12/21/2024 7:32:18 PM	HUMAN 10.2 Course Outline as of Fall 2008	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  HUMAN 10.2	Title:  EARLY CHRISTIAN LIT
Full Title:  Early Christian Literature
Last Reviewed:5/13/2019

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0		6 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	52.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly:  HUMAN 10B

Catalog Description:

An historical-critical study of the origins and early development of Christianity, by investigating the whole range of Christian texts from the first two centuries against the background of comparative Jewish and Greco-Roman literature and archaeology.  

Prerequisites/Corequisites:

Recommended Preparation:
Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

An historical-critical study of the origins and early development of Christianity, by investigating the whole range of Christian texts from the first two centuries against the background of comparative Jewish and Greco-Roman literature and archaeology  

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:
Recommended:Eligibility for ENGL 100 or ESL 100
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;UC.
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:
Area:	E	Humanities
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
	C2	Humanities		Fall 1981
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
	3B	Humanities		Fall 1981
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:
UC Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:
C-ID:

Certificate/Major Applicable: Major Applicable Course

COURSE CONTENT

Outcomes and Objectives:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:

1.  Account for the foreign and sometimes difficult structure of

   biblical narrative.

2.  Distinguish between the assumptions and hermeneutic techniques of

   traditional biblical exegesis and the methodology and conclusions of

   modern biblical criticism.

3.  Delineate critically and aesthetically the distinctive portraits of

   the life and teachings of Jesus in the Gospel accounts.

4.  Describe and explain the contribution of Paul to the growth of the

   early Church over and against the complex cultural background of the

   Hellenistic Roman world.

5.  Discuss the centrality of the contemporary quest of the historical

   Jesus in the development of modern biblical criticism.

6.  Describe the connection between Orthodox and Gnostic Christianity

   and the process of scriptural canonization.  

Topics and Scope

1.  Contrasting traditional and modern critical methods of interpretation

2.  The Greek conquest and Hellenism, its impact on Judaism, the Septuagint

3.  Antiochus IV and the Maccabean Revolt

4.  Daniel and the birth of apocalyptic eschatology

5.  The development of Roman dominance; occupation of Israel

6.  Source Criticism: the four-source theory of the synoptics, Q

7.  Form and redaction criticism and access to oral tradition

8.  Paul's life, missions and letters

9.  Johannine literature and theology

10.  Catholic and pastoral letters in the canon; letters of Clement and Ignatius

11.  Instruction and liturgical literature: Hebrews and the Didache

12.  Gnosticism and Gnostic-oriented Gospels: e.g. Mary, Thomas, Judas

13.  Christian apocalyptic literature: e. g. Revelation, Shepherd of Hermas.

14.  Women in early Christianity

15.  Institutionalization and canonization

16.  The history and current state of "The Quest for the Historical Jesus"  

Assignments:

1.  Regular reading assignments of 40-70 pages per week from course texts.

2.  Critical response essays of 2-3 pages which will interpret and

   evaluate biblical texts and integrate the observations of contemporary

   New Testament scholarship.

3.  One or more midterm examinations based on individual units, e.g. the

   Gospels and Pauline Literature.

4.  A final examination based on classroom lecture/discussion and the

   critical text book for the course.

5.  A research paper of 5-7 pages requiring the student to report and

   evaluate 3 or more scholarly interpretations of a biblical passage.  

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 25 - 70%
Reading reports and essays
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 10 - 25%
Analytical interpretations
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 10 - 25%
Class performances, performance exams, oral presentations
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 10 - 30%
Multiple choice, true/false, matching items, text analysis
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 0 - 5%
Class and participation

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

A Brief Introduction to the New Testament.  Ehrman, Bart.  Oxford University Press:  2004.

The New Testament:  A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings, 3rd Edition.  Ehrman, Bart.  Oxford University Press: 2004.

The Complete Gospels, 2nd Ed.  Miller, Robert J.  Polebridge Press:  1994.

The Cambridge History of Early Christian Literature.  Casiday, Augustine,  Young, Frances,  Ayres, Lewis and  Louth, Andrew.  Cambridge University Press: 2007.  

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