RELIGIONANDCULTURE221

IntroductiontoChristianity
RLST221Winter/Term2
Tu/Th2:304pminSTMRm450
DepartmentofReligionandCulture
ArtsTower,10thFloor
Professor:Dr.HeidiEpstein
Room210,STMCollege,9668047
hepstein@stmcollege.ca
Officehours:Byappointment
CourseDescriptionandLearningGoals:
A historical-survey introduction to the central beliefs and more formal elaborations thereof that compose
Christian identities and traditions; for example, we will critically examine models of Christianitys god, the
incarnation, the atonement, the eucharist, the church.
The course will also sensitise students to the creative tensions inherent in both ancient doctrinal debates,
and in todays more complicated, post-Enlightenment reformulations of Christian teachings which respond to
gender, race, and class concerns.
Students will learn to identify what diverging sources of revelation (Scripture, Reason, Tradition,
Experience) create such tensions and debates among Christians.
We shall especially explore how Christian teachings and practices are constantly revised due to
confrontations between the theological status quo and specific intellectual, cultural and political changes that
develop within each historical context.
RequiredText:RalphKeen,TheChristianTradition
availableattheUofSbookstore
Evaluation:
5Quizzesonthereadings:15%
ReflectionPaper20%
MidTerm:20%
Final:35%
Attendance/Participation:10%Missingmorethansixclasseswillresultin5%deductionofparticipationgrade
MidtermandFinalarelecturebased.Theywillconsistofshortanswerquestionsandonelongessay
question.
Quizzeswillbebriefandaredesignedtoensurethatyoudothereading.Iwonttestfortrivia,butfor
theologiansmainideasandargumentsandkeyhistorical/culturaleventsthatshapedChristianteachings.They
willtaketheformof20matchingquestions,willbegradedoutof10,andthenthetotalforfivequizzeswillbe
dividedby3foramarkoutof15withinthefinalgrade.Onlymedicalexcusesanduniversityteamevents
permitwritingmissedquizzesoutsideofclass.
ReflectionPaper:An8to10pageanalysisofthecompetingsourcesofdivinerevelationaswellasthe
sociopoliticalinfluencesthatsurfaceintheFrontlinedocumentaryTheJesusFactor.Thisexerciseallowsyou
toputtheoryyouvelearnedinclassintoconcretepracticeasyouattendtothedebatesaboutChristianityin
thefilmthatfuelledBushscampaignandforeignpoliciesinthepreviousdecade.
Participation:5%ofthemarkisrewardedforthestudentsactualattendancerecord.Theremaining5%
willbeassessedonascaleof1to5%with1%beingpoorto5%beingexceptional.

Participationmarkswillbedramaticallyaffectedifstudentsrepeatedlycheckemail,surftheinternet,leave
classtotakephonecalls,ordootherhomeworkduringclasstime,mostespeciallyduringfilmscreenings.
Suchdisruptivetwitterizedactivitieseffectivelyrenderastudentabsentfromtherealtimeunfoldingofour
collectiveexperience;theyalsoexpressacertainrudenessandunprofessionalindifferencetowardthelearning

forumwhichwecreatetogether. (Onthemythofstudents/humanscapacityformultitasking,seeDouglas
RushkoffsinterviewswithleadingneuroscientistsinthefilmDigitalNationatPBS.org).Forthissamereason,
itisalsoabsolutelyunacceptabletodohomework,readingand/orassignmentsforyourotherclassesduring
myclasstime.

LectureSchedule:
Jan.6 :CourseOutlinediscussion
Jan.8th:Introduction:SourcesforDefiningFundamentalTeachings:
Scripture,Tradition,ReasonandExperience
WeekendReading:Keen,chs.13
h

