{"id":848,"date":"2013-05-27T11:55:16","date_gmt":"2013-05-27T15:55:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/?page_id=848"},"modified":"2013-05-27T16:31:08","modified_gmt":"2013-05-27T20:31:08","slug":"bible-to-qurancourse-syllabus","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/course-materials\/rels-3000\/bible-to-quran\/bible-to-qurancourse-syllabus\/","title":{"rendered":"Course Syllabus: Bible to Qur’an"},"content":{"rendered":"

RELS 3000
\nBible to Qur\u2019\u0101n
\nTR 11:00-12:20
\nDr. John C. Reeves
\n204B Macy
\nOffice hours: TR 1:30-2:30; or by appointment
\njcreeves@uncc.edu<\/a><\/p>\n

Course Description<\/h3>\n

This course conducts a comparative exploration of the way shared characters and\/or narrative scenarios are depicted in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim scriptures and in their respective interpretive traditions.\u00a0After a brief exposure to the modern historical-critical method of reading and interpreting both Bible and Qur\u2019\u0101n, we will study the depictions of the \u2018biblical\u2019 characters found in the Qur\u2019\u0101n as well as reacquaint ourselves (if need be) with the ways these same characters are represented in the Jewish and Christian Bibles. Their respective similarities and differences will be isolated, analyzed, and juxtaposed in accordance with several taxonomic schemes. We will also explore the interpretive penumbra surrounding these characters as registered in apocrypha and pseudepigrapha, midrash, folktale, tafs\u012br<\/em>, and ta\u2019r\u012bkh<\/em> with an eye toward achieving a better understanding of\u00a0 the \u2018mechanisms\u2019 governing scriptural characterization within and across these particular religions.\u00a0Figures of prominent interest include but will not necessarily be limited to Adam, Satan\/Ibl\u012bs, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Elijah, and Jesus.\u00a0Careful attention will also be given to the cultural issues surrounding the generation and promulgation of competing character profiles within the scriptures of these kindred religions.<\/p>\n

Texts<\/h3>\n

The following textbooks are required for this course:<\/p>\n

Tanakh, The Holy Scriptures: The New JPS Translation According to the Traditional Hebrew Text<\/em> (Philadelphia & Jerusalem: The Jewish Publication Society, 1985).<\/p>\n

The Qur\u2019an<\/em> (trans. M. H. Shakir; Elmhurst, N.Y.: Tahrike Tarsile Qur\u2019an, Inc., 1999).<\/p>\n

Louis Ginzberg, Legends of the Bible<\/em> (Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 1956).<\/p>\n

J. K. Elliott (ed.), The Apocryphal Jesus<\/em> (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996).<\/p>\n

Brannon M. Wheeler, Prophets in the Quran<\/em> (London & New York: Continuum, 2002).<\/p>\n

Often supplementary readings will be assigned and\/or distributed by the instructor as needed.<\/p>\n

Course Requirements<\/h3>\n

a. Readings<\/em>.\u00a0The nature of this course entails a significant amount of close reading and reflection.\u00a0Students are responsible for anticipating and completing the required reading assignments (outlined below) in a timely manner. Every student is required to read the Qur\u2019\u0101n in its entirety.<\/p>\n

b. Take-home written exercises<\/em>.\u00a0Twelve (12) written exercises will be prepared and submitted for in-class discussion and out-of-class evaluation. These exercises vary in length from a minimum of one (1) to a maximum of five (5) typewritten or electronically printed pages.\u00a0Their specific character is spelled out in more detail below.\u00a0Deadlines for these exercises will be announced by the instructor during the course of or at the conclusion of a class meeting.\u00a0The instructor\u2019s evaluation of the student\u2019s collective written exercise performance will comprise 75% of the course grade.<\/p>\n

c. Final take-home essay<\/em>.\u00a0Instead of an in-class three-hour examination, you will prepare a final essay wherein you will be expected to synthesize some of the major issues and themes discussed in class and in the required readings and to demonstrate your knowledge of the specific source materials and facts which pertain to those issues and themes.\u00a0This essay will be delivered to the instructor on the date and at the time officially mandated for this course by the UNC Charlotte administration. We will then spend some time discussing the insights and conclusions generated in these essays. The final essay and the accompanying discussion is worth 15% of the course grade.<\/p>\n

