WARNING: You may be dropped from the class! To avoid being dropped, post a brief personal introduction in Moodle by THURSDAY 3PM. To do this, log into the Moodle class at classes.lanecc.edu, click on the "Personal Introductions" forum in Week One and post before the Thursday 3pm deadline. For help logging in to Moodle contact the Student Help Desk (SHeD) online or at 463-3333. IMPORTANT NOTE: There is no guarantee any instructor will drop you. Make sure you drop any unwanted classes. You will be charged for any class you do not drop by Sunday, October 2, 11:59pm. If you drop after Sunday, a "W" (for withdrawal) will appear next to the class on your transcript. The last day to drop without a refund (or change your grading option to pass/no pass or letter grade) is Friday, November 18 at 5pm (the end of the 8th week). If you do not drop by this deadline, you will receive a grade. For students who forget to drop and do not complete the course requirements, this grade will be an F.

MOODLE MESSAGING	Preferred form of communication. Please use this method for any time-senstive issues. To send me a message, click on my name anywhere in Moodle and click the Send message button at the bottom of my profile. If you click the Add Contact button in the messages tab, you can easily send me messages by clicking the word Messages in the Message block in the upper left of the main course page. When I respond, you will see an indicator in the Messages block. To use Moodle messaging, make sure your web browser's pop-up blocker is off or is set to allow lanecc.edu. The Student Help Desk (SHeD) can help you with this. Moodle will send you email notifications of new Moodle messages by default; please do not reply to these emails. Instead, log into Moodle and respond there. This keeps the record of communication unbroken and with the course and helps refresh my memory about ongoing issues. You will receive a response within 24 hrs or less.
EMAIL	borrowdalej@lanecc.edu Use Moodle messaging, not email, for all time-senstive issues. Not usually checked on weekends or holidays. Second preferred form of contact, after Moodle instant messaging. Please use descriptive subject lines (e.g. "Extension request for Second Midterm Exam") and include your class (e.g. REL 203,  or "Mideast" and whether classroom or cable/online) and full name in your email. Note that emails with no subject or subject lines like "Test" "Hey" or "Hi there!" will probably be filtered out by the Digitar spam filter and may never be read.
PHONE	463-5434. Least preferred form of contact. On voicemail messages please give your name and call-back number clearly and slowly so I can write them down correctly. Phone messages are answered last, after I've answered all incoming Moodle instant messages and email and are generally not checked evenings, weekends, or holidays.
OFFICE	CEN 410 J (Enter Hallway B, next to the interior North stairs, across from the restrooms)
OFFICE HOURS	M 3:30-4:30, Tu 3-4, Wed 11-12, Th 12-1 in CEN 410J; Fri 11-12 Moodle online chat only, or by appointment
SUBJECT MATTER	This is a course in three dominant religious traditions originating in the Middle East: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Our focus will be on the early historical development of these traditions and their sacred texts, essential beliefs, basic practices and major sects. As time permits, we will discuss ways in which these religions affect (or are affected by) contemporary culture, geopolitics and daily life.
TEXT	Borrowdale, Religions of the Middle East: An Anthology of Sacred Texts from Judaism, Christianity and Islam, 6th Edition (available at the LCC Titan Bookstore)

READING: There is quite a bit of reading for this course, almost all from primary source texts. Topic headings are given to help guide your reading. If there's something you don't understand, make a note of it and continue reading. You'll be tested on basic concepts and broad themes, key figures and events and only some important details, which will be highlighted in the review questions and study guides.

REVIEW QUESTIONS: At the end of each section of reading, there are a series of review questions. Writing out the answers to these questions will help you understand the reading and prepare for exams.

ATTENDANCE POLICY FOR CLASSROOM STUDENTS (CRN 20946): It will be very difficult to succeed in this class without regular attendance. Some material may appear on the exams which is not covered in the text, and students with sporadic attendance almost always do poorly on exams. After the first week, do not burden the instructor with messages about absences of one or two class days due to illness or other contingencies. With up to150 students per term and the rate of absenteeism being what it is, such "courtesy" calls or emails are a nuisance. On the other hand, if you must be absent for more than a week due to serious illness, military service, business travel, family emergency, and so on, don't hesitate to contact me if you must take an exam at a later date or require other help. If you don't require special accommodation, please simply download the podcast and check for any new announcements or handouts on Moodle. Note: There will be no class on Thursday, November 24 (Thanksgiving).

