Rhetoric and Religious Studies
Dr. Mark Given
Welcome to the online home of REL 580. The Requirements and Schedule are
accessed by clicking on the buttons above. This "virtual"
syllabus—not the printed copy—is your "real" syllabus for this
class.
Goals
In this course you will:
1) be introduced to elementary ancient Greco-Roman rhetorical and contemporary socio-rhetorical criticisms
using examples of their application to New Testament texts;
2) be introduced to rhetorical and political criticism in and of the field of religious studies.
3) apply the rhetorical knowledge and skills acquired through this
introduction to the religious subject matter of your choice in a major
seminar paper.
Rhetoric has made a strong
come-back in the modern university in communications, philosophy, English,
religious studies and elsewhere. Historically, the writings of
the early church are among the foundation documents of Western civilization,
and they have been enormously persuasive to many people in various
cultures and societies for two millennia. The last thirty years or so
have witnessed a renewed awareness that the discourse of the NT often
exhibits classic Greco-Roman rhetorical features.
Also, as religious studies majors, you
should become familiar with the emerging rhetorical and political critique of the
field itself.
The Methods
This course will achieve its goals by "classical," modern, and
postmodern theories and methods. In the first part of the course, you will learn
some elementary ancient rhetorical theory, study some examples of how it
has been applied to NT texts, and apply it yourselves in exercises.
In the second part, you will learn to use a type of socio-rhetorical
criticism that is mostly "modernist" in its use of literary, historical,
and sociological approaches, but is also informed by postmodern perspectives.
In the third part of the course, you will read and critique the rhetoric of
religious studies, as well as particular
applications of rhetorical and political criticism to the discipline.
Office Hours
My office is Strong Hall 266. Hours: MWF 10:00-10:50 AM and MF 2:00 PM. Appointments are also possible.
My email address is markgiven@missouristate.edu. I encourage you to email me with questions,
comments, etc., if you cannot come by during office hours. Just put your name,
course, and section on the subject line (e.g., Squarepants, SpongeBob REL
580) and I’ll be sure to read your mail first.
The Fine Print
1) Academic honesty is
expected of all Missouri State students (see Academic
Integrity Policies and Procedures). In my course,
cheating on any assignment besides the final exam will result in an F for that
assignment and usually cannot be made up. Cheating on the final exam will result
in an XF. 2) Nondiscrimination
is practiced at Missouri State and Missouri State is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative
Action employer (see EOAA
Summary Statement). 3) Disability Accommodation
is available at Missouri State (DSS).
Inform me during the first week of class
if you have a documented learning disability. 4) As you've probably heard before, converting you to any particular
confessional or non-confessional position is not a goal of a religious studies course
at a state university. In a 1963 decision, the supreme court
encouraged the study of religion in an academic environment. This is consistent with a
goal common to most universities of studying all significant aspects of human experience
in a sympathetic and responsible, yet thoughtful and critical, manner. Religion is a very
significant aspect of human experience and rhetoric is at the very heart
of religion. 5)
Some minor aspects of this syllabus are subject to change with notice.
