The Bible as Literature: The New Testament

104b (Spring 2016) Assignments

Occasionally you will be given an unannounced quiz at the beginning of class.

Quizzes will cover reading for that class and ideas from the previous week.
Quizzes, encourage you to do the reading and come to class on time. They also help you to learn and help me to evaluate your understanding.

Note-Taking forms for each lecture are available to download from the Moodle Website.
Print them out and bring them to class to fill in during the lecture.
These study sheets are intended to help with understanding the lectures and to prepare for quizzes and exams.
A 22-page packet including several handouts and all the note-taking forms can be downloaded from the Moodle or right here in pdf format.

4-6 people per group
6-8 minutes per presentation
Each group is responsible for 2 or 3 presentations during one class. (Divide your group so that 2-3 people work on each presentation).
Read the chapters related to your presentation. Help your classmates to understand the story stories being told and/or the story behind the section you are responsible for.
Discuss the themes and ideas in your section. Tell how it can relate to our lives today. If possible, tell how ideas from your section have been used in other literature, music, art, movies, popular sayings, etc.
Bring up related verses in other parts of the New Testament (or even Old Testament), such as the same story in another Gospel or another place the refers to similar ideas.
Feel free to use the Internet for research, but be very careful about the sources you use. Tell the perspective of the sources you use, for example which religious group the information comes from, or if it’s from a scholarly source.
Use presentation software to make your presentation (such as PowerPoint or Prezi) and give me the file or link to the presentation. This will be put on the class moodle.
Your purpose is to inform and interest your classmates with meaningful information that helps them to better understand the New Testament and the literature we talk about in class.

Presentation Critiques

Each presentation will be critiqued by another group.
Each group or four or more should hand in two critiques by the end of class, so divide your group in half. Every two or three people will fill in one critique form.
Make sure you check the time carefully, and make a thoughtful evaluation of the presenting group.
Click here for the critique form.

The life of Jesus Christ and the early church has inspired and continues to inspire limitless works of creative interpretation, such as paintings, sculpture, songs, music, movies, literature, cartoons, comics, and messages in churches.
Choose one of these and describe it thoroughly, then explain how this work interprets Jesus Christ. What aspects of his character or teachings does this work focus on? What is left out?

Make sure you clearly identify the art/literature/music piece, etc. Give name of author/artist/writer/speaker, date. If you write about a part or a larger work, then make clear which parts you are writing about.
If possible, include a relevant picture or lyrics as an appendix (after your paper).

Refer to specific passages from the Gospels to support your ideas.
Do not use Internet sources or outside references in your paper. You should cite Gospel passages and the creative work you describe, but nothing else. Do NOT copy from the Internet.
Consider some of the following questions to help you get started.

Which Gospel's version of Jesus does this work fit with best? Why?
What ideas about Jesus does this work represent and which ideas does this not communicate?
Does this work depict a specific Gospel passage? Which one and how?
Does the work emphasize Jesus' humanity more or his divinity? How and in which ways?
What do you think the creator of this work wants people to think or feel about Jesus? Or what questions about Jesus does this work bring up?
What does this work make you feel or think about Jesus?

Use only the book title, chapter, and verse(s) in the text. You can abbreviate book names. John=Jn, Matthew=Mt, etc.

At the end of your paper, you can tell which Bible version you used and write out the complete reference. (or simply note that all bible references in this paper come from the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible or The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV), etc.

Choose one question or problem that is addressed in Acts and/or the letters. Describe the question or problem, and tell how it is dealt with.

This can be a question/problem people were facing at that time or a question/problem related to people’s lives nowadays.

We have talked about the first big question (whether Gentile converts to Christianity must follow Jewish rules) so don’t choose this one. We have also talked about the question of death of believers before Jesus’ return from 1 Thessalonians.
You absolutely, MUST not copy from the Internet. It is best to discover the ideas on your own. If you do use the Internet, you must cite your sources properly using MLA format.
Be clear about the context and all passages (verses) you refer to directly or indirectly.
Explain the question or problem, tell who is involved and how it is dealt with. Do not repeat what we have done in class.

For both midterm and final, you will need to know important characters and events. You will also be given passages, and you must explain the context and significance.
The midterm will focus on the gospels, especially how each one is unique.
The final will focus on the early church, especially problems and questions related to its growth, and different ways the ideas of Jesus are reinterpreted.

Teaching Website for 2015-2016 School Year (Academic Year 104)