writting religion

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Help for Writing Assignment 2

In class and your reading (Chapter 3), we have briefly introduced ‘echoes of empire’ in the Bible. The

goal of this assignment is to read one such text in more detail to understand the comparative method.

1. Pick a Bible text and its parallel, For

instance:

The Flood (Gen 6-9) Gilgamesh Flood

The Covenant Code (Exod 20:22-23:33) Hammurabi’s Law

The Words of the Wise (Prov 22:17-24:22) Proverbs of Amenemope

The Creation Stories (Gen 1-2) Enuma Elish

Royal Psalms (Ps 2, 21, 72, 110) Ancient Royal Theology (see texts in Chap 3)

2. Compare the two texts and identify any interesting details that are either similar or different. For

instance:

The Flood Both heroes send the same birds to test whether the water has receded.

The reason for the flood, however, is different in the two stories.

The Covenant Code In both law codes, a miscarriage caused by a blow results in a fine, while

harm to the mother results in eye-for-an-eye.

In both law codes, the lives of slaves are valued in money rather than eye-for-

an-eye (see Exodus 21:28-32).

Both law codes make provisions for a man to have multiple wives (see Exod

21:10).

The Words of the Wise Both sets of proverbs warn against chasing after riches

Both sets of proverbs warn against mistreating the poor and unfortunate

The Creation Both stories assume a primordial water that must be held back by a dome

Genesis 1, however, has no combat myth (or any narrative at all).

Royal Psalms Both sets of hymns declare the king to be the adopted son of the deity

Both sets of hymns encourage ‘social responsibility’ on the part of the king

3. Finally, discuss how these parallels are useful for understanding the Bible.

Begin with specifics. Give some background about your texts and discuss the specifics of your

parallel(s) in detail. Cite the exact words that are parallel, etc. If there are any gaps, try to explain them.

Next, move to the ‘Big Idea’. In what ways do your texts demonstrate the idea that “The Bible

wears the clothes of the cultures in which it was written”? For instance, you may wish to address the

question of whether “biblical” values can change over time. On the other hand, you may wish to discuss

what the contrasts demonstrate about Israelite religion. What do they believe that is different from the

cultures around them?

REL 2040: Great Books: The Bible and Western Culture

Fall 2013

Dr. Peter Bekins

RESOURCES TO START WRITING ASSIGNMENT 2

(previews available on Google Books)

The Ancient Near East: An Anthology of Texts and Pictures, edited by James Bennett Pritchard, Daniel E. Fleming,
Princeton University Press, 2011.

Victor Harold Matthews and Don C. Benjamin, Old Testament Parallels: Laws and Stories from the Ancient Near
East, Paulist Press, 1997.

Jean Bottéro, The Birth of God: The Bible and the Historian, Penn State Press, 2000.

Glenn Stanfield Holland, Gods in the Desert: Religions of the Ancient Near East, Rowman & Littlefield, 2009.

David P. Wright. Inventing God’s Law: How the Covenant Code of the Bible Used and Revised the Laws of
Hammurabi. Oxford University Press, 2009.

Marc Zvi Brettler, How to Read the Bible, Jewish Publication Society, 2010

John Barton, The Bible: The Basics, Routledge, 2010.

[Evangelical Scholars]

Peter Enns, Inspiration and Incarnation: Evangelicals and the Problem of the Old Testament, Baker Academic,
2005.

John Walton, Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament, Baker Academic, 2006.

REL 2040: Great Books: The Bible and Western Culture

Fall 2013

Dr. Peter Bekins

Grading Rubric

The following analytic rubric should guide your writing:

1. Argument 40 pts total

Is there a clear thesis?

Does the essay stay on topic?

Are there relevant examples and supporting evidence?

2. Organization 30 pts total

Is there an obvious introduction and conclusion?

Are the paragraphs well-formed and correctly divided?

Are there clear transitions between paragraphs?

3. Language 30 pts total

Are sentences complete and properly punctuated?

Are there obvious spelling or grammatical mistakes?

Is the style appropriate for an academic essay?

An excellent essay presents a thoughtful, nuanced, well-supported argument. It shows evidence of high

order thinking such as self-reflection, critical evaluation of ideas, and anticipation of counter-arguments.

The structure is easy to follow with clear transitions and precise summary statements. There are no

misspelled words or grammatical mistakes, and each word or phrase is well-chosen.

An average paper has a good main idea but it has not yet been fully developed. The arguments are

supported with some evidence, but there are holes in the logic. Many ideas are simply stated with little

critical evaluation or analysis. The essay may wander off topic and pargraphs are too long or divided in

awkward places. There are a number of spelling or grammatical mistakes and some sentences may be

confusing.

A poor paper does not have a clear thesis and shows little evidence of original thought. It either lacks

supporting examples or the evidence cited is irrelevant. There is no obvious structure or organization.

Paragraphs consistently lack topic sentences and the flow-of-thought often wanders. Spelling and

grammar is sloppy and sentence structure is often confusing.

