RELG 203: Bible and Western Culture (Fall 2009) Syllabus Mr. Drew W. Billings, Ph.D.

3 Office: 021 Birks Bldg. 3$20 %ni&ersi'( )'ree' drew.billings@mail.mcgill.ca Office Ph ne: e! "12# Office * +rs: , 11:30-12:30

Teac in! "ssistants S ayna S ein#eld .sha(na.sheinfeld@mail.mcgill.ca/ Check WebCt for the TAs office location and hours 000)'+den's wh se las' name begins wi'h 1-P are ' c ns+l' 'he 23 )ha(na )heinfeld wi'h an( 4+es'i ns r c ncerns 'hr +gh email r d+ring her ffice h +rs. $%rdan &are'b% .5 rdan.6aremb @mail.mcgill.ca/ Check WebCt for the TAs office location and hours 000)'+den's wh se las' name begins wi'h 7-8 are ' c ns+l' 'he 23 9 rdan 8aremb wi'h an( 4+es'i ns r c ncerns 'hr +gh email r d+ring his ffice h +rs. )'+den's wh se las' name begins wi'h 3-, are ' c ns+l' 'he c +rse ins'r+c' r, Drew Billings, wi'h an( 4+es'i ns r c ncerns 'hr +gh email r d+ring his ffice h +rs. Class Ti'e: MW, 12:3$-1:2$ C%urse (escri)ti%n: One d es n ' ha&e ' l k hard in rder ' see 'ha' 'he Bible has :la(ed a :r minen' r le in 'he de&el :men' f Wes'ern ;+l'+re, infl+encing e&er('hing fr m 'he e& l+'i n f 'he <nglish lang+age ' m+sic, ar', and li'era'+re. 2he Bible has bec me a :ar' f 'he c+l'+ral re:er' ire, a c mm n mee'ing gr +nd ar +nd which iss+es f iden'i'(, meaning, and s cial : licies ha&e been crea'i&el( and, a' 'imes, c n'en'i +sl( neg 'ia'ed. 2he b5ec'i&e f 'his c +rse is ' in'r d+ce s'+den's ' 'h se :ar's f 'he Bible 'ha' are m s' fre4+en'l( em:l (ed while cri'icall( assessing 'heir c n'rib+'i ns ' Wes'ern ;+l'+re and c n'em:la'ing 'he reas ns f r 'heir c n'in+ed +se. Re*uired Te+ts: 1./ 3 Bible f ( +r ch ice .s+gges'ed 'ransla'i n: =ew >e&ised )'andard ?ersi n wi'h 3: cr(:ha@ h we&er, a free A=ew Bn'erna'i nal ?ersi nC is a&ailable nline a' www.Biblega'ewa(.c m/ 2./ 3ddi'i nal readings incl+de 5 +rnal ar'icles and ancien' 'e!'s 'ha' can be b'ained nline as described n 'he Asched+le f assignmen'sC :age. Gradin!: <ach s'+den'Ds final grade will be calc+la'ed as f ll ws: Obser&a'i n Pa:er 10E Mid'erm: 2$E >esearch Pa:er: 30E ,inal <!amina'i n: 3$E

