CLA 340

Syllabus Fall 2013

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• Syll for LAT101
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Instructor

Dr. Victor A. Leuci

• Office: Newnham Hall 37
• Work Phone: 573-592-5324
• Home Phone: 573-815-9333 (not after 10pm)
• E-mail: victor.leuci@westminster-mo.edu
• Home Page: click here
• Office Hours: MW 11ish to 12:45 pm (or by appointment) from Aug 22 to Dec 10, 2013

Texts

Apuleius. The Golden Ass. Trans. P.G. Walsh. New York: Oxford University Press 1994. Print

Carter, W. The Roman Empire and the New Testament, An Essential Guide. Nashville: Abingdon Press. 2006. Print.

Humphries, M. Early Christianity. New York: Routledge. 2006. Print

Malina, B. The New Testament World. 3rd ed. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press. 2001. Print.

Stark, R. The Rise of Christianity. New York: Harper Collins. 1996. Print.

On Reserve may include the following

Augustine: Confessions ; or Confessions ; or information about ; or introduction to City of God ; or translator's preface to City of God

Brown, P. The Making of Late Antiquity. 1978

Cook, J.G. The Interpretation of the New Testament in Greco-Roman Paganism. 2000

Dodds, E. R. Pagans and Christians in an Age of Anxiety. 1965

Fox, R.L. Pagans and Christians. 1987

Jaeger, W. Early Christianity and Greek Paideia. 1961

Johnson, L.T.Among the Gentiles, Greco-Roman Religion and Christianity. 2009

MacMullen, R.Paganism in the Roman World. 1984

MacMullen, R.Christianizing the Roman World. 1989

MacMullen, R.Christianity and Paganism in the Fourth to Eighth Centuries. 1997

MacMullen, R. and Lane, E.Paganism and Christianity, 100-425 C.E.: A Sourcebook. 1992

Starr, C.The Roman Empire: A Study of Survival. 1982

Suggs, M., et al.The Oxford Study Bible. 1992

Wilken, R.The Christians as the Romans Saw Them. 1984

Objectives

The Christianization of the Greco/Roman world is a classic case of social adaptation and change. The goal of this course is to explore the causes and concepts that lie behind the adoption of Christianity by the Greco/Roman world and the consequences of this seemingly dramatic change. Some of the topics that we will examine will include the ways in which pagan and Christian thought were similar to and different from one another, the social and religious dynamics of conversion, the nature of religious persecution in the Greco/Roman world, and the political, social, and intellectual consequences of a Christianized world. The course will include an interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary analysis of the Christianization of the Greco/Roman world according to the perspectives and methodologies of the humanities (esp. those of Classical Studies) and the social sciences (esp. those of sociology and anthropology). Through the study of this classic case of change and adaptation students will "form intelligent judgments about and rational responses to 'a complex issue,'" namely, religious and cultural transformation, and "they will confront [the matters] as citizens in the 21st century." (New Foundations Document, p. 21)

• Develop a sound working knowledge of key, relevant details/facts and conceptual models from the disciplines of the humanities and social sciences—development of both specialized knowledge and broad/integrative knowledge (=human behavior and social institutions)
• Develop further and refine critical skills through the analysis key ideas and application of ideas to answering fundamental questions that relate to the Christianization of the Greco-Roman world (= critical thinking)
• Develop further and refine communication skills through discussion and written work (= communication)
• Develop further and refine an understanding of diverse cultures, philosophies, and religions through the study of the question of the Christianization of the Greco-Roman world (=cultures and global interdependence)
• Develop further and refine the ability to apply models from the modern world to shed light on questions on the past and, in turn, to apply the lessons from the past for understanding problems and patterns that we confront today in the 21st century. (= historical perspectives and Tier III integrative goal)

Relationship to the General Education Curriculum: Tier III

• When appropriate and feasible, professors from other disciplines will be asked to participate.
• Selected readings from various disciplines will be required for all, e.g. Sociology, Women's Studies, Religion, and Political Science
• Additional selected readings from various disciplines will be required for the individual student projects & presentations
• Class discussion based on the selected interdisciplinary readings and student presentations will facilitate student understanding and comprehension of these various disciplines and the value they bring to the plays themselves and their role within society — both Athenian and ours.
• Prerequisite: one of the following: LAT 101 or 102 or 203 or GRE 101 or 102 or CLA 215 or 227 or 228 or PHI 212 or 221 or POL 112 or 205 or REL 101 or 102 or SCA 111 or 115