REL 2040: Great Books: The Bible and Western Culture

Fall 2013

Dr. Peter Bekins

INSTRUCTIONS FOR ANALYTICAL ESSAYS

Purpose. This semester you will write three analytical essays. Each essay will have the same basic

format and be graded with the same rubric. The essay is your chance to engage with the “big ideas” of

the class and synthesize what you have learned with your prior knowledge and further research.

Format. Each essay should be 2 to 3 pages (500 to 750 words in double-spaced 12 point Times font).

Essays significantly under or over these limits will be not be accepted. If you are unsure about your

essay’s length, ask. Follow the basic MLA format and list your name, my name, course number, and

date in the upper left-hand corner as follows:

Your Name

Dr. Bekins

REL 2040

Fall 2013

Grading. Each essay is worth 100 points. Essays will be graded based on three main areas: argument,

organization, and language. For more detail see separate “Grading Rubric”. Late papers will not be

accepted. As per the syllabus, you may choose to re-write one of the essays. Pleas follow the re-write

policy.

Structure. The essay should have a clear main idea as well as introductory and concluding remarks. If

your are uncertain about your writing ability, it will probably be best to stick to the standard three-point,

five paragraph structure. If you are more confident, then you may experiment with more sophisticated

formats. For writing help I reccomend Purdue’s Online Writing Lab (OWL):

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/

Reliable Sources and Academic Integrity. All writing should be your own. Further reading and

research is encouraged, in some cases it will be required, but always be sure to properly cite your

sources. I reccomend using the MLA in-text author-page format.

Do not patch write. Do not use unreliable internet sources. For more information, see the separate

worksheet “Reliable Sources” and the CRAP test.

Writing Assignment 2 Due before class Tue Oct 1 2 – 3 pages (500 – 750 words)

How do ancient parallels help us read the Bible?

This essay is designed to introduce the comparative method in Bible studies. Select one biblical text that

has a significant parallel in the ancient world. Examples include the Flood (Gen 6-9), the Covenant Code

(Exod 20:22-23:33), the Words of the Wise (Prov 22:17-24:22), and the Creation Stories (Gen 1-2). Your

thesis statement should answer the question above in relation to your chosen text. Be sure to use

specific examples of similarities and contrasts between your text and its parallel(s) in support of your

argument.

Writing Assignment 3 Due before class Tue Oct 22 2 – 3 pages (500 – 750 words)

What is the social function of ritual purity in the Priestly theology?

This essay is designed to demonstrate an inter-disciplinary approach to the study of the Bible by

engaging the anthropological approach to purity and ritual. Begin by working through the handout “Mary

Douglas and Leviticus” (on Pilot). Next, pick a law or set of laws from Leviticus related to ritual purity to

be the topic of your essay. Your thesis should answer the above question, using your chosen law(s) as

the central example. Begin by summarizing the overall function of the purity laws and then demonstrate

how this framework helps to explain the specific law(s) that you have chosen.

Writing Assignment 4 Due before class Tue Nov 19 2 – 3 pages (500 – 750 words)

Who was the Historical Jesus?

This essay is designed to introduce the “Quest for the Historical Jesus.” You will write a critical analysis

that summarizes and evaluates one view of the Historical Jesus. Begin with the handout “Historical

Jesus” (on Pilot). Next, choose one of the following scholars for your topic: Geza Vermes, E.P. Sanders,

John Dominic Crossan, Richard Horsley, or N.T. Wright. Summarize your scholar’s view with evidence

from their own writings and critically analyze their argument. Do you find the theory likely, plausible, or

unlikely?

REL 2040: Great Books: The Bible and Western Culture

Fall 2013

Dr. Peter Bekins

Proper Citations

This assignment involves a research component and should include a bibliography and proper citation of

sources. When choosing sources, be aware of the C.R.A.P. test!

Format

You may choose MLA, APA, or Turabian formats for citation. Style guides are available on-line through

the University Writing Center: http://www.wright.edu/uc/success/services/writingctr/styleguidefaq.html

Citing the Bible

When you need to cite verses from the Bible use Book Chapter:Verse format. The Biblical citation occurs

outside the quotation marks but within the punctuation. For instance:

In Genesis, God drives man from the garden for fear that he might eat from the tree. “Now, lest

he reach out his hand and take also of the tree of life and eat, and live forever” (Genesis 3:22).

There is no need to list the Bible itself in your bibliography or give any details about the particular version

of the Bible you are using. Don’t eat up space by giving extended quotes from the Bible! Only quote as

much as is necessary to make your point.

Citing your Study Bible

If you decide to quote one of the essays or the notes from your New Oxford Annotated Bible, then you

must give a full citation. Treat each section like an essay or chapter found within an edited volume.

1. Find the author for the notes in the biblical book you are reading (these are listed on page v). For

instance, David M. Carr is the editor of the notes for Genesis.

2. Find the page numbers for the entire biblical book you are reading. For instance, Genesis spans

pages 7-80 in the Bible

If you use a note from Genesis 3, your citation might look like: (Carr 2001, 15). Your bibliography would

look like:

Carr, David M. “Genesis Introduction and Annotations.” The New Oxford Annotated Bible. New

Revised Standard Version, with the Apocrypha. Editor Michael D. Coogan et al. 3rd ed.

New York: Oxford University Press, 2001. 7-80.