Jan.13:EarlyControversiesI:Asceticism,Martyrdom
Jan.15:EarlyControversiesII:MartyrdomcontdandGnosticism
WeekendReading:Keen,chs.46
Jan.20:Gnosticismcontd
Reading:Keen,chs.7
Jan.22:TraditiontakestheLead:DefiningChristandtheTrinitarianGod
Quiz#1:Keen,chs.17
WeekendReading:Keen,chs.810
Jan.27:Trinitycontd/MedievalUpheaval:AtonementTheories
Jan.29:FourMedievalPortraitsofJesusAnselm,Abelard,St.Francis,MotherJuana
WeekendReading:Keen,chs.1112
Feb.35:MedievalPortraitscontd.
Feb.5Quiz#2:Keen,chs.812
WeekendReading:Keen,chs.1314
Feb.10:ReformationInnovations:TheFourSourcesReconfigured
ScreeningPartI:MartinLutherandMidTermReview
Feb.12:MIDTERMEXAM
StudyBreakReading:Keen,chs.1516
FEB.1719READINGWEEKnoclasses
Feb.24:ScreeningPartII:MartinLuther
Feb.26:EucharisticControversies/RadicalReformation
WeekendReading:Keen,chs.1718
Mar.3:17thCenturyClashesamongReason,TraditionandExperience
Quiz#3Keen,chs.1318
Mar.5:Screening:FrontlineDocumentary
WeekendReading:Keen,chs.1920
Mar.1012:The18thCentury:TheTriumphofReasonandtheDissectionofScripture
WeekendReading:Keen,chs.2123

Mar.1719:The19thCentury:ExperienceandTraditionRespond
WeekendReading:Keen,chs.2427****OMITCH.25
Quiz#4:Keen,chs.1923
Mar.24:SourcesRescrambled:ModelsofGod,Jesus,Churchduring/afterAuschwitz
Mar.26:LiberationTheologies
WeekendReading:Keen,chs.2830
Mar.31:WomensExperienceandModelsofGod:SallieMcFague,
Apr.2: WomensExperience,ScriptureandModelsofChurch
Apr.7:ReviewfortheFinal/Evaluations
Quiz#5:Keen,chs.24,2630
Apr.10:PAPERSDUE:4%of20%deductedperdaylate
Studentsmustwritealltestsandthefinalexamontheassigneddate.Anyonemissingatestoranexamination
willreceiveagradeofzeroontheexerciseunlessthestudentprovidesacceptabledocumentationforthereason
fortheirabsence.Supplementaltestsorexamswillbeadministeredwhenavalidexcuseexists.Studentswith
specialneedsshouldspeaktomeand/orcontactstudentservicesassoonaspossible.
1.St.ThomasMoreCollegesStatementOnAcademicHonesty
St.ThomasMoreCollegefollowstherulesregardingAcademicDishonestyasdelineatedintheUniversityof
SaskatchewanCalendar.Ofthese,plagiarismisaparticularlyseriousoffencethatinvolvespresentinganother
personswriting,ideasorcreativeworkasyourown.Whenquoting,paraphrasing,describing,presenting,
summarizingortranslatingtheworkofothers,youmustacknowledgethesourceoftheinformationyouuse,
whichincludesensuringthatthereadercandifferentiatebetweenyourwordsandthewordsofothers.Sources
maycomeinprint,electronic,digital,visualororalform,andmaybeprovidedbyapublishedauthor,fellow
student,artist,orInternetsite.Purchasingpapersisnotpermitted.Itisyourresponsibilitytounderstandwhat
constitutesplagiarism;whenindoubt,consultyourprofessor.
2.DisabilityServices
IfyouareastudentwhoisregisteredwiththeOfficeofDisabilityServicesforStudents,youmayapplyfor
uniqueservicesorarrangementstocompletetherequirementsforthiscourse.Normally,theseserviceswillbe
providedthroughtheDSSoffice.Ifyouhavenotyetregisteredwiththatoffice,pleasedosoasquicklyas
possible.
3.Formalresponsibilityforacademicdishonesty,academicmisconduct,anddeferredexaminationsforall
coursesrestswiththeCollegeofArtsandScience.However,allstudentsgrievances,misconduct,andconcerns
concerningcoursesofferedbySTMshouldfirstberaisedwiththeSTMHead,DrNataliaKhanenkoFriesen
beforebeingaddressedtotheArtsandScienceHead,Dr.V.Makarova.
4.TheReligion&CultureDepartmentatSt.ThomasMoreCollegeisacademicallyintegratedwiththe
correspondingArtsandScienceDepartment.AsinthecorrespondingDepartment,wedonotapproach
religionfromafaithbasedperspective;ratherreligionistreatedasamultidimensionalhuman
phenomenon.Allreligions,includingJudaism,Christianity,Hinduism,Buddhism,etc.aretreated
respectfullyasvaluablemeaningsystemsthatpeopleusetogivesignificanceandpurposetotheirlives,and
thatofferbelieversausefulworldview,setofvalues,andethicalguidelines.
Classroom/LearningEtiquette:
Academicdisagreement,debateanddiscussionarewelcomedinthisclassroom.However,disrespectful
behaviourtowardotherstudentsortowardtheinstructorwillnotbetolerated.Suchbehaviourincludes:
Eyerollingwhenastudentortheinstructorispresentingpointsofviewwithwhichthestudentdoesnot
agree;