d. Individual involvement<\/em>.\u00a0Almost perfect attendance (see below) is an essential requirement for this course.\u00a0Each class meeting builds upon the knowledge gained during previous meetings.\u00a0Moreover, in-class discussion and analysis comprises a significant portion of every class meeting.\u00a0Preparation for every class usually involves the completion of a series of assigned readings and\/or written assignment(s).\u00a0Students are expected to contribute in an informed manner to the public analysis and discussion of any assigned topic, and the instructor reserves the right to administer occasional unannounced \u2018pop-quizzes\u2019 should he deem the situation so warrants (grades for such quizzes are averaged with those of the take-home exercises).\u00a0The instructor\u2019s assessment of one\u2019s attendance, class preparation, and informed oral contributions will constitute 10% of the final course grade.<\/p>\n

e.\u00a0 Zakhor<\/em> (Remember!): Mastery of the assigned readings and diligent class attendance are necessary prerequisites for the successful completion of this course. Each student is responsible for all lectures, class discussions, assignments, and announcements, whether or not he\/she is present when they occur.<\/p>\n

Miscellaneous Information<\/h3>\n

a. The grading scale used in this course is as follows:<\/p>\n

91-100\u00a0 A\u00a0 =\u00a0demonstrable mastery of material; can creatively synthesize<\/p>\n

81-90\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 B\u00a0\u00a0=\u00a0some demonstrable proficiency in control of material & analysis<\/p>\n

71-80\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 C\u00a0 =\u00a0satisfactory performance of assignments; little or no analysis<\/p>\n

61-70\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 D\u00a0 =\u00a0inadequate and\/or faulty understanding of material<\/p>\n

0-60\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 F\u00a0 =\u00a0unacceptable work<\/p>\n

b. One of the requirements of this course is to complete the work of the course on time.\u00a0 Sometimes there are legitimate reasons for late work\u2014an illness or other emergency.\u00a0 \u2018Emergency,\u2019 however, does not include your social involvements, travel plans, job schedule, disk and\/or printer failures, the state of your love life, your obligations to other courses, or general malaise over the state of the world. The world has been in a mess as long as anyone can remember, and most of the world\u2019s work is done by people whose lives are a mass of futility and discontent. If you haven\u2019t learned yet, you had better learn now to work under the conditions of the world as it is. Therefore<\/strong>:<\/p>\n

1) All missed quizzes or unsubmitted exercises will be averaged as a 0 in the computation of the course grade.\u00a0 There is no such thing as a \u2018make-up pop quiz.\u2019\u00a0 No exceptions will be considered or granted.<\/p>\n

2) All written exercises are due on the dates scheduled in the syllabus, or on the date announced by the instructor in class (often the next class meeting). \u2018Late\u2019 submissions bear the following penalties: one day late\/one letter grade; two days late\/two letter grades; three or more days late\/F.\u00a0Please note: these \u2018days\u2019 are calendar days, not class meeting days.\u00a0For accounting purposes, letter grades bear the following values: A=95; B=85; C=75; D=65; F=30.\u00a0An untyped paper or written exercise automatically receives the grade F, as do those typed submissions which violate the required parameters or which the instructor deems physically unacceptable and\/or grammatically incomprehensible.<\/p>\n

3) Attendance at class meetings will be monitored by the instructor. One or two absences are somewhat understandable, three (3) is the limit of tolerability. Each successive absence lowers the Individual Involvement component of your assessment by one letter grade; seven (7) or more earns an automatic F in that component. Please note that the instructor does not distinguish \u2018excused\u2019 from \u2018unexcused\u2019 absences. Unsanctioned late arrivals and early departures will be tallied as absences.<\/p>\n

c. Assistance and solicitation of criticism is your right as a member of the class. It is not a privilege to be granted or withheld.\u00a0Do not hesitate to request it nor wait too late in the course for it to be of help.<\/p>\n

