AP/HUMA2500 6.0 - Cultures in Conflict

The writings that came to form the Bible took shape in conversation with surrounding cultures, e.g. the ancient Canaanite, Babylonian and especially the Greek and Roman cultures. We’ll explore:

• Creation stories
• Varieties of Judaism: Pharisees, Sadducees, Zealots, Essenes
• The Teacher of Righteousness and the Dead Sea Scroll community
• The teachings of Jesus
• Early Christianities - James, Paul, the Gnostics
• Separation of Christianity from Judaism
• How the Bible came to be
• The lost tomb of Jesus
• Mary Magdalene - who was she, really?
• Mary Mother of Jesus - from Jewish teenager to quasi-Goddess
• Constantine and the emergence of the Church

The course is highly participatory, with in-class workshops, background lectures, and a wide range of video and film presentations to help visualize the world of the bible.

NOTE: careful prior preparation is required for each class to understand the lecture and to participate in the workshops.

AP/HUMA 4653 6.0 - Advanced Religious Studies

The first half of this seminar-style course examines issues and topics in early Christianity -

• the relationship of Jesus' movement to that of John the Baptist
• the trial and execution of Jesus
• Jesus' disciples and Paul’s relationship to them
• Jesus first followers in Jerusalem under James and Simeon
• The importance of Mary Magdalene
• The emergence of the Church in the 4th century
• Formation of the canon of the New Testament
• Anti-Semitism in the New Testament
• The importance of the creeds
• The role of women within the early Church
• Three forms of early Christianity: the Jesus; Christ; and Gnostic movements

Readings will be selected from: James Tabor, The Jesus Dynasty; Bart Ehrman, Lost Christianities; Barrie Wilson's How Jesus Became Christian; and others.

The second half of the course allows students to pursue a research project in Religious Studies of personal interest. The course director will assist in devising a do-able research project within the confines of the time allotment, suggest bibliography and provide supervision.

Enrollment is restricted. Careful prior preparation is required for each class.

Barrie lecturing to York University students at Qumran, headquarters of the Dead Sea Scroll community.