| Instructor: Rabbi Ammos
Chorny Tuesday & Thursday 9:25 - 10:40 a.m., 101 BIRCH Department of Humanities Penn State University, Ivy Side Campus, Altoona, PA |
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Office: Jewish Chaplain's Office
- Campus Chapel Office Hours: Thursdays 12:15 - 1:00 p.m. Office Number 6658 - Cellular: 935-6731 (Emergencies Only) eMail: aic6@psu.edu or rabbi@agudathachim.com |
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Course Description:
This is not a “religion class,” but rather a “class on religion” offering, through the study and analysis of classical religious texts, in their original historical and literary context; a general introduction to the history, philosophy and ideology of Judaism and Christianity.
Students will be expected to understand the underlying principles of each religion, as well as the impact each one has had on the development of what is currently labeled as the “Judeo-Christian” tradition.
• Personal Statements (20% of final course grade)::
Each student will be required to write a weekly one-page statement on a number of subjects directly related with the content of the course. Assignments will be given during class on Thursday and are due at the beginning of class the following Tuesday. A minimum of Five (5) statement papers are expected form each student. Note: No papers will be accepted after their due date.
• Mid-term evaluation (25% of final course grade)::
A take-home mid-term evaluation will be administered half way during the semester.
• Final Examination (25% of final course grade):
A take-home final exam will be given a week prior to the official finals week schedule.
• Term Paper (30% of final course grade):
After consulting with the instructor, each student will be expected to select a topic relevant to the subject mater of the course, and develop a final term paper, due on the last day of classes, A brief description of the assignment will be distributed immediately after the mid-term evaluation, along with a sign-up sheet to schedule a meeting with the instructor.
Students will be allowed three (3) unexcused absences . Every absence thereafter will result in a 3% reduction of the final class grade.
• Classroom participation:
Student participation is is expected, in terms of questions asked and answers offered during class, relevant to topics strictly related to the course material. The instructor will reserve the right to ask students to refocus their participation or refrain form interrupting the normal flow of class.
• Written Assignments:
- Late papers will not be accepted except by prior arrangement with the instructor.
- Papers must be handed in during class on the day they are due; otherwise, they are considered late.
- Papers must be typed using conventional margins and 12-pitch font. Drafts can be submitted for review, though there are no rewrites of the final version once handed in.
Grades for the course will correspond to the computational total of the points acumulated during the semester according to the values assigned to each assignment:
+ Periodic Written Assignments + Midterm Evaluaction + Research paper + Final Exam - Attendance penalty The final letter grade will be computed in based on the equivalence chart published bt the University as follows:
Acumulated Points
4.00
-> B -> B- 3.00
-> C+ -> C -> C- -> D -> F
Any violation of the University's Academic Integrity Policy
will result in the maximum sanctions allowed.ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
In 1984, Penn State adopted a formal policy on academic integrity and included it in the Policies and Rules for Students manual. This policy was revised in February 2000. You should read the policy (Section 49-20 Academic Integrity, http://www.psu.edu/ufs/policies/) to become familiar with it.
DEFINITION AND EXPECTATIONS OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Academic integrity is the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner. Academic integrity is a basic guiding principle for all academic activity at The Pennsylvania State University, and all members of the University community are expected to act in accordance with this principle.
Consistent with this expectation, the University's Code of Conduct states that all students should act with personal integrity, respect other students' dignity, rights and property, and help create and maintain an environment in which all can succeed through the fruits of their efforts. Academic integrity includes a commitment not to engage in or tolerate acts of falsification, misrepresentation or deception. Such acts of dishonesty violate the fundamental ethical principles of the University community and compromise the worth of work completed by others.
To protect the rights and maintain the trust of honest students and support appropriate behavior, faculty and administrators should regularly communicate high standards of integrity and reinforce them by taking reasonable steps to anticipate and deter acts of dishonesty in all assignments.
At the beginning of each course, it is the responsibility of the instructor to provide students with a statement clarifying the application of University and College academic integrity policies to that course. (see Policies and Rules for Students, Section 49-20).
