At Ohio Valley University, we seek
to transform lives in a Christ-centered academic community
that integrates higher learning, biblical faith, and service to God and
humanity.
| Class days/times: MW 2:00pm-3:15pm Location: Stotts, Room #326 Instructor: Bruce Terry Office: Room 311 Phone: (304) 865-6120 (office); (304) 295-6486 (home) E-mail: bruce.terry@ovu.edu; Web site: http://bterry.com |
Office hours: M 10:45-11:45am; 1-2pm; 3:30-5:00pm T 3:00-3:30 pm W 10:45-11:45am; 1-2pm; 3:30-5:00pm Th 3:00-3:30 pm F 10:45-11:45am; 1-2pm |
BIB 315 Joshua–Esther (3 credits) An examination of Israel’s history from their establishment in the Promised Land to their return from exile, drawing upon historical, exegetical, and archaeological materials. A textual studies course. Offered fall, odd-numberedyears.
This course will focus on the books of the Old Testament often known as the books of history. Emphasis will be on knowing the narrative and religious material contained in the text itself. The course will also cover questions of introduction and background, as well as an examination of dating the reigns of the kings of Israel and Judah.
This course addresses the following objectives of the Bible program:
Romans 10:17 says, "So faith comes
from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (ESV).
Consequently, this class will use biblical
texts and references to texts to help the student grow in faith.
But simply hearing is not enough. Jesus told those
who believed in him, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my
disciples and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free"
(John 8:31-32 ESV). So it is necessary to keep doing what we
learn. In light of this, this course will also contain
references to application of principles learned. One of the
objectives is a faith objective. It will not be assessed for
a grade, but life is such that it will be assessed, one way or another.
My prayer is that you will pass that test of life.
There are no national standards for undergraduate study of the Bible. At OVU, we emphasize the biblical text and its application in our lives.
At the School of Biblical Studies, we seek to transform lives in a Christ-centered academic community by encouraging biblical faith to produce life-long truth-seekers who serve God in His kingdom throughout the world.
Assessment of whether the objectives have been met will be based on the student's performance on homework and tests assigned by the teacher and on the student's ability to do relevant analysis on his or her own in papers described below. Academic abilities assessed include reading with understanding skills as evidenced by a reading reports and classroom discussion; writing skills as evidenced by typed papers; and memory organization and retention as evidenced by major exams.
Your grade for the class will be based on three major exams (including a comprehensive final exam), three typed four to six- page papers, one two-bonus-point map on the division of the land of Canaan among the twelve tribes, attendance, and grades from pop quizzes over the reading, collected in-class work, and collected homework. The typed papers are on the following: 1) a six-page research paper on the copying, transmission, reconstruction, and translation of the Old Testament text, with special emphasis on textual problems in Samuel, or on reconciling apparent contradictions between Samuel-Kings and Chronicles, or six two-page introductions described in the following paragraph; 2) a four-page book report on The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings; and 3) a five-page lesson on the life of a character in the Books of History with an application to Christians today. The pages listed are full pages, not counting the cover sheet (required) and bibliography (also required). One page is defined as 27 double-spaced typewritten lines (counting the title, but not your name or page numbers) with 1" margins. The typed papers should be written using the Turabian style guide. Exam questions can come from the lectures or assigned readings from either the textbooks or the Old Testament. The final exam will cover material from the whole course.
In lieu of the six-page research paper, students may elect to write six two-page introductions to six of the books of History studied in this course. Each introduction should include at least two references to print sources such as Old Testament introductions and commentaries besides the textbooks for this course. The introductions may be turned in separately or combined together, but all should be turned in by the research paper due date. Every time an introduction paper is turned in, it should include a cover sheet and bibliography, but these may be combined if several introduction papers are turned in at once. Note that the two-pages are two full pages.
Ten points will be given for attendance. One point will be deducted for each class missed, including those missed for illness. The only exception to this will be those who miss on official school business and have an official notice to this effect; up to five such absences will not count against the student's grade if the student has no unexcused absences. Two grace days will be given to all students to allow for absences due to illness and excused absences for official school business. Note well: Grace days will be applied first to excused absences.
Class handouts and homework can be found on the Internet at: "http://bible.ovc.edu/terry/prophets/". Homework may be printed out, done early, and turned in if the student knows of an absence that is coming up. Late homework is accepted for only half credit.
Additional readings/quizzes/essays/maps may be assigned.
