I. Textbooks:

• A Study Bible or good Reference Bible (such as the Harper's Study Bible, the ESV Study Bible, or the NIV Study Bible; please limit yourself to the Revised Standard, the New American Standard, the New International, the English Standard, or the New Revised Standard versions, but the instructor will be using the Revised Standard Version and English Standard Version). The ESV Study Bible is recommended.
• Aland, Kurt, ed. 1982. Synopsis of the four gospels - English edition. New York: American Bible Society. ISBN: 0826705006.
• Recommended: South, James T. 2012. Just Jesus: The Evidence of History. Chillicothe, OH: DeWard. ISBN: 978-1-936341-42-9

II. Course Description:

BIB 106 Life of Christ (2 credits) A survey of the gospel accounts of the life of Christ, designed to introduce students to both historical and thematic content of the Gospels from which practical applications can be drawn.

This course will focus on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ as presented in the four gospels. It will begin with an introduction to the four gospels in the New Testament. The majority of the course will be devoted to a study of the historical events and teachings of Jesus as found in the four gospels. The approach will be comparative. Emphasis will be on the different aspects of Jesus and the reliability of historical reconstruction from the gospel accounts.

III. Rationale:

This course addresses the following objectives of the Bible program:

Objectives For Every Student

IV. Integrating Faith and Learning:

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.

V. Course Objectives and National Standards:

1. To acquaint the student with the historical events of the life of Jesus Christ and his teachings as found primarily in the four gospels.
2. To develop an academic understanding of reading an ancient text such as the Bible and its use in historical reconstruction of events.
3. To study the gospels of the New Testament as related to its background, both the religious framework of the Old Testament and the cultural milieu of the Roman world.
4. To help the student come face to face with Jesus in all His complexity in the scripture, thus providing a faith building experience.

There are no national standards for undergraduate study of the Bible.  At OVU, we emphasize the biblical text and its application in our lives.

VI. School of Biblical Studies Mission Statement:

VII. Course Requirements and Evaluation:

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 research on his or her own in papers described below. Primary academic abilities assessed include the students' ability to read and understand the texts assigned as evidenced by homework and pop quiz grades, and the mastery of the material learned as evidenced by the major exams.

Your grade for the class will be based on three major exams (including a comprehensive final exam), attendance, and sixty questions from pop quizzes over the reading, collected in-class work, and collected homework. If more than sixty questions are given (not counting bonus questions), only the highest scores toward the sixty points will be counted. In addition, a map (explained below) and a two-page typed essay can be done for two points extra credit each. The typed essay will be graded as full (50 or more lines = 1 point) or partial (less than 50 lines = .5 points) and mere summary (.5 points) or thoughtful interaction (1 point), although essays that do not address an assigned topic can be turned back as not completed. Write on one of the following six topics: 1) the ethics of Jesus as seen in the Sermon on the Mount; 2) the significance of Peter's confession; 3) the parables of Jesus; 4) the destruction of Jerusalem; 5) the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus; 6) the Great Commission. As an alternative to the essays, a 3-page typed book report on Dr. South's Just Jesus may be done for up to three bonus points. One page is defined as 27 double-spaced typewritten lines (counting the title, but not your name or page numbers; set line spacing to exactly 24 points) with 1" margins. Exam questions can come from the lectures or assigned readings from either those assigned in class or the New Testament. The final exam will cover material from the whole course.

Class will be excused for students attending the World Missions Workshop. Students will be expected to attend at least a one hour class for each hour missed and turn in a one-page report on the class attended. The reports will count as attendance grades.

Ten points will be given for attendance. One point will be deducted for each class hour missed (counting each class as 1 hour), 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 hours will be given to all students to allow for absences due to illness and excused absences for official school business. Note well: Grace hours will be applied first to excused absences.

Class handouts and homework are found on the Internet at: "http://bterry.com/gospels/". Homework may be printed out, done early, and turned in up to a week before the due date if the student knows of an absence that is coming up. Late homework is not accepted.

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 not accepted, 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 papers and maps if they are 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. No assignment will be accepted that is more than two weeks late.

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.

Bible Map instructions

Draw or trace a map of Palestine in the first century A.D. showing at least the following:

Bodies of Water: Mediterranean Sea, Dead Sea, Jordan River, Sea of Galilee

Regions: Judea, Samaria, Perea, Galilee, Decapolis

Cities: Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Bethany, Jericho, Samaria, Nazareth, Cana, Capernium, Caesarea Philippi (not to be confused with either Caesarea or Philippi), at least one other city of your choice.

