RS 4I03 FINAL.pdf - Department of Religious Studies - McMaster ...

1Religious Studies 4I03 Topics in Biblical Studies: Advanced SeminarFall Term, 2011Topic: Jewish Women in the Greco-Roman PeriodTuesdays, 7:00 – 9:45 pmUniversity Hall 122Instructor: Dr. Eileen SchullerEmail: Schuller@mcmaster.caPhone 905 525 9140 #23390Office: University Hall 119Office hours: Thursday morning 10:00 – l2:00; other times by appointmentCourse Content: a discussion of selected texts and topics in Second Temple Judaism,with a specific focus on literature and social history related to women.Overview of the term: (details may change over the course of the term)1. Weeks 1 & 2: introductory topics and background2. Weeks 3 – 10: each class will consist of three components:(a) “Book/Primary Text of the Week”: (7:00 – 8:00/15 pm)Student Presentation: women in this text; general issues and specificquestions; one or two specific passages; questions for discussionAn outline of your presentation, some questions for discussion, and a list of thesecondary works you have consulted (usually 2-4 books or articles) is to besubmitted to the instructor by Sunday evening.(b) Discussion of an assigned article on a specific topic, theory, problem:(30-45 minutes)Over the term, each student will write 5 written responses, each of 400-500 words. After a brief paragraph stating the content and purpose of thearticle, discuss two specific points or issues that you have foundparticularly insightful or particularly problematic, or some point that youwant to relate to other readings and texts, or some point needing furtherdevelopment and explanation. These responses will be taken up in theclass discussion and then handed in.( c) Introduction of the book to be read in the coming week: Schuller,(final 20 minutes)3. Weeks 11 & 12: presentation of student research on a topic of your choice

2Course Outline:Sept. 13: Introduction to the SeminarSept. 20: Background to Second Temple Judaism, Women in the Apocryphaand PseudepigraphaReadings: “Judaism,” by J. VanderKam, in The New Interpreter’s Dictionary ofthe Bible, pp. 425-435“The Culture of Early Judaism,” by Amy-Jill Levine, in The New Interpreter’sBible One Volume Commentary, pp. 979-982“Women” by Tal Ilan in Eerdmans Dictionary of Early Judaism, pp. 1346-49“Women in Early Judaism: Twenty-Five Years of Research and Reenvisioning”Susan Marks, Currents in Biblical Research, 2008, pp. 290-320Sept. 27: Change in class time - to be negotiated (because of the Hooker VisitingProfessor Lectureship at 7:30 pm)The Book of TobitArticle: Article: “Second Temple Judaism, Jesus, and Women,” by Amy-Jill Levine, Biblical Interpretation 2/1 (1994) 8-33 with special attentionto pp. 8-20Oct. 4:The Book of Ben Sira (plusselected passages on Lady Wisdom: Proverbs8, Wisdom of Solomon 7-10, Baruch))Article: “Reading (for) Gender,” Caroline Vander Stichele and ToddPenner, Contextualizing Gender in Early Christian Discourse: ThinkingBeyond Thecla, T & T Clark, 2009, 178-204, 219-225Oct. 11:The Book of Judith and the Book of SusannaArticle: Ross Kraemer, “ Women’s Authorship of Jewish and ChristianLiterature in the Greco-Roman Period,” in Women Like this: NewPerspectives on Jewish Women in the Greco-Roman World, ed. A-J.Levine, 221-42Oct. 18:The Book of Jubilees (selected passages)Article: “Miriam’s Mistake: Numbers 12 Renarrated in Demetrius theChronographer, 4Q377, Legum Allegoriae and the PentateuchalTargumim,” Hanna Tervanotko, in Embroidered Garments: Priests andGender in Biblical Israel, ed. D. W. Rooke, Sheffield 2009Oct. 25:Philo, De Vita Contemplativa; on the Therapeutae