All work is expected to be turned in on time. If for some reason you cannot make the due date, please ask my permission to turn the work in late. Late homework is accepted for only half credit, since the answers will often be given in class. If you will miss due to a school excused absence, please pick up and turn in the homework early. Realizing that other teachers may assign work due at the same time, I will not dock your grade on the map if it is no more than one (1) week late; however, if it is later than one week, expect to have your grade on that assignment lowered by half. Any of the typed papers turned in late will be docked by one-half letter (5%) per class period late.
No paper will be accepted that is more than two weeks late. A paper that is more than one week late may not be rewritten, except in unusual circumstances. A paper must be at least 75% of assigned length in order to be rewritten. The grade on a paper which is rewritten may be increased on content, length, and mechanical errors. No grade will be given to a paper which contains enough mechanical errors to dock the score by a letter grade (i.e., 40 mechanical errors). It will be turned back without a score and the rewrite counted as late. Be sure to proofread and spell check!
Students who are absent on exam days with good reason may schedule a make-up exam within the next week. You must ask to take a make-up exam.
Students who score less than a 70 on a major exam may petition to retake the exam within a week after grades are returned on it. The highest grade on any retake exam will be 70. Once again, you must ask to retake an exam. There will be no retakes on the final exam. Study hard for it.
Draw or trace a map of the following for 2 bonus points:
The Land of Canaan, showing the divisions among the twelve tribes.
Be sure to label major bodies of water, tribal regions, and important cities (especially capitals, cities of refuge, and those mentioned in the books of History).
Extra credit may be given for neatness, detail, and good use of color.
N.B. In lieu of drawing or tracing, it is acceptable to photocopy an outline map of the region and fill it in with the above; however, it is not acceptable to photocopy a map which has any of the above marked on it. You must fill it in. An outline map is available at: http://bible.ovu.edu/terry/gospels/palolmap.htm
The final grade will be based on your work in the following way:
6-page research paper or six 2-page introductions 12%
4-page book report 8%
5-page lesson on a character 10%
Attendance 10%
Pop Quizzes/Homework 10%
Major Exams 30%
Final Exam 20%
Only in the area of Maps will any extra credit be allowed to exceed these percentages. Your final grade will be A, B, C, D, or F. An A will be given for an average of 100-90, a B for 89-80, a C for 79-70, a D for 69-60, and an F for any average below 60.
Because Ohio Valley University expects students to follow the highest standards of honorable conduct in all areas of life, it is essential that students maintain high standards of academic integrity. Cheating, plagiarizing (whether intentionally misrepresenting another's work as one's own or failing to follow appropriate requirements of documentation), and helping others to cheat or plagiarize are all violations of these standards. Students who engage in these behaviors will face appropriate consequences, which could include failing the assignment in question, failing the course, or being dismissed from the University. A student who believes that he or she is being treated unjustly may file an appeal with the VPAA; the student must initiate the appeal within 48 hours after receiving notification of the consequence. Appeal procedures are available in the office of the VPAA.
Plagiarism is the presentation of another person's work as your own, whether you mean to or not. Copying or paraphrasing passages from another writer's work without acknowledging that you've done so is plagiarism. Translating passages from another writer's work in another language without acknowledging that you've done so is plagiarism. Copying another writer's work without putting the material in quotation marks is plagiarism, even if credit is given. Allowing another writer to write any part of your essay is plagiarism.
Plagiarism is a serious crime. The maximum penalty at OVU is expulsion from the University.
Plagiarism is easy to avoid. Simply acknowledge the source of any words, phrases, or ideas that you use. If you're not sure how to quote or paraphrase a source or if you need help with the format of endnotes or bibliographies, check with me. While you can (and in fact should) seek the help and advice of friends, classmates, and tutors, be sure that your written work is completely your own.
Regular class attendance is most important. Instructors are responsible for recording and reporting attendance in each of their classes. Attendance at 75% of the scheduled class meeting is required to receive credit for a given course; in other words, if a student misses 25% or more class sessions including both excused and unexcused absences, the student will fail the course.
Attendance in class is mandatory; it will be part of the basis for the grade given. If you cannot attend for good reason, either notify me beforehand or as soon as possible afterward. This applies even if you have an excused absence. You will be expected to do all work of any classes missed, except for pop quizzes. If you do not intend to attend regularly, kindly withdraw from the class now.
Do NOT miss class simply because you do not have an assignment finished. Do NOT miss class if you can possibly come; save any absences for sickness or death in the family. If you have an extended illness, please contact me to let me know.
Kindly try to be a class on time. If you are consistently tardy for no good reason, I reserve the right to count three tardies as an absence. I do count half absences.
