RLGN 5324—GENERAL EPISTLES AND
REVELATION
WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY ,
SAN ANTONIO
Summer Term (May 28-August 6, 2007)
Mondays, 6:00-10:00
pm , 11550 I.H. 35 N., Rm. 102
John M. Andrewartha, Ph.D., Instructor
30540
Bulverde Hills Dr. , Bulverde , TX 78163
Email Address: jmandrew@gvtc.com Website: http://satx.wbu.edu/john.andrewartha
I. COURSE DESCRIPTION: An exegetical analysis of the
epistles of Hebrews, James, Peter, John, Jude, and the Revelation. RLGN 1301 and 1302 are prerequisites.
II. TEXTBOOKS: : The New
Testament (any modern study version); the Tyndale New Testament
Commentaries on these epistles; Clouse, ed. The Meaning
of the Millennium; and Spilsbury, The Throne, the Lamb &
the Dragon.
III. COURSE OBJECTIVES: As a result of this study, the student will
be able to:
1. Discuss
the dates, authorship, source, destination, and general purpose of each epistle
2. Show
familiarity with the outline and general contents of each epistle
3. Demonstrate
general acquaintance with the theological content and interpretation of each
epistle
4. Discuss
the varying theories of the interpretation of the Revelation
5. Demonstrate
familiarity with the biblical teachings regarding the Resurrection and the
Parousia
These
outcome competencies will be demonstrated by scores of 60 percent or more.
IV. CLASS PROCEDURE: The major class activities will
be exegesis of the biblical material, informed by student outside reading of
the assigned commentaries, with lecture and discussion guided by the
instructor. The class will meet for
four hours each Monday for eleven weeks, including Memorial Day and Independence Day.
V. COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
1. Class
attendance according to the policies of the current WBU catalog (see Appendix)
2. Reading
3. Reading
of parallel passages in the assigned commentaries
4. Active,
informed participation in class discussion
5. Two
major exams as indicated below
6. Written
exegesis of biblical passage selected from list below
- Two Book Reports as
indicated below
VI. GRADING: Students
will be graded on their knowledge of the contents of the epistles as
demonstrated by their performance on major tests, along with their class
participation demonstrated by attendance and informed participation in class
discussion, and on the quality of their written exegesis.
EVALUATION: WBU GRADING SCALE:
|
Major Exams |
50 % |
|
A = |
90-100 |
|
Research Report |
30 % |
|
B = |
80-89 |
|
Class Participation |
5 % |
|
C = |
70-79 |
|
Book Reports |
5 % |
|
D= |
60-69 |
|
Assigned |
10% |
|
F = |
Below 60 |
|
Oral Reports |
Extra Credit to 5% |
|
|
|
1. MAJOR EXAMS: Two exams will be given, each complete over
the assigned materials (55% of the final grade).
2. CLASS
PARTICIPATION: Each student will read the
commentary and text materials assigned for each class and bring to the class
discussion insights gained therefrom.
Comparisons and contrasts will be examined, and each student will
determine his/her own interpretation of the biblical texts (5% of the final
grade)
- BOOK REPORTS:
Each
student will present a précis
of The Meaning of the Millennium that will demonstrate
her/his understanding of the major premises of each view, their supporting
ideas, and the opposing ideas presented in the book. Each student will also present a critique of The
Throne, the Lamb & the Dragon which will demonstrate his/her
understanding of the approach Spilsbury takes to the Revelation and an
evaluation of the value of his approach and the insights he derives from
it. The written reports will be typed, single spaced. (5% of the final grade.)
4.
EXEGESIS: Each
student will select a biblical passage, research and exegete the passage. (35%
of the grade)
BIBLICAL PASSAGES FOR EXEGESIS:
Hebrews
1:1-14 James 1:1-12 1 Peter 1:13-25 2 Peter 1:3-11 Revelation 1:9-20
2:1-18 1:13 -21 2:1-10 1:19 -21; 3:3-10
2:12 -17
5:4-10 2:14-26 3:1-7 3:7-13
6:1-9 3:1-12 4:12 -19 1 John 1:8-2:2; 3:4-10 3:14 -22
8:6-13 4:13-17 5:1-10 3:14 -24 4:1-11
10:19-25 5:13-20 5:1-12
20:1-15
11:1-6 21:1-27
13:1-9, 17
General
information about the project: The project must be at
least 15 pages (not including Title
page and Bibliography), and not more than 25
pages, in length, typed and double-spaced.
