Overview

As any historian quickly comes to concede, past and present are far more intermingled than we want to admit, especially when—to steal a phrase—we are trying to study the past wie es eigentlich gewesen (how it really was).  But the past does not sit in some sterile laboratory, waiting for us to show up and test our theories on it.  It influences us, even as we try to gain some distance from it, the better to understand to it.  And for few artifacts of the past is this truer than for the Bible.

The purpose of this course is to examine the Bible as both historical product and historical shaper, not to evaluate its theological claims.  Students in search of such faith-based evaluations—whether positive or negative—will likely find this course frustrating in its determination to stay focused on the factual contexts.   Instead, as the schedule of topics and readings below demonstrates, the course will look at how the Bible, via both the Hebrew Scriptures and then the Christian New Testament shaped a version of historical understanding.  In turn, as the world secularized from the Early Modern period onward, the Bible itself came under scrutiny of a new sort, being analyzed for its literary structures, multiple authorships, logical hiccups, etc. Most of all, as knowledge of the Ancient Near East grew ever deeper via archaeological discoveries, the decipherment of formerly “lost” languages, and professional historical study, the contexts in which the Bible was authored have come to influence how many readers approach the text. All these sorts of things are what this course will focus on.

This Course and Mother Nature

Before we turn to the normal nitty-gritty of a Longwood history course, we must talk about our ongoing adversaries: namely, various viruses and the earth's stormy temper. Weather delays and cancellations are easy enough to sort out; pay attention to Longwood announcements, and following them, I'll post workarounds on the syllabus and Canvas.

As for COVID and monkeypox (and polio, really?!?) and their ilk, we are in an ever-changing recipe of science, politics, and basic human decency. This course will run in accordance with the latest Longwood policies, such policies themselves being in line with the latest, best safeguards outlined by the CDC and VDH. While masks and vaccines are no longer required on campus or in classrooms, scientific counsel still points to them as the best safeguards. If you contract Covid-19, Longwood policy does require, per the state and national guidelines, that you isolate for at least 5 days. You should also contact the university (careteam@longwood.edu) to ensure that your professors are correctly informed as to your circumstances.

For students who have to isolate or quarantine, I will offer the opportunity to continue participating in class via Zoom. This option is only for students at risk of missing several days of class, and it must be arranged in advance of the upcoming classes. For the occasional illness, this is not an option. It is most assuredly not an option for students wanting easier travel plans, to sleep in, or similar choices. Thus, most of the time, Zoom will not be on; when it is, I will not ignore those folks online, but my primary attention will be on those in the classroom.

Course Goals

The goals (or should I say fruits?) of a history course are as numerous as the books which historians produce. Some have already been hinted at above. At the broadest level, though, historical study encourages and hones critical analysis of the questions which most concern us. And these issues are themselves countless, but in the most generic terms, they mostly center on the relations of people with one another, with themselves, and with larger institutions or powers. We will be asking “why?” rather a lot: Why did they think that? Why did they assume such a thing? Why does the past appear simultaneously alien and similar? Even as we ask these questions, others lie implicitly underneath: why do I think what I think? What are my prejudices and assumptions? How does my heritage sway my conclusions?

Grading & Assignments

Reading/Participation (15%): in-class discussions will be critical to the course. Almost every class period will be split into a lecture-style presentation and reading-based discussion.  Students will be expected to participate regularly and substantially. If the professor comes to suspect that regular reading is not a habit, then pop quizzes will have to become a part of this assessment.

Exams: There will be three major exams (including the Final Exam). They will count for variable weights (14%, 10%, and 15%).  Actual formats will be reviewed in the class periods prior to each exam.

Research Paper (20%): Further guidelines and specifics will be posted in Canvas, but a standard, 10-page paper in Chicago Notes-Bibliography Style will be due near the semester’s end. There are a number of preliminary tasks (proposal, bibliography, etc.) built into the syllabus. These constitute another 5% of the course grade.

Historiography Report (7%): at scattered dates (see schedule below), students will present to the class a small historiographical sketch focused on a major scholar in the various fields that tie into this course’s topics. The professor will present the first of these so as to model what we will be looking for in this assignment.

Source Analysis Paper (7%): a small-ish paper, in which students will compare three sources (2 Biblical, one from Assyria) regarding Sennacherib's siege of Jerusalem c. 701 BCE.

Resource Bank (6%): Students will collaborate to build a small database of resources. Besides creating a combined document that pools these resources for the class, the assessment of each site/book/tool will be key to the student showing their own skill at discerning the agendas latent in such "aids."

And the Rest...Be certain to read my “General Policies” page as well for further information on how your performance in the course will be assessed.

