SUMMER TERM (May 27 to August 10, 2002)WAYLAND BAPTIST UNIVERSITY, SAN ANTONIO
John M. Andrewartha, Ph.D., Instructor
Office: FSH: Bldg. 2248, Rm. 112; phone 270-9988
(Monday thru Friday: 9:00-12:00 & 1:00-4:00)
Email address:
jandrew@wbu.edu
Website:
http://satx.wbu.edu/john.andrewartha
Classroom cell-phone for
EMERGENCY DURING CLASS ONLY:
316-5462
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.
III. COURSE OBJECTIVES: As a result of this study, the student will be able to:
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 guide by the instructor.
V. COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
 | 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 |
65 % |
A = | 90-100 | |
| Class Participation |
10 % |
B = | 80-89 | |
| Research Report |
25 % |
C = | 70-79 | |
| D = | 60-69 | |||
| F = | below 60 |
| MAJOR EXAMS:
Two exams will be given, each complete over the assigned materials (65% of the
final grade). |
| 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 (10% of the final grade) |
| EXEGESIS: Each student will select a biblical passage, research and exegete the passage using at least 5 translations and at least 4 scholarly commentaries outside of the textbooks. The exegesis will be typed, single-spaced, in length appropriate to a thorough explanation of the text (25% of the final grade). |
BIBLICAL PASSAGES FOR EXEGESIS:
| Heb. 1:1-8 | James 1:1-12 | 1 Peter 1:13-25 | Revelation 1:9-20 |
| 2 :1-18 | 1:13-21 | 2:1-8 | 2:1-11 |
| 4:12-16 | 2:1-13 | 3:1-12 | 2:12-17 |
| 5:4-10 | 2:14-26 | 4:12-19 | 3:7-13 |
| 6:1-9 | 3:1-12 | 5:1-9 | 3:14-22 |
| 8:6-13 | 4:13-17 | 4:6-11 | |
| 10:19-25 | 5:13-20 | 2 Peter 1:3-11 | 21:1-27 |
| 11:1-6 | 1:19-21 | ||
| 13:1-9, 17 | 1 John 1:8-2:2; 3:4-9 | 3:3-10 | |
| 3:14-24 | |||
| 5:2-15 |
VI. 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.
|
WEEK |
DATES |
ASSIGNMENTS: ( In BIBLE and RELATED PASSAGES IN COMMENTARIES) |
| 1 | May 27 |
Heb. 1-4 |
| 2 | June 3 |
Heb. 5-13 |
| 3 | June 10 | James |
| 4 | June 17 | 1 & 2 Peter; Jude |
| 5 | June 24 | MID-TERM EXAM OVER HEBREWS, JAMES, PETER, and JUDE |
| 6 | July 1 | 1, 2, & 3 John |
| 7 | July 8 | Rev. 1-5 |
| 8 | July 15 | Rev. 6-10 |
| 9 | July 22 | Rev. 11-17 |
| 10 | July 29 | EXEGESIS REPORTS DUE; Rev. 18-22 |
| 11 | Aug. 5 | FINAL EXAM OVER JOHN & REV.; COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR EVALUATION |
Please do not call or come to the office to request your grades. University policy forbids us to give them out from the office. All students receive official grade notices by mail from the University.
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.
APPENDIX
The University has adopted an absence policy that applies in all cases in all classes, as follows:
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 for that 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. |
|
Wayland Baptist University Catalog, 2001-20001, pg. 77. |
| 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. |
| A student may petition the Academic Counsel for exceptions to the above stated policies. |
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.
ADDENDUM AND COMMENTS
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.NOTE THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN EXCUSED ABSENCE FROM ANY CLASS. 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. If your situation is special, discuss it with the instructor. He will make every effort to be reasonable and helpful.
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 one-third of the cost of delivering a course to you. Since we have to find the other two-thirds from the gifts and offerings of the Baptist people of Texas and friends of the university, we have twice the investment in you that you have in us. We want to see you succeed!
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. Leaving at break time means being absent for half the class. Two such half-absences equals one week of absence.
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).
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!
A LEARNER'S CREED
I am free to learn.
No one can make me, but it is my right.
I am responsible for my own education. I am in control.
Because learning so greatly affects my future, I will make it
a priority in my life.
Therefore, I will be a lifelong learner.
Nothing can stand in my way.
No one has the right to hinder my educational pursuit,
and I will respect the same right for others.
No longer are there excuses for not learning.
When I need assistance, my teacher will help me.
Problems I encounter along the way are only challenges to
overcome.
I will seek the truth, and the truth will set me free.
No longer will I say I can't, because I can!
I will remember that I am here for one reason--
I am here to learn!