If you are sick, please stay home and rest. Coming to class sick will prolong your own illness and infect others. Also, please refrain from visiting my office if you still have flu or cold symptoms. Send a Moodle message or email or you can try to reach me by phone during office hours.

VIEWING THE CLASS VIA LIVE STREAM, CABLE OR YOUTUBE : If you are enrolled in the Online Streaming/YouTube/Cable Television section (CRN 24038) or the Cottage Grove IP Video section (CRN 22387) you may watch the class live at home or at the Cottage Grove Center via interactive IP video conferencing. The class is broadcast live TR 1:00 - 2:50pm at http://www.lanecc.edu/it/media/live-classroom-streaming and on Comcast Cable Ch. 23. Video of class sessions is also available on YouTube later that day in the "Video Archives of Classes" forum. Unfortunately, you cannot view the class on a satellite dish service. Regular viewing is essential to succeeding in this class. Some material may appear on the exams which is not covered in the text, and lecture and class discussion will clarify what you read. If you record the class to watch at a later time or watch the YouTube recording, it is expected that watch or listen to each broadcast before the next one airs. You are also encouraged to take notes when watching or listening, as with any other class.

COTTAGE GROVE STUDENTS: You will participate in the class via two-way interactive video conferencing at Cottage Grove Center, room CG 110.  As with the classroom section, it will be very difficult to succeed in this class without regular attendance. Some material may appear on the exams which is not covered in the text, and students with sporadic attendance almost always do poorly on exams.

PARTICIPATION: Students may email liveclass@lanecc.edu with questions or brief comments during the broadcast. Please only use this email during class time; otherwise, use the contact information above. Students in the Studio Classroom or Cottage Grove IP video section should feel free to ask questions, raise objections or otherwise comment during class.

COMPUTER USE: This course requires you to use (but not necessarily own) a computer. Testing, distribution and archiving of notes and handouts and reporting and calculation of grades are all done via Moodle. Campus labs are staffed with people who can help you if you are new to computers or have difficulty using them. Visit the Student Help Desk (SHeD) website at https://www.lanecc.edu/atc/student-help-desk, call them at 463-3333 or visit them in Building 2, Room 121/122. Campus computer labs and hours may be found at https://www.lanecc.edu/cit/computer-lab. Please make sure your current email address is in your myLane account and Moodle profile.

EXAMS: You will have a window of several days during which you must take each exam in Instructional Testing Services in the  in CEN 311 on the Main Campus or at the Cottage Grove Center or with an approved proctor. Exams cannot be taken at home. You will need a photo I.D. and to know your L Number and myLane PIN to log into the test. The exam format will be multiple choice and true/false questions. During the exam you may use a 3 x 5 card note card (both sides) or a piece of paper measured with a ruler and cut to the same size. The final will not be comprehensive. Opening and closing times of exams are in the syllabus and may also be seen by clicking on the exam name in the main course view as soon as the date is set. Lab hours for the Instructional Testing Services are posted at https://www.lanecc.edu/learningcommons/its. You must arrive one hour before closing. See http://www.lanecc.edu/laneonline/test-proctoring for details on proctoring if you are taking the course from out of the greater Eugene area. If you need help locating a proctor, try The National College Testing Association at http://www.ncta-testing.org/cctc/. A per test fee is usually required, though fees will vary by institution. Note: LCC Testing labs will be closed Friday, November 11 (Veterans' Day). They will also close at 2pm on Wednesday, November 23 for Thanksgiving, not opening again until Monday, November 28.

The optional Extra Credit Exam, based on the material from the First and Second Midterm Exams. It opens Monday of Week 8 and closes Friday of Week 10. It will replace the lowest of your First or Second Midterm Exam scores. If it is lower than either, it will have no effect. In order for it to count, you have to take both midterms. It is not a substitute for taking either midterm or the final exam.

MAKE-UP EXAM POLICY: Since you will have at least a week to take the exam, you will be expected to meet the deadline. If you may contact the instructor before the deadline via Moodle messaging, email or in person to request an extension without penalty.

