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WYB 2601 HS
Which Historical Jesus? Material Culture and Gospel Texts
5-16 June 2000, 9-12 am
Peter Richardson prchrdsn@chass.utoronto.ca (click for email)
Office address: UC H13; Telephone 978-7149 or 978-5938
Description
The emphasis is on the intersection of textual and archaeological evidence bearing upon Jesus and his followers in the Holy Land. Consideration will be given to cities and towns associated with Jesus (e.g., Nazareth, Capernaum, Cana, Bethsaida, Caesarea Philippi, the Decapolis, Jerusalem); social and economic questions (brigandage, trade and commerce, agriculture, patronage, status, social organization, urbanism); religious issues within Judaism (ritual purity, eating and drinking, cooking and menu, burial, worship, study and education); "ethnic" concerns (character of Galilee, Roman presence, Samaritans and Jews, "pagans," popular religion). The overall motif of the discussions will be on the fit between views derived from texts and the evidence from the material culture of first-century Judea, Galilee, Peraea, and the Golan.
A typical class will combine slides, topical discussion, and examination of texts. Those issues and narratives that require an appreciation of material culture, architecture, town or city life, in order to interpret them intelligently will be emphasized. The syllabus appended gives an indication of the selection of texts and issues and realia. Students should select a topic for the assignments (see further below) that will exemplify this same approach.
Textbooks
William Arnal and Michel Desjardins, editors, Whose Historical Jesus? (Waterloo: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 1997)
Kurt Aland, editor, Synopsis of the Gospels (recommended) or B. H. Throckmorton, Gospel Parallels (less useful but adequate) will be used daily in class; it will be important to have one and to bring it to class. Alternatively, students may print out passages ahead of time from an electronic synopsis, such as John Marshall's "Five Gospels."
Other recommended books; it is expected that everyone will carefully work through, and review, one of the following books in connection with the classes (the last book listed is not suitable for review). I will consder approving another book for review that you might wish to propose as equivalent, preferably one that you have not already read. You may contact me by email to ask for approval ahead of the beginning of classes if you wish. The following books will be on reserve.
E.P. Sanders, Judaism, Practice and Belief (1992)
Martin Goodman, The Ruling Class of Judaea (1987)
Richard A. Horsley, Archaeology, History and Society in the Galilee (1996)
E..P. Sanders, The Historical Figure of Jesus (1993)
Leif Vaage, Galilean Upstarts (1994)
Burton L. Mack, The Lost Gospel. The Book of Q and Christian Origins (1993)
J. D. Crossan, The Historical Jesus (1991)
John P. Meier, A Marginal Jew, especially volume 1
[John J. Rousseau and Rami Arav, Jesus and his World. An Archaeological and Cultural Dictionary (1995)], not suitable for review
The above books have been ordered through the Wycliffe College Bookstore. Many of them will also be available in other bookstores, such as the Anglican Book Centre, Bob Miller's Bookroom, or U of T Bookstore.
Evaluation
Book Report 9 June 2000 One of the above
recommended books (except the last named, which is not
suitable for review) 15% Preliminary
essay 16 June 2000 Bibliographic assignment
(see below) 15% Final essay 28 Aug 2000 Major research essay on
topic to be negotiated 50% Participation NA Student participation in
class/seminar discussion 10%
Assignments
The final and the preliminary essay are to be coordinated. Topics will be negotiated during the first week of class, either in conversation or by email. If you have an idea ahead of classes that you know you would like to pursue, you may contact me by email and begin the discussion about your topic. A preliminary statement of the problem and a working bibliography (annotated) will be developed during the second week of class. The preliminary essay is a one- or two-page statement, with about two pages of bibliography; the bibliography must include annotations indicating that you have looked--even if briefly--at the work in question and have a rough idea what the book or article is about and how you expect it will contribute to your research.
The final essay will be built on this preliminary work. It is to be a polished research essay, carefully presented in argument, form, structure and content; the main point is to be a consideration of how issues of material culture, similar to those considered in class, can (or perhaps cannot) illuminate a specific text. This final essay should be about 3500 words, properly documented and footnoted.
There is a lot of material on the historical Jesus on the Internet, much of it absolutely worthless and best avoided. Some is good, but it is not always easy to tell the difference. Material from the Internet, if it is used at all, must be cited precisely with accurate references to the website and page, in exactly the same way one would cite a book or article. In my links I have indicated some sites that you might usefully consult. For the most part, students are expected to derive their analyses from written work.
Syllabus
. ISSUES SLIDES TEXTS 5 June Geographical setting of
Jesus' life; narrative constructions of his life Geography of Galilee,
Gaulanitis, Samaria, Judea Q, Gospel of Thomas, Mark
6 June Urbanism of the Galilee
& Golan Sepphoris, Tiberias,
Caesarea Philippi, Bethsaida, Luke, John 7 June Decapolis & Sea of
Galilee; Antipas & Philip; security and
danger Sea of Galilee, Hippos,
Gadara, Beth Shean, Pella, Gerasa Mark 7:31-9:31 8 June Brigands, social bandits,
and peasant rebellion Video: "Echoes from the Ancients" Hanson &
Oakman, ch. 3 9 June Agriculture; householders
in towns and villages of the Galilee and Golan Yodefat, Cana, Capernaum,
Chorazin, Gamla Mark 4 Luke 14-15 12 June Economy: trade, commerce,
money, patronage Coins, roads, harbours,
warehouses; Dor, Caesarea Maritima, Ptolemais Pericopes 165, 280 13 June Jewish communal
organization: Synagogues & Beth ha-Midrash Gamla (synagogue &
public building), Capernaum, Chorazin, Masada,
Herodion Pericopes 33,
35, 36, 40, 61, 100, 284 14 June Purity concerns and
ritual observance Mikvaoth, stoneware,
burial practices (tombs, ossuaries) Mark 7 15 June Jesus, Qumran,and Dead
Sea Scrolls Qumran; ancient texts;
desert fortresses; Jericho Mark 13 16 June Jesus and Jerusalem: the
Temple tantrum trial; crucifixion, burial Jerusalem, Temple mount,
Kidron and Hinnom valleys, tombs Mark 14, 15
"Echoes from the Ancients" (click for description and images)
Notes on Jesus
For some introductory materials related to features of Jesus' life, click on Notes on Jesus.
Archaeology
From 11 July to 16 August there is a five-week archaeological dig at Khirbet Cana in the Galilee; if students in this course are interested in the dig, please let me know by email immediately. It is possible to receive academic credit for this dig, working in an independent studies course with me as the instructor (I am site architect for the dig).
If possible, one afternoon may include a visit to the Royal Ontario Museum to see what is relevant in the collections there, if there is enough interest in the possibility.
Copyright 2000. All rights reserved. For use only as directed by the course instructor by students in WYB 2601 HS