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 of Palestine is found on the Internet at: <http://bterry.com/gospels/palolmap.htm>.

VIII. Grading System:

The final grade will be based on your work in the following way:

        Attendance                                                10%
        Pop Quizzes/Homework                                      15%
        Major Tests                                               50%
        Final Exam                                                25%

Only in the area of Essays and Maps will any extra credit be allowed to exceed these percentages. Also, extra credit in the course will be given for a one-page introduction of yourself. 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.

IX. Academic Integrity Policy:

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 cheat or plagiarize are all violations of these standards. Students who engage in these behaviors in a course in which they are enrolled will face appropriate consequences, which could include failing the assignment in question, failing the course, being placed on restricted status (i.e., the student will not be allowed to participate in on-campus activities, including intramurals, and may not represent Ohio Valley University in public events, including athletic competitions, performances, and presentations), or being suspended or dismissed from Ohio Valley University. Students who engage in these behaviors when they are unrelated to a course in which they are enrolled will also face appropriate consequences, which could include being placed on restricted status or being suspended or dismissed from Ohio Valley University.

If a student believes that he or she is being falsely accused of academic dishonesty, or if the student believes the consequences of an incident of academic dishonesty are unjust, the student may ask that the situation be reviewed. 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

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.

Professional Dress

Students should dress modestly regardless of the type of clothes that they choose, and be aware that first impressions count and are often dictated by clothing choices. Specifically, members of the University community should avoid clothing that is revealing and/or features offensive slogans, language, or advertisements. Examples of revealing clothing include but are not limited to: midriffs or halters, mesh or netted shirts, tube tops, low cut blouses, short skirts and shorts exposing the upper thigh. Very tight clothing should be avoided. Examples of offensive slogans, language or advertisements include but are not limited to: curse words, sexually suggestive language or gestures, and references to alcohol or drugs.

Electronic Devices

Please turn cell phones OFF or ON SILENT before entering class. You may place your cell phone on your desk as a clock; otherwise, keep it put away. The use of cell phones, computers, and tablets for texting, calling, emailing, googling, checking the internet, tweeting, using facebook is not permitted; such is distracting both to the students doing such and the students around them. Please put these electronic devices away. Do not use your device out of sight under the desk. I reserve the right to count you absent should you disregard this. Cell phone or tablet use for voice, text, or data during a test will result in failure of that test!

X. Policy for Attendance and Tardies:

OVU Catalog:

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 more than 25 percent of the class sessions, including both excused and unexcused absences, the student will fail the course.

Course Policy:

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 and other fractional 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 8 class hours, counting each class as 1 hour). 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 5 total absences or 3 unexcused 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.

This semester I am teaching two sections of this class.  If you are absent at the early section, you may make up the absence by attending the later section covering the same material.  Similarly, if you are enrolled in the later section and know you will have to be absent, you may attend the earlier section covering the same material and not be counted absent.  If you do either of these, please bring it to my attention at the class you attend.  Except in these rare cases, students should attend the section in which they are enrolled.

XI. Compliance with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA):

If you have a diagnosed disability and need special accommodations, please notify the office of the vice president for academic affairs (VPAA) as soon as possible. After your disability has been verified, I will work with you and the VPAA to insure that you have a fair opportunity to perform in the course.

XII. Bibliography:

XIII. Course Calendar:

MAJOR EXAM DATES:       Exam 1 -- Thursday, October 4, 2012
                        Exam 2 -- Thursday, November 8, 2012
                        Final Exam -- Tuesday, December 18, 2012
                                        Section 01 -- 10:00 - 11:50 a.m. 
                        Final Exam -- Wednesday, December 19, 2012
                                        Section 02 -- 3:00 - 4:50 p.m. 
 