If you have to leave early, please inform me before class. Do not schedule extra work, doctor's appointments, etc. during class time if at all possible. If you are too frequent in leaving early, I reserve the right to count early departures as a partial absence, adversely affecting your grade.
Absences may be excused if you bring me documentation that you were hospitalized, ill with a contagious disease, involved in an accident, on school business (up to five hours), or there was a death in the immediate family. More than five hours of absences which include three hours of unexcused absence will result in your being dropped from the course with either a W or an F at my discretion. You may pay a fine and petition to be reinstated. Additional unexcused absences will result in your being dropped without future reinstatement. No credit will be given for a course in which absences, both excused and unexcused, total more than 25% of the hours of the course (i.e., as many as 12 class hours, counting each class as 1½ hours; that is a total of 8 class periods). Should you approach this limit, you will be asked to withdraw from the course (if possible). I reserve the right to drop you from the course as a warning once you have at least 6 total absences. If you are dropped for any reason, reinstatement is not guaranteed and will be granted only if a plan for success is presented. Note well: Absences may adversely affect your grade, as outlined above under the topic Course Requirements. A drop from your only Bible course may affect your ability to enroll in the next semester.
Please turn off cell phones before entering class. If you should have wireless service in the classroom, do not use your messaging service on your laptop or PDA. I reserve the right to count you absent should you disregard this. Cell phone use for voice or text during a test will result in failure of that test.
If you have a diagnosed disability and need special accommodations, please notify the Office of the VPAA before or immediately after your first scheduled class meeting. After your disability has been verified, inform your instructor and your instructor will work with you and the Office of the VPAA to insure that you have a fair opportunity to perform in the course.
MAJOR EXAM DATES: Exam 1 -- Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Exam 2 -- Monday, November 5, 2007
Final Exam -- Monday, December 10, 2007
3:00 p.m. - 4:50 p.m.
WEEK ONE:
8/22/07 -- Introduction to the Course
WEEK TWO:
homework: for each class period below, read the text
assigned in the previous class and do any
written homework given
read Harrison's Intro. to the OT (IOT) on Joshua
8/27/07 -- Joshua 1-6
8/29/07 -- Joshua 7-11, 14
WEEK THREE:
9/ 3/07 -- Labor Day (no class)
homework: Bible map on the division of the land due
9/05/07 -- Joshua 20, 22-24
WEEK FOUR:
homework: read the IOT on Judges
9/10/07 -- Judges 1-4
9/12/07 -- Judges 6-9, 11-12:7
WEEK FIVE:
9/17/07 -- Judges 13-21
homework: read the IOT on Ruth
9/19/07 -- Ruth
WEEK SIX:
homework: read the IOT on I & II Samuel
9/24/07 -- I Samuel 1-11
homework: book report on The Mysterious Numbers due
9/26/07 -- I Samuel 12-20
WEEK SEVEN:
10/ 1/07 -- I Samuel 21-31
homework: study for exam
10/ 3/07 -- Major Exam
WEEK EIGHT:
10/ 8/07 -- II Samuel 1-8
10/10/07 -- II Samuel 9-16
WEEK NINE:
10/15/07 -- II Samuel 17-24
homework: read the IOT on I & II Kings
10/17/07 -- I Kings 1-12
WEEK TEN:
homework: research paper due
10/22/07 -- I Kings 13-22
10/24/07 -- II Kings 1-8
World Mission Workshop
WEEK ELEVEN:
10/29/07 -- II Kings 9-17
10/31/07 -- II Kings 18-25
WEEK TWELVE:
homework: study for exam
11/ 5/07 -- Major Exam
homework: read the IOT on I & II Chronicles
11/ 7/07 -- I Chronicles
Last Day to Drop a Class with a "W"--Stick with it to the end!
WEEK THIRTEEN:
homework: lesson on Old Testament character due
11/12/07 -- I Chronicles
11/14/07 -- II Chronicles
THANKSGIVING BREAK
WEEK FOURTEEN:
11/26/07 -- II Chronicles
homework: read IOT on Ezra-Nehemiah
11/28/07 -- Ezra
WEEK FIFTEEN:
12/ 3/07 -- Nehemiah
homework: read IOT on the Esther
12/ 5/07 -- Esther
WEEK SIXTEEN: Final Exam Week
homework: study for final exam
12/10/07 -- Final Exam (3:00-4:50pm)
N. B.: Homework is listed before the class for which it is due!
THIS SYLLABUS MAY BE MODIFIED AS THE TEACHER FEELS NECESSARY!