The Final Exam must be completed by THURSDAY 5PM of Final Exam Week.  Since the lab closes at 5pm and I will be determining grades Thursday night, MAKE UPS ARE USUALLY NOT POSSIBLE for purposes of Fall Term grades. If you have a legitimate excuse for missing the Final, see me Winter Term about a make-up and grade change.
 
PENALTIES FOR CHEATING: Students caught cheating will be given an F in the course.

GRADING: At the end of the term, the class will be graded on the following absolute scale. Extra credit work does not count towards the A+.

A+ 97% -100%	A  93% - 96%	A-  90% - 92%
B+  87% - 89%	B  83% - 86%	B-  80% - 82%
C+  77% - 79%	C  73% - 76%	C-  70% - 72%
D+  67% - 69%	D  63% - 66%	D-  60% - 62%
	F 0% - 59%

AVAILABILITY OF THE INSTRUCTOR: I am available by Moodle messaging, email, phone, or in-person office visits. If you are having difficulties with the class, please contact me as soon as possible; I am here to help. If you performed poorly on your first exam, please come by office hours or make an appointment to see me to see what we can do to improve your next exam score and the Extra Credit Exam, which will replace your lowest midterm score. I am also available to discuss any issue in the class which has piqued your intellectual curiosity, or which you find interesting or important, outside of the realm of assignments and testing.

COURSE OUTLINE

WEEK 1: Introduction, Judaism
        Tuesday: The Methodology of Religious Studies, Hermeneutics, Eastern vs. Western Religion, Textual Criticism, Textual Purity and the Historical Reliability of the Bible
        Thursday: Conservative, Liberal and Secular Interpretations of Religion, Introduction to Judaism, The Tetragrammaton
 
WEEK 2: Judaism
        Tuesday: Creation and Fall, Noah and the Flood, The Tower of Babel, The Patriarchs
        Thursday: The Exodus, The Invasion of Canaan
  
WEEK 3: Judaism
        Tuesday: The Invasion of Canaan, Judges
        Thursday: The United Monarchy, Divided Kingdom, Successive Conquest, The Messiah, the Afterlife etc.

WEEK 4: Judaism
        Tuesday: The Babylonian Captivity, Job, Satan, Diaspora, Restoration, Festivals
        Thursday: Talmudic and Modern Judaism, Review for First Midterm Exam on Part I (Judaism)
   
WEEK 5: Christianity
        Tuesday: Christianity: Historical Background, The Quest for the Historical Jesus, Jesus' Life and Ministry, The New Testament, Parables (Mark)
        Thursday: The Law, Wealth, Oaths, Grudges, Hypocrisy, Pacifism, Prayer, Worry, Hell, The Messianic Secret, The Kingdom of God, Jesus' Second Coming,
        The Delayed Parousia

WEEK 6: Christianity
        Tuesday:  Jesus' Trial, Execution and Resurrection (Mark), John vs. the Synoptics, The Incarnation, Being "Born Again", The Trinity, The Atonement
        Thursday: Pentecost, Jewish Sect to Gentile Religion, Christians and the Law (Acts)
  
WEEK 7: Christianity
        Tuesday: Gnosticism, Calvinism/Arminianism, Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant, Christian Denominations
        Thursday: Liberals, Fundamentalists and Evangelicals, Modern Issues in Christianity, Review for Second Midterm on Part II (Christianity)
  
WEEK 8: Islam - Introduction, The Life of Muhammad, Muhammad and Jesus, The Qur'an

WEEK 9: Islam - Islamic Expansion, Sunni & Shia, The Qur'an, The Five Pillars, Sufi Islam
   
WEEK 10: Islam - Islam and Modernity, Islam and Terrorism, Review for Final Exam on Part III (Islam)

Accessibility and Accommodations: To request assistance or accommodations related to disability, contact the Center for Accessible Resources at (541) 463-5150 (voice), 711 (TTY),  AccessibleResources@lanecc.edu (email), or stop by Building 1, Room 218.

Please be aware that any accessible tables and chairs in this room should remain available for authorized students who find that standard classroom seating is not usable.