1.  Course Description.  A graduate course in Biblical Studies at Missouri State emphasizes research in primary sources, the completion of a series of intensive writing assignments, and demonstration of oral presentation skills. Since issues courses are designed to provide extensive background on the professional aspects of the discipline, they require a great deal of independent work, and will press each student to exercise strict self-discipline. Senior undergraduates who have an excellent working knowledge of Biblical Studies and are good communicators (written and oral) may enroll with the permission of the instructor.
 

 2.  Purpose.  The purpose of this course is twofold: to familiarize each student with the methods of modern biblical research and to teach the student how to write critically and to sharpen oral presentation skills by discussing these methods of Biblical study.  This requires that every graduate student (1) learn how to use primary sources critically to reconstruct the past, (2) learn how to find secondary sources and use them critically, (3) learn how to put together a good writing assignment and make an articulate oral presentation, (4) learn how to critique the work of fellow students tactfully, fairly, and thoughtfully.
 

 3.  Requirements.  Each student will do all of the following.

      a. Attend all classes except in cases of emergency.

        b. Direct at least one oral discussion in class that includes your critique of theories presented in the
            required reading. See below for a list of topics for these discussions.

 

4.  Books Required.

 a. S. McKenzie and S. Haynes, To Each Its Own Meaning (Westminster/John Knox, 1999)

 b. D.A. Knight, Methods of Biblical Interpretation (Abingdon, 2004)
 

                

 

Electronic Resources:

 

Matthews' Biblical Research Tools:

 http://courses.missouristate.edu/vhm970f/TOOLS.htm

 

 

OT Gateway: http://www.otgateway.com/oldt.htm

NT Gateway: http://www.ntgateway.com/

Religion-online: http://www.religion-online.org/

Resource Page for Biblical Studies: http://www.torreys.org/bible/

Goodacre’s Biblical Resources Site: http://www.ntgateway.com/multibib.htm#about

Anglicans On-Line Resources: http://anglicansonline.org/resources/biblical.html

Postmodern Bible Dictionary: http://www.bible.gen.nz/dictionary.htm

Bible Maps: http://www.keyway.ca/htm2002/keyway07.htm

Bandstra’s Methods for Biblical Study: http://www.hope.edu/academic/religion/bandstra/RTOT/INTRO/BIB_9.HTM

Post-Nicene Church Fathers: http://www.ccel.org/fathers2/

Glossary of biblical interpretation: http://www-english.tamu.edu/pers/fac/myers/hermeneutical_lexicon.html
 

Linguistics Glossary: http://www.sil.org/linguistics/GlossaryOfLinguisticTerms/contents.htm
 

5.  Exams -- None.
 

6.  Grades.  The grade will be determined on the basis of the completed papers, your presentation in class, and your general participation in class discussion.
 

7.  Plagiarism.  Plagiarism is a literary theft, since it involves taking without permission the
ideas or words of another writer and passing them off as one's own.  While it is unlikely that any graduate student would plagiarize deliberately, it is possible to do it unconsciously.  To avoid this take great care in making notes while reading.  Always put copied words and phrases in quotation marks as you make notes.  If your notes always include the author, title and other details of the work quoted or paraphrased, then you can not commit plagiarism unconsciously.

Any student participating in any form of academic dishonesty will be subject to sanctions as described in the Student Academic Integrity Policies and Procedures (http://www.missouristate.edu/acadaff/AcademicIntegrity.html; also at the Reserve Desk in Meyer Library). Cheating and plagiarism, as defined in the Missouri State Student Judicial Code will not be tolerated in this course. Those who plagiarize the work of others will either be subject to a penalty of one letter grade on their written assignment or the imposition of an additional written assignment.

