. A group of 3 students will make an exegetical assessment of one of the following scriptures: Deut. 6:20-24; Isaiah 1:16-17; Jer. 31:31-34; Mark 10:17-22; I Peter 2:9-10; Rom. 8:9-11.
Assigned Reading and Discussion
Chapters from books will be placed on Electronic Reserves. These are to be read in preparation for discussion on particular days of class.
SCHEDULE FOR PAPERS/REPORTS during class time:
Group Class Report
Due: Wednesday June 30
Length: 15-20 minute
Content: The group participants will divide the exegetical questions into three subject matters (i.e. Historical Exegesis, Moral Exegesis, and Theological Exegesis) with each participant assuming responsibility for a section of the Exegesis. Each group of three will be given 15-20 minutes of class time to orally present their Exegesis. Each student will also present their own theme sentence for a sermon they will write. This sermon will use their group’s exegetical work.
Sermon Using the Group’s Text
Due: Friday, July 2
Length: 4-5 pages
Content: Using your group’s exegesis, each student will write a sermon from the group’s text and the theme sentence written.
Second Paper
Due: Tuesday, July 6
Length: 3-4 Pages
Content: Compare the healing of the multitudes in the three Synoptic Gospels: Matthew 12:15-21; Mark 3:7-12; Luke 6:17-19.
Compare wording, placement, content, and style. Take what you have learned about these three Gospels and apply it to these three passages to explain the likenesses and differences in these texts.
BIBLICAL/HISTORICAL TIME LINE
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1,500 BCE 1,000 750 500 250 0
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0 100 CE(AD) 200 300 500 750 1,000
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1,500 2,000