Professor: Deeana Klepper
|
Professor Klepper's Office Hours:
|
Course Description Texts Course Requirements Assignments |
Schedule: January February March April |
Course
Description: In this introduction to Christianity,we
will examine the nature of Christianity and Christian self-understanding in
its multifaceted world context. After a brief orientation to the framework of
Christian history, the course will proceed thematically, exploring a range of
beliefs and practices in theological, social, cultural, and historical contexts.
In examining any given theme, we will range widely over time and space, considering
a variety of approaches to each subject from within Roman Catholic, Eastern
Orthodox, Protestant, and dissenting traditions. The course does not presume
a familiarity with Christianity in any of its manifestations, and students with
a personal background in one Christian tradition will be encouraged to expand
their understanding of the religion from a variety of perspectives.
Required Texts:
Sandra Frankiel, Christianity
New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocrypha
Saint Augustine, Confessions
Shusaku Endo, Silence
Also: selected internet documents, linked to the syllabus.
Students are expected to bring reading materials to class on the day(s) they are assigned.
Course Requirements: Students are expected to attend all lectures (Mondays and Wednesdays) and participate in weekly discussion (Fridays). Out of respect for fellow students as well as the professor, please be on time! Each week's reading is to be completed by Friday. In addition to the readings, there will be four films to view over the course of the semester. You are to view each film before that week's Friday session. There will be one scheduled viewing of each film (on Tuesday night of the week it is assigned); films will be held on reserve at the Geddes Language Center for individual viewing at your convenience from the Friday before we are to discuss the film. The films are also available at most video rental stores. Written work for the class will consist of brief responses to the readings posted on line, one five- to seven-page paper based upon observation of a Christian worship service, a midterm exam, and a scheduled final exam. The grading for the course will be as follows: 20% for class participation, 20% for the paper, 20% for the midterm and 40% for the final. The class participation grade will be based on attendance, thoughtfulness of discussion postings (including evidence of having read the relevant texts), participation in class discussion, and the level of your preparedness and involvement in the course.
If you know you will be unable to attend class due to illness or an emergency, you should make every effort to alert me in advance (or to let me know of the circumstances of your absence as soon as possible) by e-mail or voice mail. More than three unexcused absences during the semester will result in a lowered overall grade in addition to an unsatisfactory class participation grade.
Churches for Worship Observation from Harvard's Pluralism Project Christianity Page
Special Note: Christianity by Sandra Frankiel is a very short introduction to Christianity. I recommend that you read it once through cover to cover at the beginning of the semester, and then use the page numbers indicated below to review sections relevant to that week's topic.
Schedule:
Reading: Bible: Genesis Chapters 1-2 and 17; Daniel Chapters 9-12; Frankiel, 6-39
Reading: Bible: Gospel According to Mark; Frankiel, 39-56
Web Documents: The Christian Canon; St. Augustine, excerpt from "On Christian Doctrine"; Chicago Statement on Biblical Inerrancy; excerpt from John Shelby Spong, Rescuing the Bible from Fundamentalism: A Bishop Rethinks the Meaning of Scripture [CourseInfo]
Reading: Frankiel, 83-89; William Ellery Channing, Unitarian Christianity sections 1-3
Web Documents: The Apostles' Creed; The Nicene Creed
Reading: Frankiel,69-83; Bible: Acts of the Apostles Chapters 1-5; St. Augustine, Confessions, Books 1-5
FILM: THE APOSTLE
6:30 pm 2/14: Geddes Language Center, CAS Room 530
The Apostle Viewing Guide
(click here to read an interview with Robert Duvall about the film)
Reading: Frankiel, 57-69
Web Document: Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom; The Annotated Eucharist (Episcopal); Thomas Whittemore (1800-1861), "Celebration of the Lord's Supper"
2/24 MIDTERM EXAM
Reading: Genesis 3; Frankiel, 58-61; St. Augustine, Confessions, Books 6-10; William Ellery Channing, Unitarian Christianity sections 4-5
FILM: DEAD MAN WALKING
6:30 pm 2/28: Geddes Language Center, CAS Room 530
Dead Man Walking Viewing Guide
Reading: Bible: Book of Revelation
Web Document: Jehova's Witnesses on apocalypse, "Does God Really Care About Us?" part 8, part 9, part 10, part 11
Web Document: The Martyrdom of Saints Perpetua and Felicity ; Thomas à Kempis, Imitation of Christ
FILM: JESUS OF MONTREAL
6:30 pm 3/21: Geddes Language Center, CAS Room 530
Jesus of Montreal Viewing GuideBEGIN WORKING ON THE WORSHIP ASSIGNMENT
Reading: Frankiel, 61-65
Web Document: Irenaeus, Against the Heresies; Martin Luther, Freedom of a Christian; The Book of Mormon, A Brief Explanation of The Book of Mormon; title page and the Book of Moroni
Web Document: Julian of Norwich, Showings; Dr. Burton Throckmorton, Why the Inclusive Language Lectionary?
FILM: BABETTE'S FEAST
6:30 pm 4/4: Geddes Language Center, CAS Room 530
Babette's Feast Viewing Guide
Reading: Shusaku Endo, Silence
WORSHIP PAPER DUE MONDAY, April 10
Reading: Shusaku Endo, Silence
Reading: Exodus 1-14
Web Document: Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail; March on Washington "I have a Dream" Speech