Whisperingsnideremarkstoonesneighbourinresponsetothesame;
Scowlingorusingothernegativebodylanguagewhenpointsofviewexpressedbyotherstudentsorthe
instructorareatoddswithonesownreligiousbeliefs.Bytakingthisclass,studentsconsenttorespect
thetermsofaspecificallyreligiousstudies,academiccriticalapproachratherthanafaithbasedapproach
tothetopicswecover.
Usingonesphone,surfingtheinternet,anddoinghomeworkforotherclassesduringclasstimealso
constitutesaformofdisrespect.
Anyofthesebehaviourswillhaveasevereimpactononesparticipationmark.

Inkeepingwithuniversitypolicy,itisalsoveryimportanttonoteandrespectthefactthatthisclassroomisa
positivespace,i.e.,anopenandprogressiveenvironmentthatadvocates,celebratesandaffirmssexualand
genderdiversity(PrideCentrewebsite).
Percentage Grades: Literal Descriptors
Percentage grades map to literal descriptors which are published in the Calendar. Undergraduate percentage ranges and their
literal descriptors are as noted in the accompanying text box.
Percentage
Range

Descriptor

90100
Exceptional

A superior performance with consistent strong evidence of

a comprehensive, incisive grasp of the subject matter;
an ability to make insightful critical evaluation of the material given;
an exceptional capacity for original, creative and/or logical thinking;
an excellent ability to organize, to analyze, to synthesize, to integrate ideas, and to express
thoughts fluently.

8089
Excellent

An excellent performance with strong evidence of

a comprehensive grasp of the subject matter;
an ability to make sound critical evaluation of the material given;
a very good capacity for original, creative and/or logical thinking;
an excellent ability to organize, to analyze, to synthesize, to integrate ideas, and to express
thoughts fluently.

7079
Good

A good performance with evidence of

a substantial knowledge of the subject matter;
a good understanding of the relevant issues and a good familiarity with the relevant literature and
techniques;
some capacity for original, creative and/or logical thinking;
a good ability to organize, to analyze and to examine the subject material in a critical and
constructive manner.

6069
Satisfactory

A generally satisfactory and intellectually adequate performance with evidence of

an acceptable basic grasp of the subject material;
a fair understanding of the relevant issues;
a general familiarity with the relevant literature and techniques;
an ability to develop solutions to moderately difficult problems related to the subject material;
a moderate ability to examine the material in a critical and analytical manner.

5059
Minimal Pass

A barely acceptable performance with evidence of

a familiarity with the subject material;
some evidence that analytical skills have been developed;
some understanding of relevant issues;
some familiarity with the relevant literature and techniques;
attempts to solve moderately difficult problems related to the subject material and to examine the
material in a critical and analytical manner which are only partially successful.

<50

Failure

An unacceptable performance.

Plagiarism/Academic Dishonesty:
"Plagiarism: the presentation of the work or idea of another in such a way as to give others the impression that it is the work
or idea of the presenter. There is an onus on every student to become informed as to what constitutes academic dishonesty
and plagiarism. Ignorance of applicable standards of ethical writing is not an acceptable excuse.
Examples of plagiarism are:
I.

The use of material received or purchased from another person or prepared by any person other than the individual
claiming to be the author. [It is not plagiarism to use work developed in the context of a group exercise (and described as
such in the text) if the mode and extent of the use does not deviate from that which is specifically authorized].

II.

The verbatim use of oral or written material without adequate attribution.

III.

The paraphrasing of oral or written material of other persons without adequate attribution.

Please see links: http://www.usask.ca/honesty

and

http://www.usask.ca/calendar/policies/studentrights/