At least 15 authoritative, scholarly books, commentaries,
and/or articles must be used and cited in the notes and bibliography. No
more than 3 Internet articles may be used.
The Turabian (
Academic
dishonesty, such as having someone
else write your reports, cheating on tests, or plagiarism, will not be
tolerated. Plagiarism (the use of the words
or ideas of others without giving credit, thus silently pretending they are
your own) is intellectual theft, will result in no credit for the report, and
is grounds for more severe penalties, up to and including dismissal from the
university.
5. CLASS
ASSIGNMENTS: Students are expected to have
read the text materials prior to the class meeting dates assigned for
discussion and to be prepared to enter into meaningful discussion of the topics
covered.
|
DATES: |
ASSIGNMENTS: (in Bible and Related Passages in Commentaries} |
|
May 30 |
Heb. 1-4 |
|
June 6 |
Heb. 5-13 |
|
June 13 |
James |
|
June 20 |
1 & 2 Peter, Jude |
|
June 27 |
MID-TERM EXAM Over Hebrews, James, Peter, &
Jude; Outline of Exegesis due |
|
July 4 |
1, 2, & 3 John |
|
July 11 |
Rev. 1-5; Grad Students: PRECIS DUE on The Meaning of the Millennium |
|
July 18 |
Rev. 6-10; Draft of Exegesis Reports due; Grad Students: CRITIQUE
DUE on The Throne, the Lamb & the Dragon;
|
|
July 25 |
Rev. 11-17 |
|
Aug. 1 |
Rev. 18-22; EXEGESIS REPORTS DUE; Grad Students Oral Reports given |
|
Aug. 8 |
FINAL EXAM Over John 1, 2, 3 & Rev.; Course
& Instructor Evaluation |
APPENDIX:
|
This
syllabus is only a plan, not a contract.
Though there is no current expectation to do so, the instructor may
modify the plan during the course. The
requirements for the course, assignments, their due dates, criteria for
measuring |
|
student
progress and performance, and other aspects of the syllabus may be changed by
the |
|
Instructor
if, in his professional judgment, it becomes necessary. |
|
|
|
It is university
policy that no otherwise qualified disabled person be excluded from
participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination
under any educational program or activity in the university. |
|
|
|
Any student
who needs special arrangements to meet the course requirements should inform
the Instructor |
|
immediately
upon entering the course. |
Class
Attendance—External Campuses:
·
Students enrolled
at one of the University’s external campuses should make every effort to attend
all class meetings. All absences must be
explained to the satisfaction of the instructor, who will then determine
whether the omitted work may be made up.
When a student reaches that number of absences considered by the
instructor to be excessive, the instructor will so advise the student and file
an Unsatisfactory Progress Report with the campus dean. Any
student who misses 25 percent or more of the regularly scheduled class meetings
will receive a grade of F in the course.
Additional attendance policies for each course, as defined by the
instructor in the course syllabus, are considered a part of the University’s
attendance policy.
·
For every week of
absence, a student’s final grade may be lowered by one letter grade.
·
If an instructor
fails to appear or fails to send notification of his arrival within the first
ten minutes of a class period, students may leave without incurring an
absence. (If I am not in class at
·
Please
do not call me to tell me you will not
be in class unless you will be absent two or more weeks.
·
A student may
petition the Academic Counsel for exceptions to the above stated policies.
Addendum and Comments
1. Please do not assume that you can miss almost 25% of the class meetings with
no penalty at all. Very few students can
be absent that much and still pass the course.
Almost inevitably, students who miss class perform less well than they
expect, and their grades are lower.
