Syllabus for Religion 4085

The Gospel According to John

Wayne Coppins Spring 2009

 

1. General Observations

 

Honesty Policy:  All academic work must meet the standards contained in ÒA Culture of Honesty.Ó  All students are responsible to inform themselves about those standards before performing any academic work.
 
This Syllabus:  The course syllabus is a general plan for the course; deviations announced to the class by the instructor may be necessary.
 
Expectations: You are expected to come to class. You are expected to be on time. You are expected to turn off your cell phones etc. during class. You are expected to complete the assigned readings in preparation for class. You are expected to participate in class, to be respectful of others and to refrain from unduly dominating class discussion.

 

2. Course Description

 

Examines some critical issues and key themes associated with the Gospel of John, includes an extensive examination of the full text of the gospel with reference to several commentaries, and devotes some attention to the epistles of John. [We will devote almost no attention to the epistles this semester]

 

[Readings for graduate students will be more extensive and more advanced in nature. Graduate students will be expected to write a research paper that is more substantial than undergraduate assignments in both length and critical engagement with primary and secondary literature. Moreover, they will also be required to demonstrate a mastery of the subject matter through more extensive essay exams. In short, they will be expected to produce work that conforms to the higher standards of scholarship and research that guide the graduate school.]

 

3. Objectives

 

Specific

a) To obtain a firm grasp of the content of the gospel of John and to address some of the main critical issues associated with its interpretation

b) To become a careful and thoughtful reader and thinker

c) To discuss religious texts and diverse viewpoints in a critical and constructive manner

d) To develop academic writing and research skills through the process of writing a research paper

 

General

e) To strengthen skills in written composition, analysis, and presentation by means of projects such as essays, papers, reports, and examinations

f) To strengthen skills in oral expression, analysis, style, and interaction by means such as class reports, class discussion, and oral examinations

g) To enhance and facilitate computer literacy by the use of word processing, the web, email, and OASIS through research, preparation, and presentation of work such as oral class reports and completion of written assignments

h) To foster critical thinking by engaging in activities such as classroom discussion and debate, essay examinations, and oral presentations

i) To assist in the continued development of moral and ethical reasoning and reflection by encouraging creative thinking regarding individual and community concerns and needs, the challenging of prejudices and stereotypes, and examining rational and ethical bases of constructive social interactions

4. Texts and Resources

 

Required

 

Lincoln, Andrew T. The Gospel According to Saint John. Peabody: Hendrickson, 2005. [L][1]

 

Course Packet [CP] from Baxter Street Book Store

 

* You will also be required to consult works in the library, many of which will be on reserve [= OR] or on electronic reserve [ER]. I will email you a preliminary bibliography which contains the bibliographical information for these and other works which will be relevant for the class and your papers.

 

5. Time, Place and Office Hours

 

The course will meet on Monday Wednesday Friday from to 9:05-9:55 in Room 201.

My office hours are from 9am-11.30am on Tuesdays in Room 216B (Peabody).

If you intend to stop by at this time or wish to arrange another time to meet, please contact me at wcoppins@uga.edu.

 

6. Format

 

The course will be based around a mixture of brief lectures, small group discussions and class discussions. The lectures will take their basic structure from Andrew LincolnÕs medium-length commentary, the assigned concise commentaries in your course packet, and the extra readings assigned for graduate students. For small group discussions (and peer reviews), you will be asked to form groups of three for the duration of the semester. Each member of the group will be responsible for reading a different concise commentary, i.e., the first will use Pheme Perkins, the second RenŽ Kieffer, and the third J. Martin C. Scott. This approach is intended to introduce greater diversity into the discussion. In preparation for class, I suggest that you first read your chosen concise commentary on the passage in question and then read LincolnÕs more extensive discussion.

 

7. Grade Scale                                                                       

 

A         94-100                                                            

A-        90-93

B+       87-89

B         84-86

B-        80-83

C+       77-79

C         74-76

C-        70-73

D         65-69

F          64 and below

8. Course Assessment

 

Undergraduates                                                                      

10%     Attendance/Participation (see page 8 below)              

6%       ca. 1200 word Ôletter to a friendÕ (see below)

28%     ca. 4000 word research paper (see below)                 

28%     Exam 1 (John 1-12)                                       

28%     Final Exam (John 13-21)                   

 

*          If a paper is late, you lose 4 points per day (exceptions only in extreme cases).

*          If you miss a rough draft deadline for a paper, you lose 5 points off your final paper grade.