WEEK ONE: 
 8/30/12 -- Introduction to the Course

WEEK TWO: 
                  homework: read the introduction to Matthew in your
                                         study Bible
                            write a one-page introduction of yourself
                                        (extra credit)
 9/ 4/12 -- Introduction to Matthew
                  homework: read the introductions to Mark and Luke in
                                         your study Bible
 9/ 6/12 -- Introduction to Mark and Luke 

WEEK THREE: 
                  homework: read the introduction to John in your study
                                         Bible
 9/11/12 -- Introduction to John
                  homework: read Matt. 1:18-2:23; Luke 1-2; Lev. 12:1-8
 9/13/12 -- The Birth of Jesus 

WEEK FOUR: 
 9/18/12 -- The Birth of Jesus (cont.)
                  homework: read Matt. 3:1-4:11; Mark 1:1-13; Luke 3:1-
                        22; 4:1-13; John 1:19-2:12
 9/20/12 -- The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus

WEEK FIVE: 
                  homework: read John 2:14-4:46
                                  draw a map of first century Palestine
                                        identify at least 5 regions & 10 cities
 9/25/12 -- Early Encounters in John
                  homework: read Matt. 5; Luke 6:17-49; Deut. 5:1-22;
                                        19:21
 9/27/12 -- The Sermon on the Mount
World Mission Workshop

WEEK SIX: 
                  homework: read Matt. 6-7
10/ 2/12 -- The Sermon on the Mount
                  homework: study for test
10/ 4/12 -- Major Exam

WEEK SEVEN: 
                  homework: read Matt. 8-12; Mark 4:35-5:43; Luke 7
10/ 9/12 -- Various Miracles and the Sending Out of the Twelve
                  homework: read Matt. 13:53-15:39; Mark 6:1-8:10;
                                        Lev. 11:1-30
10/11/12 -- Various Miracles

WEEK EIGHT: 
                  homework: read Matt. 16:13-17:23; Mark 8:27-9:32;
                                        Luke 9:18-10:20
10/16/12 -- Peter's Confession and the Transfiguration
                  homework: read Matt. 13:1-52; Mark 4:1-34; Luke 8:1-21
10/18/12 -- Parables of Jesus

WEEK NINE: 
                  homework: read Luke 10:25-37; 12:13-21; 15:1-16:31;
                                        18:1-14
10/23/12 -- Special Parables Recorded Only by Luke
                  homework: read John 7:53-8:11; 9:1-41
10/25/12 -- More Encounters of Jesus

WEEK TEN: 
                  homework: read Matt. 19:1-20:16; Mark 10:1-31;
                                        Luke 18:15-30; 19:1-10; Deut. 24:1-4
10/30/12 -- More Encounters of Jesus
                  homework: read John 11
11/ 1/12 -- The Raising of Lazarus

WEEK ELEVEN: 
                  homework: read Matt. 21:1-32; Mark 11; Luke 19:28-
                                        20:8; John 12:1-19; Lev. 23:4-8
11/ 6/12 -- Events of the Final Week
                  homework: study for test
11/ 8/12 -- Major Exam

WEEK TWELVE: 
                  homework: read Matt. 21:33-23:39; Mark 12; Luke 20:9-
                                        21:4; Lev. 19:18; Deut. 6:4-9; 25:5-10
11/13/12 -- Events of the Final Week
                  homework: read Matt. 24; Mark 13; Luke 17:20-37;
                                        21:5-36
11/15/12 -- The Synoptic Apocalypse

THANKSGIVING BREAK

WEEK THIRTEEN: 
                  homework: read Matt. 25
11/27/12 -- The Synoptic Apocalypse
                  homework: read Matt. 26:1-56; Mark 14:1-52;
                                        Luke 22:1-53; John 13:1-38; 18:1-12
11/29/12 -- The Arrest of Jesus

WEEK FOURTEEN: 
                  homework: read Matt. 26:57-27:26; Mark 14:53-15:15;
                                        Luke 22:54-23:25; John 18:13-19:16
                            extra-credit typed essay due
12/ 4/12 -- The Trial of Jesus
                  homework: read Matt. 27:27-66; Mark 15:16-47;
                                        Luke 23:26-56; John 19:17-42
12/ 6/12 -- The Crucifixion

WEEK FIFTEEN: 
                  homework: read Matt. 28; Mark 16; Luke 24:1-12;
                                        John 20:1-18
12/11/12 -- The Resurrection
                  homework: read Luke 24:13-53; John 20:19-21:25;
                                        Acts 1:1-11
12/13/12 -- The Appearances and Ascension

WEEK SIXTEEN: Final Exam Week
                  homework: study for final exam
12/18/12 -- Final Exam (Section 01 -- 10:00 - 11:50 a.m.)
12/19/12 -- Final Exam (Section 02 -- 3:00 - 4:50 p.m.)

N. B.: Homework is listed before the class for which it is due!

THIS SYLLABUS MAY BE MODIFIED AS THE TEACHER FEELS NECESSARY!