2. NOTE THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN “EXCUSED” ABSENCE from class. The
reason for your absence does not matter.
Even if it is unavoidable and beyond your control, if you are not in class, you are
absent. If you are obviously
ill, especially if your illness may be contagious, please stay home until you
have recovered. Anyone who is ill 25% of
the time probably needs to drop the course and rest to get well.
3. The philosophy behind this policy is twofold: we believe that attendance in
class indicates that you are serious about getting a quality education, and
that such attendance greatly increases your chances to succeed. On the other hand, tuition covers only about three-fourths of the cost of delivering a
course to you. Since we have to find the
other fourth from the gifts and offerings of the Baptist people of
4. So there will be no doubt, 3 weeks of a course lasting 11 weeks is more
than 25%, and attendance in a class means being present from the time it is called to order until it is dismissed by
the instructor. Being tardy means arriving after the class has been called to
order. Leaving before class is
dismissed counts as a “tardy” also.
Three tardies equal one absence. Leaving at break time means being absent
for half the class. Two
half-absences equal one week of absence. Exactly 2.75 weeks is 25% of the course. Two absences and a tardy is 2.66 weeks—all you can afford to miss!
Principles That Apply in This Class
(and Most Others):
This is a University. It will be harder and require more commitment
of time and effort from you than high school, technical school, or most
community colleges. We are a Christian University. That doesn’t mean we require less; it means
we expect more. The average university
course expects you to put in two hours
of outside work—homework, study, research, writing projects, etc.—for every hour of class time. A class that meets four hours a week thus
will require about eight additional hours of preparation time—a total of twelve
hours a week! If you cannot give this
much time, you probably won’t do well in the course.
We will do everything
academically and ethically permissible to help you reach the standards of
excellence we set, but the ultimate responsibility is yours. We cannot, must not, lower the standards for
someone’s “special circumstances.” That
would reduce the value of a university education for everyone.
Decide upfront that you are
here to get an education, not just a
diploma, and that you will do whatever
it takes to succeed.
Come to class prepared to learn and
participate. Have your assigned
readings, papers, etc. done before class begins. Listen,
read, and take notes. A short pencil
will beat a long memory every time!
Focus your thoughts, not just on the facts, but on what the facts
mean. Grasp the “Big Picture,” and the facts will be more easily
remembered. Learn and understand the concepts, not just memorize
the facts. The details will change,
or you can look them up.
Class attendance is expected, encouraged, and
greatly desired. Students who miss class
always have a more difficult time with the material and fare less well than
they would otherwise (see Appendix Comments).
Please
keep in mind that this
is a Christian institution. We endeavor
to hold high standards of character, conduct, and appearance. Therefore, please dress appropriately for class and remove hats and caps
when entering the room. This will show
your respect for the school, the course, the instructor, and the other students
in the class as well. To avoid
disturbing the class, turn off all cell
phones, pagers, and PDA timers. If
you absolutely must be on call, place
your cell phone on silent ring/vibrator, and if you receive an emergency call, please
go out to the Student Lounge before answering.
At any time you have a question, ASK IT. The only dumb question is the one you have
but don’t ask. We are all ignorant about
something. Being ignorant is no shame; staying
ignorant is!
Like every other class, this
is a course in communicating—orally
and in writing. Your arguments need to
be logical, make sense, and be clearly understandable. Most of us use language loosely in everyday
life. Theology (and other subjects) uses
language very precisely. Learn to speak (and thus to think) with
precision. Make the dictionary one
of your best friends.
The course content you learn
in most courses will probably be obsolete by the time you graduate, if it is
not already! The real value of a college education is in the discipline,
dedication, and commitment you gain; in learning how to learn and keep on
learning; in finding out how to find out what you need to know when you need to
know it (we call that “research”); in learning how to read and listen
critically and with understanding; and in practicing and perfecting your
“people skills,” cooperating and getting along with others. These are some of the skills people expect of
a college graduate, and they will help you in whatever career or endeavor you
choose to enter!
Thank you!