ENGLISH 452-001
THE LITERATURE OF THE BIBLE

Spring Quarter
1998-1999
Instructor: Dr. Bruce R. Magee

English 452-51 
Room: GTM 309 
Time: 5:45-9:30 Mon.
Home Page: 
http://www2.latech.edu/~bmagee
http://garts.latech.edu/bmagee
E-mail: 
bmagee@LaTech.Edu
Links 
 Office: GTM 222 
Phone: 257-3033 
Hours: 9:00-11:00 M-F 
or by appointment

 
Textbooks
  • The Bible. (KJV).
  • Ryken, Leland.  How to Read the Bible as Literature.  Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984.
  • Magee 452 Packet.

 
 
 
Course Description
Catalog Data
ENGL 452: The Literature of the Bible. 0-3-3. A survey of literary genres of the Old and New Testaments, focusing on the poetic and/or narrative art of each. Preq. English 201 or 202. (Eligible for graduate credit)
Objective
English 452 is designed to introduce the students to the different types of literature in the Bible. We will also study the various theories of reading and interpreting literature that have been applied to the Bible.
Prerequisites
English 201 or 202.
Attendance Requirements
  • Class attendance is regarded as an obligation as well as a privilege, and all students are expected to attend regularly and punctually all classes in which they are enrolled.
  • Attendance is 10% of your grade.
  • I shall keep a permanent attendance record for this class. This record is subject to inspection by appropriate college or university officials.
  • Regular attendance will help you understand your assignments and complete them on schedule. I encourage you to attend unless you absolutely cannot avoid being absent.
  • Make an extra effort to be in class on the days your are scheduled to make a presentation. The nature of the course does not leave time for you to present makeup work later in the quarter.
Conferences
Conferences are encouraged during the quarter. They will be used to discuss specific writing strengths and/or weaknesses.
Note for students with disabilities:
Students needing testing accommodations or classroom accommodations based on a disability should discuss the need with me as soon as possible.
Miscellaneous
* Bring a 9" x 12" manilla folder to class for me to file your work in. 
* KEEP A PAPER COPY OF YOUR ASSIGNMENTS IN YOUR OWN FILES. It's the cheapest insurance you can buy. 
* COMPLETE ANY MAKE-UP WORK BEFORE FINALS WEEK.
Note 1. People in this class will interpret the Bible in a variety of ways. Our study can only be successful if we treat one another's views with courtesy, tolerance, and respect.
Note 2. English 452 is a demanding course. Be sure to arrange your schedule so you can spend adequate time for class preparation, researching, and writing.
ASSIGNMENTS
Daily Quizzes 45%
In-class Essay Exam 15%
Sentence Outline 10%
Paper 20%
Attendance 10%
Total 100%
The grading scale is A: 90-102%, B: 80-89%, C: 70-79%, D: 60-69%, F: 0-59%. 
Graduate Requirements:
In addition to meeting the above requirements, graduate students enrolled in the course must prepare a presentation on a clearly defined topic related to studying the Bible as literature. It will be worth an additional 15% of your grade.
Graded Material
In the event of a question regarding an exam grade or final grade, it will be the responsibility of the student to retain and present graded materials which have been returned for student possession during the quarter.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Students needing testing or classroom accommodations based on a disability are encouraged to discuss those needs with me as soon as possible.

Honor Code
In accordance with the Academic Honor Code, students pledge the following: Being a student of a higher standard, I pledge to embody the principles of academic integrity.
HOC OPUS, HIC LABOR EST
READING
WRITING
Registration Week: March 8-13
No class meetings. 
Prepare for the first class meeting next week.		  
Week 1: March 15
  • Genesis
  • Ryken, chapters 1-3
  • Magee packet 1-9
    • 15-22 Canon Formation
    • 34-38 Writing Technology
    • 41-50 "Odysseus' Scar"
    • 65-69 Canon Formation
    • 97-98 Hesiod
     
Week 2: March 22
  • Exodus 1-20; 32-40 
  • Numbers 20-24 
  • Deuteronomy 34
  • 1 Samuel 1-26, 28, 31
  • 2 Samuel 1-7, 11-19
  • Packet 23-33 Translating the Bible
    • 77-87 English Translations
    • 89-93 Literary Criticism
 Translating the Bible into English1
Week 3: March 29
  • Psalms 1-25, 45-50, 119, 120-134 
  • Proverbs 1-14, 31
  • Ecclesiastes 
  • Song of Songs 
  • Ryken, chapters 4-6
  • Packet 12 Metaphor Diagram
    • 14 Parallelism Diagram
    • 70-76 Hebrew Poetry
    • 94-96 OT Wordplay 
    • 108-111 Wisdom of Sol.
    • 112-113 Baruch
    • 131-132 4 Maccabees
 Textual Criticism1
Week 4: Easter break
   
Week 5: April 12
  • Job 1-14, 38-42
  • Jeremiah 1-5, 18-19, 32, 45
  • Lamentations
  • Isaiah 40-66
  • Ezekiel 1-19, 37
  • Packet 13 Allegory diagram
    • 99-100 1 Esdras
    • 114 Baruch
    • 115 Epistle of Jeremiah
    • 116 Prayer of Azariah
    • 117 Susanna
    • 118 Bel and the Dragon
 Allegory1
Typology1
Week 6: April 19
  • Hosea 1-4, 11
  • Jonah 
  • Esther
  • Daniel 1-9 
  • Revelation 1-10, 19-21 
  • Ryken, chapters 10-11
  • Packet 101-103 Tobit
    • 104-106 Judith
    • 107 Additions to Esther
 Source Criticism1
Form Criticism1

Sentence Outline for the Research Paper
Week 7: April 26
  • Matthew 
  • Mark 
  • Luke 
  • Ryken, chapters 7-8, Appendix 
  • Packet 120-126  1 Maccabees
    • 127-129  2 Maccabees
    • 130   3 Maccabees
 Redaction Criticism1
Week 8: May 3 
  • Matthew 
  • Mark 
  • Luke
  • Packet 51-63  Synopsis
 Essay Exam
For class discussion:
Compare the passages in the synopsis & give possible reasons for their similarities & differences.
Week 9: May 10
  • John 
  • Acts 
  • Ryken, chapter 12 
 Narratology1
Research Paper
Week 10: May 17
  • Romans 
  • 1-2 Corinthians
  • Hebrews
  
1Graduate Student Presentations