Readin!s: )'+den's are e!:ec'ed ' ha&e 'he re4+ired reading finished :ri r ' 'he res:ec'i&e lec'+re. 3ll lec'+res will ass+me 'ha' 'he s'+den' has read 'he assigned reading and will fre4+en'l( in& l&e s'+den' disc+ssi nsFreflec'i ns n 'h se readings. ,bser-ati%n .a)er: 2he bser&a'i n :a:er is designed ' :r & ke s'+den'sD :erce:'i&i'( ' 'he :resence f 'he Bible in 'heir da(-' -da( li&es. 3 sh r' :a:er .2 :ages d +ble s:aced/ m+s' be handed in b( = & 2nd which describes an ins'ance 'his semes'er when ( + enc +n'ered 'he +se f biblical ma'erial .in 'he f rm f an en'ire s' r(, m 'if, charac'er, sa(ing, e'c./ in M n'real .whe'her 'hr +gh a '-shir', :ain'ing, m+sic, ad&er'isemen', e'c.@ al'h +gh, n ' in a religi +s se''ing/. 2he :a:er sh +ld disc+ss what Biblical ma'erial was in& ked, how i' was +sed, and why ( + 'hink i' was +sed. Bf : ssible, 'h +gh i'Ds n ' necessar( n r alwa(s a::licable, :lease incl+de a :ic'+re. 2r( ' ch se s me'hing 'ha' 'her classma'es w nD'@ riginali'( will be rewarded. /idter' E+a'inati%n: 2he Mid'erm <!amina'i n will be adminis'ered d+ring 'he sched+led lec'+re n Wednesda(, Oc' ber 21. B' will be c m:rised f a c mbina'i n f sh r' iden'ifica'i n 4+es'i ns and sh r' essa(s based n ma'erial fr m c +rse lec'+res and readings. M re inf rma'i n and a s'+d( g+ide f r 'he Mid'erm <!am will be :r &ided cl ser ' 'he da'e n Web;2. Researc .a)er: <ach s'+den' will wri'e ne research :a:er, a::r !ima'el( G-10 :ages .d +ble-s:aced ar +nd 2000-2$00 w rds/ in leng'h, n a ' :ic dealing wi'h 'he BibleDs +se in a :ar'ic+lar ins'ance f Wes'ern c+l'+re. Please c ns+l' Web;2 f r :'i nal research :a:er ' :ics andF r f r 'he g+ideline f r ch sing ( +r wn ' :ic. 2his assignmen' cann ' be d ne n 'he same ' :ic as 'he bser&a'i n :a:er. M+s' be '+rned in in class b( = &ember 30'h Final E+a'inati%n: 2he ,inal <!amina'i n will be adminis'ered acc rding ' 'he ,ac+l'( f >eligi +s )'+diesD ,inal <!amina'i n sched+le. 2he e!am will be c+m+la'i&e, and i' will be c m:rised f a c mbina'i n f l ng essa(s, sh r' essa(s, and iden'ifica'i n 4+es'i ns. M re inf rma'i n and a s'+d( g+ide f r 'he ,inal <!am will be :r &ided n Web;2. HH Bring 'he assigned :rimar( s +rces ' class, since 'he ins'r+c' r ma( refer ' 'hem d+ring lec'+re@ s'+den's /0ST alwa(s bring 'heir Bibles. HH Please feel free ' raise ( +r hand and ask 4+es'i ns d+ring lec'+re if a : in' is n ' clear. HH Ia'e w rk will be :enali6ed se&erel(. HH 2he ,inal <!ams m+s' be 'aken a' 'he sched+led 'ime, +nless 'he s'+den' 4+alifies f r a deferred r s+::lemen'al e!am .acc rding ' Mc1ill g+idelines/. HH Bn acc rd wi'h Mc1ill %ni&ersi'(Ds ;har'er f )'+den'sD >igh's, s'+den's in 'his c +rse ha&e 'he righ' ' s+bmi' in <nglish r in ,rench an( wri''en w rk 'ha' is '

be graded.
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Sc edule %# "ssi!n'ents
)e:'ember 2 Wednesda(: Bn'r d+c' r( Ma''ers )e:'ember " ,rida(: Wha' is 'he Bible and wha' is Wes'ern c+l'+reJ )e:'ember K M nda(: (Lab%r (ay1 Classes Canceled) )e:'ember # Wednesda(: Bn 'he Beginning >e4+ired >eading: 1enesis 1-2@ <n+ma <lish .in toto, 'e!' can be f +nd nline h''::FFwww.ancien''e!'s. rgFlibrar(Fmes : 'amianFen+ma.h'ml/ )e:'ember 11 ,rida(: Paradise I s' >e4+ired >eading: 1enesis 2-3@ <:ic f 1ilgamesh .in toto, 'e!' can be f +nd nline h''::FFwww.ancien''e!'s. rgFlibrar(Fmes : 'amianFgilgameshF/ )e:'ember 1" M nda(: ;+l'+re, *er es, and ;+rses >e4+ired >eading: 1enesis "-$ )e:'ember 1L Wednesda(: = ahDs 3rk and BabelDs 2 wer >e4+ired >eading: 1enesis L-11 )e:'ember 1G ,rida(: 3braham >e4+ired >eading: 1enesis 11:2K-2$:11 )e:'ember 21 M nda(: Bsaac and 'he Akedah >e4+ired >eading: 1enesis 22 )e:'ember 23 Wednesda(: 2he Iine f 9ac b >e4+ired >eading: 1enesis 2$-$0 )e:'ember 2$ ,rida(: <! d+s, :ar' 1: M ses and ;a:'i&i'( in <g(:' >e4+ired >eading: <! d+s 1-L )e:'ember 2G M nda(: <! d+s, :ar' 2: Iibera'i n and 'he <sca:e fr m <g(:' >e4+ired >eading: <! d+s K-1G )e:'ember 30 Wednesda(: 2he 2en ; mmandmen's >e4+ired >eading: <! d+s 1#-2"@ ; de f *amm+rabi .'e!' can be f +nd nline h''::FFwww.ancien''e!'s. rgFlibrar(Fmes : 'amianFhamm+rabi.h'ml/ Oc' ber 2 ,rida(: 2he 2abernacle and 'he 3rk f 'he ; &enan' >e4+ired >eading: <! d+s 2$-"0 Oc' ber $ M nda(: ;r ssing 'he 9 rdan >e4+ired >eading: 9 sh+a .in toto/@ > ber' 3llen Warri r, A;anaani'es, ; wb (s, and BndiansC in