 

8.  Office Hours.  Students should always feel free to consult with me about anything related to the course or their graduate studies.  I expect to see you about your papers several times.  My office hours are 10-10:50 M-F and 6:00-6:30 pm Thursday. Call or talk to me in class about an appointment if you can not speak with me during these times. My office is in STRO 207 and my phone is 836-5529 and my email address is: VictorMatthews@missouristate.edu
 

9. Inclusive Language: In line with the newest style guides, I will be using inclusive language. This means that I will use language that includes both women and men. Instead of "man" I will use "human beings." Instead of "he" I will use "he or she," etc. (I urge you to follow my lead both orally and in your writing). Written papers must conform to style guide rules on inclusive language.
 

10. Disability Accommodation: To request accommodations for disability, students must contact Disability Services (http://www.missouristate.edu/disability), Plaster Student Union Suite 405, (417) 836-4192; TTY (417) 836-6792.  Students must provide documentation of disability to Disability Services prior to receiving accommodations.  DS refers some types of accommodation requests to the Learning Diagnostic Clinic (LDC). The LDC also provides diagnostic testing, for which a fee is charged.
 

11. Discrimination Policy: Missouri State is an equal opportunity employer/affirmative action institution, and maintains a grievance procedure incorporating due process available to any person who believes he or she has been discriminated against.  At all times, it is your right to address inquiries and concerns about possible discrimination to Jana Estergard, Equity and Diversity Officer, Siceluff Hall 296 (417-836-4252). Concerns about discrimination can also be brought directly to your instructor's attention, and to the attention of your instructor's department head.  The Missouri State statement of non-discrimination can be found at : http://www.missouristate.edu/equity. 
 

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

 

January 19:    Research tools and methodologies in biblical research. Overview
                       of the course objectives and how it fits into the Masters Program.

                       Refer to: Research Tools  for Hebrew Bible and NT:
                       http://courses.missouristate.edu/vhm970f/TOOLS.htm

                       Read: Knight 19-82
 

January 26:    Overview of Historical and Social Context of Biblical World

 

                        Read: Knight 1-18

 

February 2:    Pre-critical Methodologies

 

                        Read: Knight 83-111, 247- 273

 

                        History of Biblical Interpretation:
                              http://www.bibleinterp.com/articles/Interpretation.htm

 

February 9:    Class discussions begin. At least two topics will be discussed
                       each session.

                        Read Barton’s overview on Modern Biblical Criticism.

 

March 16:      First paper due. Each will be briefly discussed in class. Normal
                       class discussion during remaining time.

 

May 4:            Second paper due. Each will be briefly discussed in class.
                       Normal class discussion during remaining time.

 

Written Assignments:

Each student will write two short (8-10 pages) papers demonstrating familiarity with and facility in using the various forms of biblical criticism discussed in this course.

Paper topics may be drawn from either the Hebrew Bible or the New Testament. It is expected that they will deal with (1) an easily defined pericope within the text, (2) will graphically demonstrate your understanding of one or more of the forms of biblical criticism that we have evaluated, and (3) will contain full documentation within the body of the paper as well as a list of works cited. I would highly recommend the use of extra-biblical sources as appropriate. 

I have compiled a set of on-line bibliographies that students can use to begin their research. 

One deals specifically with issues of biblical criticism:

 http://courses.missouristate.edu/vhm970f/Bibcrit.htm


More general on-line bibliographies can be found at: http://courses.missouristate.edu/vhm970f/bib/bibliographies.htm. and at:

Annotated Old Testament Bibliography

http://www.denverseminary.edu/dj/articles2005/0100/0101.php#trans

  

New Testament Exegesis Bibliography

http://www.denverseminary.edu/dj/articles2005/0200/0201.php

  

Bibliographic Research in Biblical Studies

http://home.comcast.net/~rciampa/BibliographicResearch.htm

 

Please return all books and articles I loan you when you hand me the finished copy of your paper.

 

Class Discussion Sessions

 

During the first two weeks of the course, I will introduce a number of the basic tools employed by biblical scholars, an overview of ancient Israelite history, and a general introduction to the forms of biblical criticism that now serve as a foundation upon which more recent developments have been based.  I will also provide a general overview of the social and cultural context of the biblical world.