Rough Course Outline<\/h3>\n

1. Introduction: the historical-critical study of scriptures<\/p>\n

a. applied to Jewish Bible<\/p>\n

b. applied to Christian Bible<\/p>\n

c. applied to Qur\u2019\u0101n<\/p>\n

d. the problematic notion of \u2018rewritten scripture\u2019<\/p>\n

Required<\/strong>: The Qur\u2019\u0101n<\/em> (trans. Shakir), s\u016bras 1-114 (i.e., entire);\u00a0Wheeler, Prophets<\/em>, 1-14; 362-71;\u00a0Shalom Spiegel, \u201cIntroduction,\u201d in Ginzberg, Legends<\/em>, xi-xxxix. Elliott, Apocryphal Jesus<\/em>, 1-5.<\/p>\n

2. Introductory case studies; or, how to perform the written exercises<\/p>\n

a. Antediluvian descendants of Adam<\/p>\n

Required<\/strong>: Genesis 4:1-6:8; 1 Chronicles 1:1-3. Q 2:102; 5:27-32; 19:56-57; 21:85-86; Ya\u2018q\u016bb\u012b, Ta\u2019r\u012bkh<\/em> (from Adam to Noah); Wheeler, Prophets<\/em>, 36-48;\u00a0Ginzberg, Legends, 54-65;\u00a0John C. Reeves, \u201cThe Flowing Stream: Qur\u2019\u0101nic Interpretations and the Bible,\u201d Religious Studies News\u2014SBL Edition<\/em> 2.9 (2001).<\/p>\n

b. Joseph<\/p>\n

Required<\/strong>: Genesis 37:1-50:26; concordance search for rhetorical nuances;\u00a0Q 6:84; 12:1-111; 40:34;\u00a0Wheeler, Prophets<\/em>, 127-45. Ginzberg, Legends<\/em>, 194-265.<\/p>\n

3. Abraham<\/p>\n

Required<\/strong>: Genesis 11:27-25:11; Joshua 24:2-3; Isaiah 41:8; Nehemiah 9:7; concordance search for rhetorical nuances;\u00a0Q passages listed in index sub voce<\/em>; Wheeler, Prophets<\/em>, 83-108. Ginzberg, Legends<\/em>, 86-147;\u00a0EXERCISE ##1-3<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

4. Noah<\/p>\n

Required<\/strong>: Genesis 5:28-9:29; Isaiah 54:9; Ezekiel 14:14, 20;\u00a0Q passages listed in index sub voce<\/em>;\u00a0Ya\u2018q\u016bb\u012b, Ta\u2019r\u012bkh<\/em> (Noah); Wheeler, Prophets<\/em>, 49-62. Ginzberg, Legends<\/em>, 66-85;\u00a0EXERCISE ##4-6<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

5. Moses<\/p>\n

Required<\/strong>: Exodus 1:1-24:18; 31:18-34:35; 40:1-38; Numbers 10:11-14:45; 16:1-17:26; 20:1-25:18; 27:12-23; Deut 31:1-34:12; concordance search for rhetorical nuances;\u00a0Chronicles of Moses<\/em>; Q passages listed in index sub voce<\/em>; Wheeler, Prophets<\/em>, 173-221; 222-37; 238-42;\u00a0Ginzberg, Legends<\/em>, 277-506;\u00a0EXERCISE ##7-9<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

6. Jesus<\/p>\n

Required<\/strong>: Matthew 1-28; Mark 1-16; Luke 1-24; John 1-21;\u00a0Q passages listed in index sub voce<\/em>; also Q 3:35-41; 6:85; 19:2-15; 21:89-90;\u00a0Wheeler, Prophets<\/em>, 291-96; 297-320;\u00a0Elliott, Apocryphal Jesus<\/em>, 9-113;\u00a0EXERCISE ##10-12<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

7. Concluding remarks and reflections<\/p>\n

Template for the Written Exercises<\/h3>\n

Written exercises for this course adhere generally to the following template:<\/p>\n

1. Preparation of a \u2018narratological profile\u2019 of the biblical character. This involves assembling the basic textual data by use of concordances or indices; isolating essential stories and actors associated with the character; identifying certain recurring patterns or motifs associated with the character; and attempting to ascertain the rhetorical function (if any) of that character in later biblical discourse.<\/p>\n

2. Preparation of a \u2018narratological profile\u2019 of the qur\u2019\u0101nic character. Same as #1, but instead keyed to the Qur\u2019\u0101n\u2019s presentation of the character. Simultaneously one is looking for and assessing whether there are \u2018echoes\u2019 or \u2018overlaps\u2019 between representations in biblical and qur\u2019\u0101nic discourse.<\/p>\n

