I. COURSE DESCRIPTION
A study of the literature of the
Jewish people from its roots in the Hebrew Bible to Modern times, with
special emphasis given to its influence on early Christian thought.
II. COURSE OBJECTIVES
At the end
of the course students should will:
1. Understand the basic precepts and practices of Judaism
2. Better understand how Judaism evolved from the Biblical
era to modern times.
3. Better understand how Judaism continues to impact
Christian thought and practice
III.
COURSE TEXT:
Dickson, Athol. The Gospel According to Moses: What my
Jewish friends taught me about Jesus. Grand Rapids:
Brazos Press, 2003.
IV. COURSE OUTLINE
V. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1. Class Participation 100 points
· A. Journal (75 points)
Each week for 10 weeks students will read a rabbinical selection from one of
the online journals selected below. In all students will read a minimum of
two articles from each of the sources. Students are free to select their own
order of rotation.
The Jewish Week: see the section “Sabbath Week” http://www.thejewishweek.com
The Jewish Journal: see the section “Torah, Torah, Torah" under columns http://www.jewishjournal.com
The Jerusalem Post: see the
section “Jewish World” http://www.jpost.com
Under this section read "Judaism".
The Jewish Press: see the section “Torah” http://thejewishpress.com
The Chicago Jewish News: see the section “Torah Portion” http://www.chicagojewishnews.com
Each week students will submit a brief (350 words) informal reflection on
some aspect of one of the assigned readings listed above that intrigued or
puzzled them. Reflections should briefly summarize the editorial and expand
on any possible implications.
Submissions will begin on September 23rd and will proceed over a ten-week
period ending on the last day of class. Students cannot submit more than one
submission a week and must post their reading on a list serve through
Yahoo.com no later than midnight CST
each Friday.
Grading will be based on a 3 point system: 1 point for below average, 2
points for average and 3 points for above average. An above average
submission will be exceptionally well written, it will clearly reflect
comprehension of the article and it will interact with the author. An average
submission will be well written and will reflect comprehension of the
article. A below average submission will be poorly written and show few
signs of comprehension or fall short of required length.
(75 points)
· B.
Sabbath service (25 points)
Students will attend a synagogue service on the date of their choosing. They
will write a one page reflection on their participation noting the day and
time of the service. PS. Remember it is not proper to bring a pen or any
other writing device with you.
2. Group Presentations: 50 points
Students will work in groups on a specific ritual of contemporary
Judaism. The groups will cover the biblical and rabbinic origins of the
practice, the historical and contemporary rituals and actions, and the
theological explanations associated with the actions. Students should
avail themselves of any relevant ritual objects or images necessary for their
presentation. .
The presentation is expected to last about minutes.
Each individual will submit a three to four page typewritten paper on the
work he/she prepared for the presentation. Papers are due on the day of the
presentation and must be signed by every person in the group.
The following is a list of topics to choose from. No more than one group
shall be assigned per topic.
Sacred Speech: Liturgy and Worship: November 3rd
Sacred Time: Shabbat and Days of Awe : November 3rd
Sacred Life: Sukkot: November 7th
Sacred
Life: Passover: November 7th
Sacred Act: Birth/Brit Milah : November 10th
Sacred
Act: Bar/ bat Mitzvah: November 10th
Sacred Reunion: Marriage and Divorce: November 14th
Sacred
Passage: Death: November 14th
3. Essay Paper: 100 points
Students will write a paper between 2500-3000 words on one of the following
topics:
· Anti-Semitism and the Church.
· The concept of "Torah" in Judaism.
· Original Sin in Jewish terms.
· Mitzvoth and Grace in Judaism
· The value of suffering in Jewish terms.
· The role of tradition among Conservative Orthodox and
Reform Judaism.
· The impact of Messianic hope in Judaism.
·
Palestine and the issue of
land for modern Jews
· The Continual Impact of the Holocaust on Jewish Faith.
· A Christian Response to Jewish Kabbalah.
The papers must conform to Turabian or MLA standards.
Due: November 28th, 2005
4. Mid-term Quiz: 50 points (October 20th)
Students will be given an objective style quiz based on the text-book and
class notes.
5. Readings: 50 points
In 4-5 pages students shall write a review of Dickson’s book, The Gospel
according to Moses. In particular students shall not no less than four items
of understanding of Judaism or Christianity that they have misread or not
understood in the past.
Due
September 26th, 2005
6. Final Quiz. 50 points
Students will be given an objective style quiz based on the text-book and
class notes.
VI. Policies
For a list of policies on late assignments, plagiarism and other issues see: http://randall.holm.prov.ca/policies.htm
For a week by week listing of my office hours please consult the bulletin
board outside my office.
.
|