 

Once this is complete we will then operate as a discussion group with each student leading the discussion on at least one occasion.  During these discussions each of the methods of biblical criticism will be evaluated.  Of particular interest will be the critical issues they raise, how they relate to other current theories and scholarship, and their likely impact on future trends in the field. 

 

Discussion leaders must:

(1) submit a critique of the theories presented in the reading

(2) a list of questions for discussion that relate the methodology to specific passages in biblical text (Hebrew Bible and/or New Testament). 

(3) a select bibliography of sources that relate to the topic and will therefore prove helpful to the class.

 

Text Criticism	Knight 19-70; http://www.earlham.edu/~seidti/iam/interp_mss.html and http://www.skypoint.com/~waltzmn/
Historical-Critical Method	McKenzie 17-34; Knight 1-18; and Matthews “Writing a History”

Source Criticism

McKenzie 35-57; Knight 113-134; http://www.theology.edu/b725b.htm and http://homepage.ntlworld.com/rsposse/sourcrit.htm

Form Criticism

McKenzie 58-89; http://homepage.ntlworld.com/rsposse/critbasics.htm and Handout and Form Criticism. by Craig L. Blomberg. An article from the book Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (Downers Grove IL: InterVarsity Press, 1992).

Tradition Criticism

McKenzie 90-104; Knight ; and Handout and http://www.theology.edu/b725e.htm

Redaction Criticism

McKenzie 105-121; Knight 135-146; http://www.theology.edu/b725c.htm; http://homepage.ntlworld.com/rsposse/critbasics.htm and Redaction Criticism. by Grant R. Osborne. An article from the Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (Intervarsity Press, 1992).

Narrative Criticism

McKenzie 201-229; Knight 169-172; and Literary Criticism. by Edgar V. McKnight. An article from the Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels (Intervarsity Press, 1992).

Structuralist Criticism

McKenzie 183-200; Knight 201-208; http://www.bibleandscience.com/bible/criticism.htm

Deconstructive/Poststructuralist Criticism

McKenzie 253-267; Knight 155-168, 173-178; and D.B. Mathewson, "A Critical Binarism," JSOT 98 (2002), 3-29.

Canonical Criticism

McKenzie 142-155; Knight 215-220; and Gottwald on Canonical Criticism: http://theologytoday.ptsem.edu/oct1985/v42-3-article3.htm; and Canonical Criticism. by Gerald T. Sheppard. An article from the Anchor Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992) that discusses the post-critical hermeneutics of Brevard Childs.

Rhetorical Criticism

McKenzie 156-180; Knight 185-196; http://www.angelfire.com/md/mdmorrison/ot/rhetoric.htm; and  Rhetorical Criticism: History, Purpose, and Method. by Michael Morrison.

Social-Scientific Criticism

McKenzie 125-141; Knight 275-296, 395-405; http://www.trinity.unimelb.edu.au/~csdevos/SocSciBiblio/SSList.html http://www-relg-studies.scu.edu/facstaff/murphy/courses/exegesis/social-scientific.htm; Gottwald article: http://www.religion-online.org/showarticle.asp?title=1308

Reader-Response Criticism

McKenzie 230-252; Knight 179-184; http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/religious_studies/NTBib/reader.html

Feminist Criticism

McKenzie 268-282; Knight 335-340, 371-384; and Carol Meyers on "Roots of Restriction": http://home.apu.edu/~geraldwilson/Roots.html; and  http://theologytoday.ptsem.edu/jul1989/v46-2-article3.htm -  by Katherine D. Sakenfeld

Ideological Criticism

McKenzie 283-306; Knight 345-366; http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/religious_studies/NTBib/ideology.html; and http://www.neiu.edu/~edepartm/dep/profs/scherm/html/ideocrit.htm

 

The expectation for every student is that all assigned reading will have been done and mastered prior to class so that the learning atmosphere can be as lively and invigorating as possible.  If you have any questions about the reading, please contact me and we can set up an appointment to discuss them.

 

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