 

9. Key Dates

 

Jan 8-13                      Drop for Undergraduate-Level Courses

Jan 8-14                      Add for Undergraduate-Level Courses

Jan 8-15                     Drop for Graduate-Level Courses

Jan 8-16                      Add for Graduate-Level Courses

Jan 19                         NO CLASS: Martin Luther King Jr. Day

- Feb 2                         DUE: ÔLetter to a friendÕ on Introductory Issues

- Feb 11                       DUE: Rough Draft (Martyn: ca. 700 words)

- Feb 18                       DUE: Rough Draft (Lincoln: ca. 500 words)

- Feb 25                       DUE: Rough Draft (Blomberg: ca. 500 words)

March 3                       Midpoint of Semester

- March 4                    DUE: Rough Draft (Schneiders: ca. 500 words)

          Send off drafts for peer review

March 9-13                 NO CLASS: Spring Break

- March 16                  DUE: 1st Peer Reviews – Return drafts with comments to each other

March 24                     Withdrawal Deadline

* March 30                 Exam 1

- April 10                    DUE: Rough Draft (The Character of the Fourth Gospel with special reference to John 9)

                                              Send off drafts for peer review

- April 15                    DUE: 2nd Peer Reviews – Return drafts with comments to each other

* April 22                   DUE: Final Draft of Research Paper

April 30                       Monday Class Schedule in Effect

April 30                       Classes End

May 1                          Reading Day

* May 6                      Final Exam (8.00-11.00am)

May 9                          Commencement

May 11                        Grades Due

 

10. Your Exams

 

Your midterm and final exam will each consist of three sections. In section I you will have to identify which section of John a given text comes from. To prepare for this section you will need to pay close attention to the content and breakdown of JohnÕs gospel. In section II you will be asked to discuss several short texts from the gospel of John, commenting on their context, interpretation and critical issues of note. Section III will consist in essay questions which you shall receive prior to the exam. This proposed format is subject to change at a later date if necessary.

11. Your ÔLetter to a friendÕ on Introductory Issues (6%)

 

Basic Assignment: Undergraduates will be required to write a ca. 1200 word Ôletter to a friendÕ which discusses selected introductory issues related to the interpretation of the Fourth Gospel, namely 1) authorship, 2) relation to the Synoptics, 3) genre, 4) history and truth, and 5) setting. You will be assessed solely on the content of your letter, that is, you will not be graded for grammar, writing, presentation etc. The format requirements are minimal. It should begin Òdear x (fill in the name of a friend to whom you may or may not actually send the letter)Ó and conclude with ÒYour friendÓ, y (your name).

 

12. Your Research Paper: John 9 and the Character of the Fourth Gospel (ca. 4000 words)

 

Basic Assignment: Undergraduates will be required to write a ca. 3000-4000 word paper on ÒJohn 9 and the Character of the Fourth GospelÓ. This word count includes your footnotes but not your bibliography. Word estimates for given sections are only guidelines – you may, for example, shorten the earlier sections and devote more words to your analysis of the main section dealing with the character of the fourth gospel.

 

Rough Draft System: you will be required to email me the rough drafts of each section of your paper as the semester progresses (saved as a word document). While I will not read the rough drafts at this time, I will check to see if you have completed them. If you miss a rough draft deadline you lose 5 points off your paper.

 

Peer Review System: Everyone should be in a group of 3. You will each read and give feedback to the other two people in your group on their rough draft assignments at two points during the semester. More specifically on March 4 and April 10 you should email your drafts (of the paper to that point) to both me and your peer reviewers, and on March 16 and April 18 you should return their drafts with comments (see the peer review handout for further information). You may either comment by hand or use the track and change function in Microsoft Word. When you hand in the final version of your paper, you will assess your peer reviewers: ok = no points added or subtracted; poor = minus 5 points on their paper; excellent = plus 5 points on their paper. You are asked to be honest in your assessment of your peers. On the title page of your paper list your name, the date, and the names of each of your peer reviewers with your assessment of their performance. If someone feels they have been unfairly assessed we can speak about this.

 

Basic Format: The paper should be broken down into the following seven sections. I have included a preliminary bibliography in the electronic syllabus that I will email you.

 

1. Introduction (ca. 100 words)                                                                       No rough Draft required          (write last)

 

2. MartynÕs Interpretation of John 9 (ca. 500-700 words)                                Rough Draft Due                     Feb 11

    Lit: Martyn on John 9 [CP]

                 

3. LincolnÕs Interpretation of John 9 (ca. 300-500 words)                               Rough Draft Due                     Feb 18

    Lit: Lincoln Commentary + Lincoln, Two Levels [CP]

                 

4. BlombergÕs Interpretation of John 9 (ca. 300-500 words)                Rough Draft Due                     Feb 25

    Lit: Blomberg on John 9 [CP]                     

 

5. SchneidersÕ Interpretation of John 9 (ca. 300-500 words)                Rough Draft Due                     Mar 4

    Lit: Schneiders on John 9 [CP]                                                         * Send off draft for peer review   

 

* Give 1st Peer Reviews to Each Other                                                 1st Peer Reviews Due                Mar 16

 

6. The Character of the Fourth Gospel                                                             Rough Draft Due                     Apr 10

    With special Reference to John 9 (ca. 1200-1500 words)                 *Send off for peer review

    Lit: See preliminary bibliography (!)                                                                                                                                                                

7. Conclusion   (ca. 200 words)                                                                        No Rough Draft Due (write last)

 

* Give 2nd Peer Reviews to Each Other                                                            2nd Peer Reviews Due               April 15          

 

*  Final Draft   (ca. 3000-4000 words)                                                            Final Draft Due                                    Apr 22

Class Schedule

 

L = Lincoln, A.T. The Gospel According to Saint John. Peabody: Hendrickson, 2005.

