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Department of Ancient Scripture
Religious Education

Department of Humanities, Classics, and Comparative Literature
Brigham Young University

Classes Summer 2009

• ClCv 241   Greek and Roman Mythology 
  • section 1 (MWF 4:00-5:50 p.m., B-142 JFSB)

   

Classes Fall 2009

• Honrs 201 The Biblical and Classical Roots of Western Civilization
  • section 7 (MWF 4:00-4:50 p.m., 250 MSRB)

• Rel A 121H  Introduction to the Book of Mormon (1 Nephi through Alma 29)
  • section 81, honors (MW, 1:00-1:50 p.m., 178 JSB)
  • section 83, honors FA (MW, 10:00-10:50 a.m., 179 JSB)
• Rel A 211  The New Testament (Gospels)
  • section 3 (TTh, 8:00-8:50 a.m., 106 JSB)
  • section 22, honors (MW 10:00 - 10:50 a.m., 170 JSB)
• Rel A 301  Introduction  to the Old Testament (Genesis - 2 Samuel, Psalms)
  • section 3 (MW, 8:00-8:50 a.m., 213 JSB)

Seasonal Materials

• "From Palm Sunday to Easter Morning: Easter Seasons Materials for Holy Week
• Advent and Christmas

Jesus Christ and the World of the New Testament: An Illustrated Reference for Latter-day Saints by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel, Eric D. Huntsman, and Thomas A. Wayment (Deseret book 2006), now available!

Recent Addresses and Lectures (in addition to Current Publications and 2008 Education Week items listed below)

"Render Unto Caesar the Things Which are Caesar's, unto God the Things That Are God's: The Life and Times of Jesus Christ," presentation at BYU Women's Conference, May 2, 2008.

"The Lamb of God: Unique Insights of John on the Atoning Sacrifice," Easter Conference, Brigham Young University, April 7, 2007.

"Gethsemane and the Trial," Beholding Salvation Lecture Series, Museum of Art, Brigham Young University, March 14, 2007. Transcript.  Also an Audio CD by Deseret Book, 2007.

The Occasional Nature, Composition, and Style of the Pauline Epistles, Sperry Symposium Lecture, October 2006.

The Messages of the New Testament Gospels: The Unique Perspectives of Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John, Education Week, August 2006(Tu22-F25Aug, B002 JFSB)

Other Items of Possible Interest

• "The Bread of Life Sermon," address at the 2006 BYU Easter Conference; the text of the chapter on which this presentation was based has been posted by Deseret Book

• "Mary Magdalene: Biblical Enigma"

• "History, Poetry, and Scripture," address to the 2005 Hinckley Scholarship Banquet

Background

2008 - , Associate Professor of Ancient Scripture
2003-2008 , Assistant Professor of Ancient Scripture
1997-2003, Assistant Professor of Classics and Ancient History
1997 PhD, University of Pennsylvania
1994-97, Instructor of Classics
1994 joined BYU faculty
1992 MA, University of Pennsylvania
1990 BA, Brigham Young University

Interests

• New Testament Studies: Johannine Writings, Luke-Acts, Pauline Epistles

• Book of Mormon

• Early Christianity and the Roman Empire

• Greek History

• Roman Imperial History

• Greek and Latin Language and Grammar; Classical Historians and Historiography

• Livia Drusilla, the emperor Augustus' wife

• Women in Antiquity 

Courses
(syllabi available as *.pdf documents that can be easily read and printed with Adobe Acrobat)

 

Religious Education Courses

Rel A 121  Introduction to the Book of Mormon (1 Nephi through Alma 29)
Rel A 122  Introduction to the Book of Mormon (Alma 30 through Moroni 10)
Rel A 211  The New Testament (Gospels)
Rel A 212  The New Testament (Acts, the Epistles, and the Apocalypse)
Rel A 301  Old Testament
Rel A 302  Old Testament
Rel A 314 Historical Background of the Bible

Ancient Near Eastern Studies Courses (ANES): New Testament Greek and Koine Literature

The ANES program, with tracks in Hebrew Bible and Greek New Testament, begins with the 2005-2006 academic year, Dr. Dana Pike, director.

ClCv 363, Judaism and Early Christianity in the Classical Near East
Greek 311R, Luke, Mark, Matthew
Greek 411R, Pauline Epistles, Johannine Writings, Luke-Acts

Honors Courses

Hon P 100 sec 008 (Summer 2006)  Late Summer Honors - "The Writings of Paul"

Courses in Classical Studies and Ancient History

ClCv 110   Introduction to Greek and Roman Literature (Basic Classics)
ClCv 201   The Classical Tradition
ClCv 241   Greek and Roman Mythology 
ClCv 245   The Golden Age of Greece 
ClCv 246   The Golden Age of Rome
ClCv 304   Greek History Survey 
ClCv 307   Roman History Survey
Clscs 430R   Senior Seminar in Greek and Roman history: topics taught include Archaic Greece , Rise and Fall of Athens , the Julio-Claudians , and Imperial Rome
Latin 111 and 201  Accelerated Beginning and Intermediate Latin 
Latin 302  Latin Prose: Cicero and Sallust 
Latin 490R  Suetonius and Latin Biography 
Greek 201  Intermediate Greek 
Greek 433  Thucydides 
Greek 437  Attic Orators

Selected Publications, Presentations, and Projects

"Reflections on the Savior's Last Week," Ensign (April 2009), 52-60.

"Your Faith Should Not Stand in the Wisdom of Men. Greek Philosophy, Corinthian Behavior, and the Teachings of Paul," pages 67-97 in The New Testament Brought to Light: Latter-day Saint Insights into Acts through Revelation. Edited by Ray L. Huntington, David M. Whitchurch, and Frank F. Judd, Jr. Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center, 2009.