Christianity and Crisis 49/12 .1#G#/ . nline 5 +rnal/. Oc' ber K Wednesda(: 9 sh+a ' 2 Mings: *is' r(, M('h, and Bde l g( Oc' ber # ,rida(: 2he <ra f 9+dges >e4+ired >eading: 9+dges .in toto/ Oc' ber 12 M nda( (T an2s!i-in!1 Classes Canceled) Oc' ber 1" Wednesda(: 2he <ra f Mings, :ar' 1- Da&id >e4+ired >eading: 1 )am+el 1L-31@ 2 )am+el 1-2"@ Psalm 132 Oc' ber 1L ,rida(: 2he <ra f Mings, :ar' 2- ) l m n >e4+ired >eading: 1 Mings 1-11@ Psalm G# Oc' ber 1# M nda(- 2he <ra f Mings, :ar' 3- 2he 1 d, 'he Bad, and 'he )l+''( >e4+ired >eading: 1 Mings 1L-22@ 2 Mings 22-23 Oc' ber 21 Wednesda( /idter' Oc' ber 23 ,rida(- 9 b and 'he Pr blem f <&il >e4+ired >eading: 9 b .in toto/ Oc' ber 2L M nda(- ) l m nDs 2ril g( >e4+ired >eading: Pr &erbs 1-"@ <cclesias'es 1-$@ ) ng f ) ngs 1-$ Oc' ber 2G Wednesda(- 2he 2hree BsaiahDs >e4+ired >eading: Bsaiah .in toto/ Oc' ber 30 ,rida(- <!ile and <cs'as(: <6ekiel >e4+ired >eading: <6ekiel .in toto/ = &ember 2 M nda(- <!ile and 3: cal(:se: Daniel >e4+ired >eading: Daniel .in toto/ ,bser-ati%n )a)er due333333 = &ember " Wednesda(- =ew Beginnings: Bn'r d+c'i n ' 'he =2 = &ember L ,rida(- Bir'h f 9es+s >e4+ired >eading: Ma''. 1-2@ 1 s:el f I+ke .in toto/ = &ember # M nda(- 2he Iife f 9es+s >e4+ired >eading: 1 s:el f Mark .in toto/@ = &ember 11 Wednesda(- >eel 9es+ses, :ar' 1 >e4+ired >eading: 1 s:el f Ma''hew .in toto/ = &ember 13 ,rida(- >eel 9es+ses, :ar' 2 >e4+ired >eading: 2he 1 s:el f 9 hn .in toto/

= &ember 1L M nda(- 2he las' )+::er fr m da ?ince ' da ) :ran s >e4+ired >eading: 9 hn 13-1K@ 1 ; rin'hians 10-11 = &ember 1G Wednesda(- Passi n f 'he ;hris' >e4+ired >eading: Ma''hew 2L-2G@ 9 hn 1G-21 = &ember 20 ,rida(- Mar'(rd m and 'he P li'ics f Meaning >e4+ired >eading: 3c's f 'he 3: s'les .in toto/ = &ember 23 M nda(- 2he Ie''ers and Iegac( f Pa+l 'he 3: s'le >e4+ired >eading: > mans .in ' ' /@ 1 ; rin'hians .in ' ' /@ 1ala'ians .in toto/ = &ember 2$ Wednesda(- )a'an, *ell, and Dem ns >e4+ired >eading: I+ke 1L:1#-31@ 9 b 1-2@ >e&ela'i n 12, 20@ Ma''hew ":1-11 = &ember 2K ,rida(- ;hris' and 3n'i-;hris' >e4+ired >eading: 1 and 2 2hessal nians .in toto/@ 1 and 2 9 hn .in toto/@ Mar( 3nn Bea&is, AN3ngels ;arr(ing )a&age Wea: ns:D %ses f 'he Bible in ; n'em: rar( * rr r ,ilms,C in 'he Journal of Reli ion and !il"# $/2 .Oc' 2003/ . nline 5 +rnal/ = &ember 30 M nda(- 3: cal(:se 2hen >e4+ired >eading: >e&ela'i n .in toto/ Researc )a)er due33333333 December 2 Wednesda(- 3: cal(:se = w >e4+ired >eading: 9 hn I(den, A2he 3: cal(:'ic ; sm l g( f )'ar WarsC in 'he Journal of Reli ion and !il"# 4/1 .3:ril 2000/ December 3 2h+rsda( (/a2e1u) day #%r l%st day %n T an2s!i-in!)1 >eca: and ; ncl+si n