3. Using Wheeler, Ginzberg, and Elliott to sound and to map the literary and rhetorical \u2018terrain\u2019 between and around these characters. Do these \u2018parascriptural\u2019 traditions shed any light on the profiles generated respectively by Bible and Qur\u2019\u0101n?\u00a0Do they prompt any refinement or reassessment?<\/p>\n

The same template will be successively keyed to the figures of Abraham, Noah, Moses, and Jesus as well as to the secondary characters and\/or situations found in their respective narrative contexts.<\/p>\n

Supplemental Bibliography for\u00a0RELS 3000 Bible to Qur’an<\/h3>\n

In response to student requests for recommendations regarding useful and enlightening discussions of certain topics, themes, and personalities that are presented in class and\/or readings, I offer the following suggestions for further study at the student\u2019s leisure. I confine myself to materials which I myself have used with profit and which are currently available at Atkins Library.<\/p>\n

It is often helpful for the student to begin with appropriate articles in the standard Bible dictionaries.\u00a0 The latest and best is The Anchor Bible Dictionary<\/em> (6 vols.; New York: Doubleday, 1992).\u00a0Also reliable are The Interpreters\u2019 Dictionary of the Bible<\/em> (4 vols.) and its Supplementary Volume<\/em> (ed. George A. Buttrick; Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1962 & 1976), and the Harper\u2019s Bible Dictionary<\/em> (ed. Paul J. Achtemeier; San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1985).\u00a0Highly recommended are the relevant articles in the Encyclopaedia Judaica<\/em> (16 vols.; Jerusalem: Keter, 1971) and the Encyclopaedia of Islam<\/em> (2d ed.; 10 vols.; Leiden: Brill, 1960-\u00a0 ).\u00a0Unfortunately Atkins does not yet own the new Encyclopaedia of the Qur\u2019\u0101n<\/em> ( vols.; ed. Jane Dammen McAuliffe; Leiden: Brill, 2001-\u00a0 ), of which two volumes have appeared so far (encompassing letters A-J).<\/p>\n

Traditional Commentaries to Qur\u2019\u0101n<\/strong><\/p>\n

M. Ayoub, The Qur\u2019an and its Interpreters<\/em> (2 vols.; Albany: State University of New York Press, 1984-\u00a0 ). Covers s\u016bras 2-3 only.<\/p>\n

Tabar\u012b, The Commentary on the Qur\u2019\u0101n<\/em> ( vols.; ed. W. Madelung and A. Jones; Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1987-\u00a0 ).\u00a0Atkins owns only the first volume.<\/p>\n

Modern Critical Introductions to Qur\u2019\u0101n and Qur\u2019\u0101nic Studies<\/strong><\/p>\n

Richard Bell, Introduction to the Qur\u2019\u0101n<\/em> (Edinburgh: University Press, 1958).<\/p>\n

Michael Cook, The Koran: A Very Short Introduction<\/em> (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000).\u00a0Highly recommended.<\/p>\n

W. Montgomery Watt (ed.), Bell\u2019s Introduction to the Qur\u2019\u0101n<\/em> (rev. ed.; Edinburgh: University Press, 1970).<\/p>\n

Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n

R. H. Charles (ed.), The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English<\/em> (2 vols.; Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913).<\/p>\n

James H. Charlesworth (ed.), The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha<\/em> (2 vols.; Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1983-85).<\/p>\n

______, The Pseudepigrapha and Modern Research, With A Supplement<\/em> (Chico, Calif.: Scholars Press, 1981).<\/p>\n

J. K. Elliott, (ed.), The Apocryphal New Testament<\/em> (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1993).\u00a0The unabridged version of your The Apocryphal Jesus<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Edgar Hennecke and Wilhelm Schneemelcher, (ed.), New Testament Apocrypha<\/em> (2 vols.; Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1963-65).<\/p>\n

M. R. James, (ed.), The Apocryphal New Testament<\/em> (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924). Elliott’s edition is an update of this classic collection.<\/p>\n

H. F. D. Sparks (ed.), The Apocryphal Old Testament<\/em> (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984).<\/p>\n