Lecture & Reading Schedule

Reading assignments are to be done before you come to class. The plan is that each class will proceed in two discrete parts: roughly 2/3 as presentation of material by the professor, sometimes linked/sometimes not to the day's assigned readings. The remaining third will focus directly via discussion on the days's reading. Yes, there is a lot of reading to do. Welcome to History at Longwood. Give yourself plenty of time to do the reading, not just pass your eyes over the pages. Among your professor's many delusions is the unassailable expectation that you will consider and comprehend what you're reading. And when the latter doesn't arrive, that you'll try again.

If your professor comes to believe that the class is not taking this task seriously, pop quizzes will begin to rain down...

Date	Topic	Reading Assignment
Preludes & Caveats
12 Jan	Introduction to course Opening Discussion	Course Syllabus
17 Jan	On-Boarding: the Past, the Present, and the Personal	Pew Research Center: “In America, Does More Education Equal Less Religion?” Harris: “Fundamentalisms,” (see Canvas)
So... How did we get to this point?
19 Jan	Studying the holy/supernatural: rhetorical and analytical guardrails	Maas: “A Rational Defense of the Supernatural” Whitelam: “General Problems...” (Canvas) Burton: “Study Theology…”
24 Jan	The Bible Itself: a Primer	“Introduction,” 1–15, (Canvas)
26 Jan	History… acc. to the Bible	See Module 2 in Canvas for links
31 Jan	From Jerome to the Reformation	“Introduction,” 18–26, (Canvas) Jerome: Prologue to Genesis and Letter 106 (skim the later parts) Luther: Open Letter on Translating
2 Feb	Enlightenment Critiques & C19 Projects	“Introduction,” 27-37, (Canvas) IEP on Hume: Sections 1, 3, and 8, especially
7 Feb	20C: Proofs(?) and Pushback ♦ Hxgraphy Report: Yadin	TBA
The Hebrew Scriptures: the Textual Story
9 Feb	Productions under the Kings ♦ Paper Proposal Due	Satlow, 13-51
14 Feb	The Second Commonwealth ♦ Hxgraphy Report: Finkelstein	Satlow, 52-79
16 Feb	Aftermath of Exile / Confronting Hellenism	Satlow, 79-123
21 Feb	The Maccabean Revolt ♦ Hxgraphy Report: E.S. Fiorenza	Satlow, 124-152
23 Feb	From the Septuagint to the Dead Sea Scrolls	Satlow, 153-188
28 Feb	The Rabbinic Tradition ♦ Hxgraphy Report: Dever	Satlow, 257-275
2 Mar	Exam I
6-11 Mar	SPRING BREAK
The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) and Archaeology
14 Mar	Digging into the Earliest History ♦ Hxgraphy Report: B. Wright	Dever, 1-43
16 Mar	From Judges to Kings ♦ Paper Bibliography Due	Dever, 44-94
21 Mar	Politics & Pesky Neighbors ♦ Hxgraphy Report: J.H. Breasted	Dever, 95-124
23 Mar	Getting to Monotheism ♦ Hxgraphy Report: Ehrman	Dever, 125-144
27 Mar	Source Analysis Paper
28 Mar	Exam 2
The New Testament: to/from Orthodoxy
30 Mar	Jesus & Paul	Satlow, 191-223
4 Apr	Getting the Gospels ♦ Resource Bank Finalized	Satlow, 224-240
6 Apr	The Historical Jesus ♦ Hxgraphy Report: Robert Funk ♦ Hxgraphy Report: L.T. Johnson	Miller: “Historical Method and the Historical Jesus”
11 Apr	Un-Gospels?	Ehrman, 1-65
13 Apr	A Jewish Sect, or Not? Gnostic or Not?	Ehrman, 91-134
18 Apr	Symposium for Common Good (No scheduled class)
19 Apr	Research Paper Due
20 Apr	Proto-Orthodoxy	Ehrman, 135-157
25 Apr	Historians & Orthodoxy	Ehrman, 159-202
27 Apr	Locking in the Canon	Ehrman, 203-246
TBD	Final Exam

Academic Honesty

Sadly, every year a few students attempt to submit work which is not their own. This act is, of course, the crime of plagiarism. Do not test your luck in this arena. The eventual odds are against you, and the penalties are unpleasant. Any student who submits plagiarized work will automatically fail the entire course. Previous students have found that I do not negotiate this point. If you're not sure what constitutes academic dishonesty, consult the student handbook, ask your instructors, or see my links to the problem.

All other forms of cheating will be penalized to the fullest extent of university policies.

Contacting Dr. Isaac

• Office: Ruffner 226A
• Telephone: 395-2225
• e-mail: isaacsw@longwood.edu
• Office Hours:  MW 11:00–noon; TR 12:30-1:30
• Feel free to drop in at anytime; if I can’t see you during the set office hours, I will gladly set up an appointment at your convenience. I am available most afternoons as well if you just want to come by.