13 questions total
Readings Due
Selections from the New Testament: (Gospel of Matthew.) Under Files/Class Readings
Selections from the Gospel of Thomas: org/naghamm/gosthom.html” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener”>http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/gosthom.html (Links to an external site.).
Film due:
“Gnosis: The Lost Gospels” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQHz8GzeYNg (Links to an external site.) 
(Watch only the first 30 minutes.)
Assignment:
1. In the Gospel of Matthew, what are the temptations that the devil offers Jesus? Are they similar to the “temptations” humans confront today? (Try not to think so literally. For instance, I doubt anybody is asked to jump off a temple, but what else might this mean on a more figurative or symbolic level?)
2. For Beatitudes 8 and 9 from the “Sermon on the Mount”: Why should we rejoice when we are persecuted? What keeps this from being some kind of sick masochism, or finding pleasure in pain? Why is the blessing “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” appropriate for the persecuted?
3. In the documentary, according to coptologist Stephen Emmell, what does Simon Peter say at the end of the Gospel of Thomas about women?
4. In the various lost gospels discussed in the documentary, do the roles of women seem to differ in these gospels when compared to the traditional gospels in the Bible?
5. Watch the documentary first. Then pick at random and read 5 of the 114 sayings in the Gospel of Thomas and try to describe the meaning of each based on your understanding of Jesus from our other readings. Keep in mind that this gospel is not found in the Bible. The early Church considered the work (along with many others) heretical and ordered all copies to be destroyed. As far as your paper, keep in mind that there is no right or wrong answer, just your interpretation.
Readings Due:
Sources book:
Procopius, Two Views, 119-122.
Gregory the Great, Life of St. Benedict,131-132.
Files/Class Readings.
Boethius, Selection from the Consolation of Philosophy.
Assignment:
In a paragraph or less, answer the following questions.
1. Answer “Study Question” 1 only for the Procopius piece.
2. Answer “Study Question” 1 only for the Gregory piece.
2. In the Boethius reading, how is God described? How is it explained that God and happiness are one and the same?Readings Due:
Sources book:
Excerpts from the Qur’an, pp. 138-142.
One Thousand and One Nights, pages 148-152.
Maimonides, Letter to Yemen, pages 152-154.
Film:
Watch the film “Islamic Art” at https://ezproxy.tmcc.edu/login?url=https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=98048&xtid=37637
Assignments:
- For the Qu’ran piece, discuss some types of imagery used in the Qu’ran. How effective do you think they are in delivering the messages in the Qu’ran?
- For the One Thousand and Nights piece, answer question 2 only.
- For the Maimonides piece, answer question 1 only.
- According to the film, what did Mohammed do when he reached the outskirts of Damascus and why did he do it?
- According to the film, where did Shah Abbas sit while watching military parades in the square?
0 comments