 

* To access the readings on electronic reserve at the main library, 1) go to the Library Website (https://gil.uga.edu/), 2) choose ÒSearch Course ReservesÓ, and 3) locate materials under Course Number (4085/6085). 4) Click Full Text Online; 5) Password = john

 

PART I: INTRODUCTION TO THE GOSPEL OF JOHN (10 Lectures)

 

                        REQUIRED                REQUIRED                            REQUIRED for Graduate Students

                                                                                                            Recommended for Undergraduates

1) Jan 9 F        Introduction                                                                 On Electronic Reserve = ER

                                                                                                            On Reserve = OR

- Jan 8-13           Drop for Undergraduate-Level Courses                                 Course Packet = CP

- Jan 8-14           Add for Undergraduate-Level Courses                                  (cf. = recommended rather than required for grads)

- Jan 8-15           Drop for Graduate-Level Courses                                       

- Jan 8-16           Add for Graduate-Level Courses

 

2) Jan 12 M     John 1-21                    L 1-14: Narrative (14)            

 

3) Jan 14 W                                         L 14-17: Genre (3)                  Bauckham, Introduction, 16-21 CP

                                                                                                            (cf. Lincoln, Truth, 369-397 ER)

                                                                                                            (cf. Bauckham, TBC, 93-112 OR)     

                                                                                                                                                                                   

4) Jan 16 F                                          L 17-26: Authorship (9)          Blomberg, Reliability, 22-41 ER

                                                                                                                                                                  Bauckham, Introduction, 14-16 CP

                                                                                                            (cf. Brown, Authorship, 189-199/215 OR)

                                                                                                                                                                                   

- Jan 19 Martin Luther King Jr. NO CLASS

 

5) Jan 21 W     Mark 1-16                   L 26-38: J & Synoptics (12)   * Thompson, Historical, 22-25 ER

Brown, Tradition, 90-114 ER

                                                                                                            (cf. Moody Smith, John OR)

 

6) Jan 23 F                                          L 39-49: Historicity (20)         Bauckham, Introduction, 9-31 CP

                                                                           & Truth                    (cf. Blomberg, Reliability, 17-67 ER)

                                                                                                            (cf. Lincoln, Truth, pp. 369-397 ER)                                                                                                                                           

7) Jan 26 M                                         L 50-58: Composition (8)       Blomberg, Reliability, 37-40 ER

                                                                                                                             

8) Jan 28 W                                         L 59-70: Christology (11)       Bauckham, Monotheism, 239-252 ER

 

9) Jan 30 F                                          L 70-81: ÒThe JewsÓ (11)       Moloney, Jews, 20-44 ER

(cf. Moody Smith, Jews, 176-199 ER)

 

10) Feb 2 M                                        L 82-91: Setting (9)                 Bauckham, Introduction, 9-31 ER

 

DUE: ÔLetter to a friendÕ on Introductory Issues

 

PART II: THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN (31 Lectures)

 

REQUIRED                REQUIRED                           

 

11) Feb 4 W                1:1-18                          L 92-109   (17)                       

 

12. Feb 6 F                  1:19-51                        L 109-124 (15)                       

 

13. Feb 9 M                2:1-12                          L 124-136 (12)           

 

14. Feb 11 W              2:13-25                        L 136-145 (9) 

DUE: Rough Draft (Martyn)

 

15. Feb 13 F                3:1-36                          L 146-167 (22)                                               

 

16. Feb 16 M              4:1-42                          L 167-182 (15)

 

17. Feb 18 W              4:43-54                        L 183-190 (7)                         

DUE: Rough Draft (Lincoln)

 

18. Feb 20 F                5:1-18                          L 190-199 (9)

 

19. Feb 23 M              5:19-47                        L 200-209 (9)                         

 

20. Feb 25 W              6:1-21                          L 209-221 (12)

DUE: Rough Draft (Blomberg)

 

21. Feb 27 F                6:22-71                        L 221-235 (20)                                               

 

22. March 2 M                        7:1-36                          L 241-260 (19)                       

 

23. March 4 W            7:37-52                        L 253-260 (7)             

DUE: Rough Draft (Schneiders)