Consequences of academic dishonesty:
• The instructor may assign an academic sanction ranging from failure on the assignment to failure in the course.
• The instructor reports each academic sanction to the Office of Judicial Affairs, which keeps a record.Students can appeal academic sanctions to the Committee on Academic Integrity through the Office of Academic Affairs.
In more serious cases of academic dishonesty, the Office of Judicial Affairs may apply disciplinary sanctions in addition to the academic sanctions. These may range from automatic failure for the course to probation, suspension or expulsion from the University. An "XF" grade is a formal University disciplinary sanction that indicates on the student's transcript that failure in a course was due to a serious act of academic dishonesty. (Policies and Rules for Students, Section 49-2a)
Class Schedule and Assignments
| 1.
Tuesday Aug. 21 |
First Class Introduction and overview of the course. |
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| Assignment: | Personal Statement: ” Religion is…” | |
| Reading: | ||
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Course Schedule and Assignments
1. Tuesday Aug. 21
First Class Introduction and overview of the course.
- What is religion? - Judaism, basic definition.
Assignment: Personal Statement: ” Religion is…”
Reading: Genesis Chapter I through XXIV
2. Thursday Aug. 23 What is Religion
- “The Oldest Stories in the World” - The Creation Stories
Assignment: Personal Satement: “The dilemma of the Sun and the Moon”
Reading: Rudolf Otto, The Idea of the Holy.
Castor & Schneider, How to Study History: A Matter of Definition
Theodore Gaster,
3. Tuesday Aug. 28 The Religion of the Bible
- Introduction to the Hebrew Bible
- Critical/Literary Approach Reading:
4. Thursday Aug. 30 The Primeval History
- The covenant with Abraham
- Introduction to Midrash Literature
Assignment: Personal Statement: ”A religious person is…”
Reading: Midrash
5. Tuesday Sep. 4
Reading:
6. Thursday Sep. 6
Assignment: Personal Statement: ” Religion is…” Reading:
7. Tuesday Sep. 11
Reading:
8. Thursday Sep. 13
Assignment: Personal Statement: ” Religion is…” Reading:
9. Tuesday Sep. 18 Rosh HaShanah (no class)
10. Thursday Sep. 20
Assignment: Personal Statement: ” Religion is…”
Reading:
11. Tuesday Sep. 25
Reading:
12. Thursday Sep. 27 Yom Kippur (no class)
13.Tuesday Oct. 2 Mid-Term Evaluation
14. Thursday Oct. 4
Assignment: Personal Statement: ” Religion is…” Reading:
15. Tuesday Oct. 9 Fall Break (no class)
16. Thursday Oct. 11
Assignment: Personal Statement: ” Religion is…”
Reading: Genesis Chapter I through XXIV
17. Tuesday Oct. 16
Reading]g:
18. Thursday Oct. 18
Assignment: Personal Statement: ” Religion is…”
Reading:
19. Tuesday Oct. 23
Reading: Genesis Chapter I through XXIV
20. Thursday Oct. 25
Assignment: Personal Statement: ” Religion is…”
Reading: Genesis Chapter I through XXIV
21. Tuesday Oct. 30
Reading:
22. Thursday Nov. 1 Introduction and overview of the course.
- What is religion? Judaism, basic definition.
Assignment: Personal Statement: ” Religion is…”
Reading:
23.Tuesday Nov.6
Reading:
24. Thursday Nov. 8
Assignment: Personal Statement:” Religion is…” Reading:
25. Tuesday Nov. 13
Reading:
26. Thursday Nov. 15
Assignment: Personal Statement: ” Religion is…” Reading:
27. Tuesday Nov. 20
Reading:
28. Thursday Nov. 22 Thanksgiving (no class)
29. Tuesday Nov. 27
Reading:
30. Thursday Nov. 29
Assignment: Personal Statement: ” Religion is…” Reading:
31. Tuesday Dec. 4
Reading:
32. Thursday Dec. 6 Final class. Term paper due.
33. Tuesday Dec. 11 Final exam.