Dead Sea Scrolls Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n

Florentino Garc\u00eda Mart\u00ednez, The Dead Sea Scrolls Translated: The Qumran Scrolls in English<\/em> (2d ed.; Leiden and Grand Rapids, Mich.: Brill and Eerdmans, 1996).<\/p>\n

Geza Vermes, The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English<\/em> (London and New York: Allen Lane\/Penguin Press, 1998).<\/p>\n

Michael Wise, Martin Abegg, Jr., and Edward Cook, The Dead Sea Scrolls: A New Translation<\/em> (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1996).<\/p>\n

Classical and Syro-Mesopotamian Gnostic Resources<\/strong><\/p>\n

Werner Foerster, Gnosis: A Selection of Gnostic Texts<\/em> (2 vols.; Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1972).\u00a0Volume 1 features patristic testimonies to classical gnosis; volume 2 has translations of Coptic and, more importantly, Mandaic sources.<\/p>\n

Bentley Layton, The Gnostic Scriptures<\/em> (Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1987).<\/p>\n

James M. Robinson (ed.), The Nag Hammadi Library in English<\/em> (3d rev. ed.; San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1988).<\/p>\n

Jewish, Christian, and Islamic Traditions Pertaining to Biblical Figures and Events<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reuven Firestone, Journeys in Holy Lands: The Evolution of the Abraham-Ishmael Story in Islamic Exegesis<\/em> (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1990).<\/p>\n

Louis Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews<\/em> (7 vols.; Philadelphia: The Jewish Publication Society, 1909-38).\u00a0The fully annotated version of your Legends of the Bible<\/em>, and a very useful resource for investigating the postbiblical development of biblical characters and events.<\/p>\n

Tilman Nagel, \u201cKisas al-anbiy\u0101\u2019,\u201d Encyclopaedia of Islam<\/em>2<\/sup> (Leiden: Brill, 1960-\u00a0 ), 5:180-81.<\/p>\n

Gordon D. Newby, The Making of the Last Prophet: A Reconstruction of the Earliest Biography of Muhammad<\/em> (Columbia, S.C.: University of South Carolina Press, 1989). A plausible attempt to reconstruct the lost initial portion of the S\u012bra<\/em> or \u2018Life of Muhammad\u2019; it reportedly collected and recounted traditions about the careers of Muhammad\u2019s predecessors.<\/p>\n

Moshe Perlmann, The History of al-Tabar\u012b, Volume IV: The Ancient Kingdoms<\/em> (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1987).\u00a0Pages 112-25 deal with Jesus.<\/p>\n

Franz Rosenthal, The History of al-Tabar\u012b, Volume I: General Introduction and From the Creation to the Flood<\/em> (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1989).\u00a0Stops with the introduction of Noah; Atkins unfortunately does not own Volume II or Volume III (translated by William M. Brinner) which contain the intervening biblical characters.<\/p>\n

Haim Schwarzbaum, \u201cProlegomenon,\u201d in Moses Gaster, The Chronicles of Jerahmeel<\/em> (New York: Ktav Publishing House, 1971), 1-124.\u00a0 A rich bibliographical resource.<\/p>\n

Georges Vajda, \u201cIsr\u0101\u2019\u012bliyy\u0101t,\u201d EI<\/em>2<\/sup> 4:211.<\/p>\n

Marilyn R. Waldman, \u201cNew Approaches to \u2018Biblical\u2019 Materials in the Qur\u2019\u0101n,\u201d Muslim World<\/em> 75 (1985): 1-16.<\/p>\n

Eli Yassif, The Hebrew Folktale: History, Genre, Meaning<\/em> (Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1999).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

RELS 3000 Bible to Qur\u2019\u0101n TR 11:00-12:20 Dr. John C. Reeves 204B Macy Office hours: TR 1:30-2:30; or by appointment jcreeves@uncc.edu Course Description This course conducts a comparative exploration of the way shared characters and\/or narrative scenarios are depicted in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim scriptures and in their respective interpretive traditions.\u00a0After a brief exposure to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":454,"featured_media":0,"parent":70,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-848","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/P3kl1F-dG","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/848","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/454"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=848"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/848\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":862,"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/848\/revisions\/862"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/70"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/john-reeves\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=848"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}