                                                           

24. March 6 F             8:12-59                        L 260-277 (17)                       

                       

- March 9-13               Spring Break

 

25. March 16 M          9:1-41                          L 277-290 (13)

 

DUE: 1st Peer Reviews - Return drafts with comments to each other

 

26. March 18 W          10:1-21                        L 291-301 (9)

 

27. March 20 F           10:22-42                      L 301-313 (12)

 

28. March 23 M          11:1-53                        L 313-335 (22)           

 

- March 24                 WITHDRAW DEADLINE

 

29. March 25 W          11:54-12:11                 L 336-342 (6)

 

30. March 27 F           12:12-36a                    L 342-55 (13)

 

31. March 30 M          12:36b-50                    L 355-362 (7)

 

32. April 1 W             Exam 1 (John 1-12)

 

33. April 3 F               13:1-20                        L 363-376 (13)                       

 

34. April 6 M              13:21-30                      L 377-381 (5)

 

35. April 8 W              13:31-14:31                 L 381-401 (20)

      Passover Begins at Sundown

 

36. April 10 F             15:1-16:4a                   L 401-415 (14)

      Good Friday         

      DUE: Rough Draft (The Character of the Fourth Gospel with Special Reference to John 9)     

 

37. April 13 M            16:4b-33                      L 415-430 (15)

      Easter Monday

 

38. April 15 W            17:1-26                        L 430-441 (11)

      DUE: 2nd Peer Reviews Due - Return drafts with comments to each other

  

39. April 17 F             18:1-27                        L 441-456 (15)           

  

40. April 20 M            18:28-19:16a               L 456-472 (16)   

     

- April 21                    Holocaust Remembrance Day

 

41. April 22 W           19:16b-42                    L 472-487 (15)

 

      DUE FINAL DRAFT OF PAPER

                                               

42. April 24 F             20:1-18                        L 487-496 (9)             

 

43. April 27 M            20:19-31                      L 496-508 (12)                       

 

44. April 29 W            21:1-25                        L 508-524 (16)                                   

 

45. April 30 Th           7:53-8:11                     L 524-536 (12)

 

* May 6 (8-11am)      Final Exam: John 12-21 + Essay Questions

Attendance and Participation Policy

 

The UGA attendance policy (http://bulletin.uga.edu/bulletin/ind/attendance.html) states that Òstudents are expected to attend classes regularly. A student who incurs an excessive number of absences may be withdrawn from a class at the discretion of the professor.

 

If you have more than 15 unexcused absences, you will be withdrawn from the class.

 

An excused absence is one that is unavoidable for emergency or pressing reasons e.g., incapacitating illness, death in one's immediate or close family or of someone close to the student.  (Sleeping late, hangovers, and studying for exams are not accepted as excused absences.). Job (or other) interviews also do not constitute an excused absence, though I may view them as such in some cases. Doctor and dental appointments may or may not be excusable. Consult the instructor prior to the absence, if at all possible; if this is not possible, then consult the instructor as soon as possible after the fact. Attendance at weddings, baptisms, bar or bat mitzvahs, etc. are not normally excusable absences. But, again, consult the instructor.

 

1) Attendance is required and classroom participation is strongly encouraged.

2) Unless you obtain permission, you may not leave before class is dismissed

3) You are expected to come on time. Latecomers will be marked ÒlateÓ; if you are late three times, then this will be counted as an absence. If you arrive 10-15 minutes late, then you will marked Òextra lateÓ; if you are extra late two times, this will be counted as an absence.

4. Participation will be taken into account if your grade is borderline.

 

Attendance Scale

 

0                                  100%

1                                  99

2                                  98

3                                  97

4                                  95

5                                  90

6                                  85

7                                  80

8                                  75

9                                  70        

10                                 65

11                                 55

12                                 45

13                                 35

14                                 30

15                                 25                    

+ 15                              WF

 

MAKE UP EXAMS

 

You are expected to be present for all exams.

If you miss an exam without a valid excuse, then you may or may not be permitted to make it up.

If you are permitted to make it up, then you will automatically lose 10 points for missing the exam.

If you miss an exam for a valid reason (see above), then you will either be permitted to make it up or greater weight shall be assigned to another exam or to your final exam.


[1] For information on A. Lincoln, see http://www.glos.ac.uk/faculties/ehs/humanities/staff/andrew-lincoln.cfm. For reviews of his commentary that should be viewable through the library, see C. Keener (http://www.bookreviews.org/bookdetail.asp?TitleId=5024),  Adela Reinhartz (http://jnt.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/29/3/333), Wendy North (http://jnt.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/29/3/343), and             Craig Blomberg (http://www.denverseminary.edu/article/the-gospel-according-to-saint-john). For LincolnÕs response to Reinhartz and North, see Lincoln (http://jnt.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/29/3/353).