Writing Intensive Option

Different types of writing will be part of the course: papers and exams that are predominately essay. The papers (analytical/research/take home exams) and final take home paper will be used as a means to help participants come to a better understanding of important themes, ideas, and concepts. At least one of the papers will be revised on the basis of a conference with me as part of reflective process that includes the following components: prewriting, developing a rough draft, and writing drafts (i.e., rough and final drafts). A second paper should be revised on the basis of conferences with me or a tutor at the Writing Lab. A critique and conference after the completion of a paper may also occur. In general, participants in the class should highly consider using the services of the Writing Lab and especially the Lab tutors, who can be of tremendous assistance. The goals for a writing intensive course are as follows:

• To study and apply the conventions of writing in a discipline
• To use process as an approach to writing (e.g., defining and narrowing a topic, researching, note taking, organization, drafting, conferencing, revising, editing, etc.)
• To use writing as a means of learning course material
• To use writing as a way of developing critical thinking skills.

Note: when turning in the final copy of a paper, the draft with comments by me and/or the writing lab tutor must be turned in at the same time -- it goes without saying that the "suggestions" noted on the draft must be incorporated in the final version of the paper for it to count as revised.

Format

The course will consist of discussion, student presentations, and some lectures. The class may occasionally be divided into small groups to treat discussion topics that will most often be based on readings from ancient authors. Short responses/quick reaction statements may be assigned based on the results of the small group discussions. These responses are especially designed to facilitate the learning of important details and concepts of the course. Often the responses/quick reaction statements will represent the first opportunity to come to grips with an important block of material or ideas, which we will treat from several different perspectives or in several different contexts. Periodically a group of ca. 3-5 will be responsible for leading/guiding discussion of our class session. N.B. Not all of the group led discussions are indicated on the syllabus, but will be assigned at least 1 week in advance.

Grading

Analytical/Research Papers/Take Home Exams: 2 total, each worth 100 points; each 1800-3000 words in length due in approximately the 7th and 12th weeks of the semester. Emphasis on carefully focused research, synthesis, and analysis.

Critical Reviews; Analytical essays: 2 total; each worth 50 points; each 600-900 words in length. One of the critical reviews/analytical essays will also be used for the purposes of writing assessment. The first critical review will be based on articles pertaining to Apuleius and Corinth.

Presentations: 1-2 total; each worth 25 points each; based on critical reviews and/or analytic/research paper(s) and typically to be presented about the time the critical reviews/papers are due.

Class Participation: 75 points; includes posts in class discussion folder, quick reaction statements, quick responses/assessments of presentations, participation in small group presentations (i.e., leading/guiding of class discussion), and study questions.

Honor Code

All students and faculty must adhere to the Honor Code; the code itself is as follows:

"No Westminster student shall commit any act of academic dishonesty in order to advance her or his own academic performance, or to impede or advance the academic progress of others," (Honor Commission Constitution, p. 53-58)

The sections on plagiarism and cheating are especially important (Article IX, p. 57-58).

College-Wide Policies and Procedures:

check pdf in Moodle or the Student Life Handbook for the following: ADA/Equal Access Policy, Policy on Harassment and Discrimination, College Duty, Emergency Procedures.

Temporary Closing of the College:

In the event that a natural disaster or medical emergency causes the temporary closing of the College, we will continue our study through a series of online assignments via email and Moodle. Unless extenuating circumstances make it impossible or infeasible, students will be responsible for staying in contact with me via email and Moodle.

Papers—Formatting:

• Header:: start with a simple heading at the top of the page giving your name, course number, the number of the assignment (e.g. Paper #6), a word count, etc.
• Title of a critical review: should be the full bibliographic entry for the material covered.
• In-text Citations: for citations follow a standard format such as MLA 7th edit, APA 6th edit, or Chicago Manual of Style — but note that I prefer italicizing titles, etc. to underlining. There will be a post in the discussion folder with examples for your aid.
• Spacing & Font: you may use any font, point size, or line spacing that you want—within reason—though single-spaced will save paper

Papers—Submission:

A paper copy is due at the beginning of the class period (failure to turn in a paper copy will result in a two letter grade deduction for that paper unless there are extenuating circumstances). An electronic copy of each paper is also required and should be submitted within 24 hours of the due date for the paper copy; note that there is a four letter grade deduction for failure to submit an electronic copy. Analytical/Research Papers/Take Home Exams will also be turned in to a turnitin drop box in Moodle.

Attendance

Regular attendance and participation are essential for the success of the whole class. More than two unexcused absences will be considered excessive, and no make-up work will be accepted for unexcused absences. Each unexcused absence past two will result in a deduction of 4 points from the total number of points one has at the end of the semester. If you are ill, e-mail me before class, if possible, or as soon as you are able.

Assignments

The assignments at the link on the menu bar are not "set-in-stone," and may vary depending on how each class period goes. The syllabus will be updated as needed.