3Article: “Parents and Children: A Philonic Perspective” Adele Reinhartz;The Jewish Family in Antiquity, S. CohenNov. 1Texts from the Dead Sea Scrolls: The Rule of the Community, the GenesisApocryphon, the Damascus Document, selected shorter halakhictexts;Article: Maxine Grossman: “Women and Men in the Rule of theCongregation: A Feminist Critical Assessment,” in Rediscovering theDead Sea Scrolls, ed. M. GrossmanOR, Joan Taylor, “The Cemeteries at Khirbet Qumran and Women’sPresence at the Site,” DSD 6 (1999), 285-323Nov. 8The Testament of JobArticle: “Epigraphic and Documentary Evidence on Women in the Greco-Roman World”, Ross Kraemer, SBL Seminar Papers 1986Nov. 15:The Book of Joseph and AsenethArticle: “Doing Like Jews, Or Becoming a Jew? Josephus on WomenConverts to Judaism” Daniel Schwartz Jewish Identity in the Greco-Roman World, ed. J. Frey, D. Schwartz and S. GripentrogNov. 22 (no class) Class to be made up - time to be negotiatedNov. 29: Presentations of research (final two classes)? Make-up class - presentations of researchDec. 13:Final paper due: to be submitted to the instructorAssignment of marks:Weekly preparation and participation in the seminar discussion: 20%Article responses: five over the course of the term: 20%Presentation on the “Book of the Week”: 20%Research paper (10-15 pp.); oral presentation and written paper: 40%

4Reading Materials for the Course:Students will need a copy of a Bible that includes the Apocrypha (the expandedApocrypha). The HarperCollins Study Bible or The Oxford Study Bible arerecommended.Copies of The HarperCollins Study Bible are available in Titles under RS 2B03COURSEPACK: a coursepack is (will be) available with some of the assigned readings;most journal articles are available electronically through Mills Library.We can discuss in the first class whether an expanded coursepack would behelpful for texts in the latter part of the courseMany of the supplementary and optional readings, plus materials that will be helpful foryour research essays, will be placed on RESERVE in Mills Library.At present, use Classic Catalogue (at http://library.mcmaster.ca) to access Reserves.This is a 24-hour reservation (NOT the 2-hour RESERVE).AccommodationIf you require special accommodations, please contact the Centre for StudentDevelopment for more information and the appropriate forms: http://csd.mcmaster.ca/Please arrange to meet with the instructor by September 30 to make arrangements foraccommodation and for signing formsUniversity mandated:ACADEMIC INTEGRITY LANGUAGE FOR COURSE OUTLINESYou are expected to exhibit honesty and use ethical behaviour in all aspects of thelearning process. Academic credentials you earn are rooted in principles of honesty andacademic integrity. Academic dishonesty is to knowingly act or fail to act in a way thatresults or could result in unearned academic credit or advantage. This behaviour canresult in serious consequences, e.g. the grade of zero on an assignment, loss of creditwith a notation on the transcript (notation reads: “Grade of F assigned for academicdishonesty”), and/or suspension or expulsion from the university. It is your responsibilityto understand what constitutes academic dishonesty. For information on the varioustypes of academic dishonesty please refer to the Academic Integrity Policy, located atwww.mcmaster.ca/academicintegrityThe following illustrates only three forms of academic dishonesty:1. Plagiarism, e.g. the submission of work that is not one’s own or for which other credithas been obtained.2. Improper collaboration in group work.3. Copying or using unauthorized aids in tests and examinations.

5Modification of Course: (Senate-approved notation)The instructor and university reserve the right to modify elements of the course duringthe term. The university may change the dates and deadlines for any or all courses inextreme circumstances. If either type of modification becomes necessary, reasonablenotice and communication with the students will be given with explanation and theopportunity to comment on changes. It is the responsibility of the student to checkhis/her McMaster email and course websites weekly during the term and to note anychanges.E-mail correspondence Policy (Faculty of Social Sciences Notation)Effective September 1, 2010, it is the policy of the Faculty of Social Sciences that all e-mail communication sent from students to instructors (including TAs), and from studentsto staff, must originate from the student’s own McMaster University e-mail account. Thispolicy protects confidentiality and confirms the identity of the student. It is the student’sresponsibility to ensure that communication is sent to the university from a McMasteraccount. If an instructor becomes aware that a communication has come from analternate address, the instructor may not reply at his or her discretion.Avenue to Learn.Access to Avenue to Learn is through your McMaster email account. Students should beaware that when they access the electronic components of this course, privateinformation such as first and last names, user names for the McMaster e-mail accounts,and program affiliation may become apparent to all other students in the same course.The available information is dependent on the technology used. Continuation in thiscourse will be deemed consent to this disclosure.