Review of Karen Armstrong, The Great Transformation: The Beginning of Our Religious Traditions. BYU Studies 47.2 (2008), 142-47.

"The Lamb of God: Unique Aspects of the Passion Narrative in John," pages 49-70 in Behold the Lamb of God: The Fourth Annual BYU Religious Education Easter Conference. Edited by Richard Neitzel Holzapfel, Frank F. Judd, Jr., and Thomas A. Wayment. Provo, Utah: Religious Studies Center, 2008.

Jesus Christ and the World of the New Testament: An Illustrated Reference for Latter-day Saints, with Richard Neitzel Holzapfel and Thomas A. Wayment.  Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, September 2006.

"The Occasional Nature, Composition, and Structure of the Pauline Epistles," Pages 190-207 in How The New Testament Came to Be. Edited by Kent P. Jackson et al. The 35^th Annual Brigham Young University Sidney B. Sperry Symposium. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2006.

"The Bread of Life Sermon" in From the Transfiguration through the Triumphal Entry, edited by Richard N. Holzapfel and Thomas A. Wayment. The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ, vol. 2. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, March 2006.  Presentation at the 2006 Easter Conference, BYU.; revised, pages 87-112 in Celebrating Easter.  Edited by Thomas A. Wayment and Richard Neitzel Holzapfel.  Provo: Religious Studies Center, 2006.

"Teaching through Exegesis: Helping Students Ask Questions of the Text," Religious Educator 6.1 (Winter 2005).

"Galilee and the Call of the Apostles," in From Bethlehem to the Sermon on the Mount, edited by Richard N. Holzapfel and Thomas A. Wayment. The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ, vol. 1. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2005.

"Mary Magdalene: Biblical Enigma," Original presentation: February 25, 2004 as part of the Museum of Art lecture series Mystery, Metaphor, and Meaning: LDS Perspectives on The Da Vinci Code; Revised presentation: May 26, 2004, KBYU Studios; electronically published by Meridian Magazine, June 14-15, 2004.

"Christ Before the Romans," in From the Last Supper Through the Resurrection: The Savior's Final Hours, edited by Richard N. Holzapfel and Thomas A. Wayment. The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ, vol. 3. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2003.

"Levels of Meaning: The Ara Pacis Augustae and the Teaching of Roman History," Interdisciplinary Humanities 15.1 (Spring 1998), 62-76.

"The Reliability of Josephus: Can He Be Trusted?," Masada and the World of the New Testament. BYU Studies 36.3 (1996-7) 392-402.

"And They Cast Lots: Divination, Democracy, and Josephus," Masada and the World of the New Testament. BYU Studies 36.3 (1996-7) 365-377.

Forthcoming

"Livia Before Octavian," submitted to Ancient World, forthcoming, accepted January 2008, forthcoming 2009; mss. 43, 6 tables.

"And the Word Was Made Flesh: An LDS Exegesis of the Blood and Water Imagery in John," submitted to BYU Studies.

The Epistle of John with John F. Hall.  BYU New Testament Commentary series.  BYU Press, ongoing.

Gospel of Luke. BYU New Testament Commentary series with S. Kent Brown, ongoing.

Education Week 2008

• "From Palm Sunday through Easter Morning: A Reflection on the Gospel Accounts of Jesus' Last Week"  Monday, August 18, 3228 WSC   Introduction

  • 11:10-12:05 The Rightful King Comes to Jerusalem

  • 12:30-1:25 The Preparation of the Priest and the Sacrifice

  • 1:50-2:45 The Death of the Lamb of God

  • 3:10-4:05 Rising with Healing in His Wings

• "Toward a Greater Understanding of Paul" Tuesday-Friday, August 19-22, W-111 BNSN, 12:30-1:25 p.m. Introduction

  • Tu The Lord Shall Descend from Heaven with a Shout: Paul's Changing Understanding of the Second Coming

  • W The Development of Paul's Teaching on Grace and Justification

  • Th "Let Your Women Keep Silence": What Did Paul Teach About Women's Roles?

  • F Individual Foreordination, Predestination of Israel, or Both?

• "My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord: Early Christian Hymns in the New Testament"  Tuesday-Friday, August 19-22, W-111 BNSN 4:30-5:25 p.m.  Introduction

  • Tu From Old Testament Psalms to New Testament Hymns

  • W The Christological Hymns in Paul

  • Th Four Lucan Canticles

  • F Theological Hymns and Prayers in the Writings of John

   

Late Summer Honors 2008

• Hon P 100, The Lamb and The Lion: The Revelation of Jesus Christ in the Writings of John
  • section 6 syllabus, Johannine Outlines
  • Th21Aug, 2-3:30 p.m.: Gospel of John. Introduction---John the Theologian; John 1 and the Logos Hymn
  • F22Aug, 9-12:00: The Book of Signs. From Cana to Cana, Jesus and the Feasts of the Jews 1, Jesus and the Feasts of the Jews 2, Before the Gospel: Theories on Johannine Community Origins
  • Sa23Aug, 9-12:00: Jesus and the Feasts of the Jews 3, Lazarus; The Last Supper; John's Farewell Discourses (see Rel 211 lecture 25 and Intercessory Prayer slides from Ed Week Johannine Hymns and Prayers)
  • Making Sense of Brown," ongoing (i.e. periodically updated) summary of The Community of the Beloved Disciple
  • M25Aug, 9-12:00: The Passion of the Lamb of God (Rel 211 lectures 26, 27, 28; Ed Week Preparation of the Priest and Sacrifice and Death of the Lamb of God); The Resurrection and the Life (Rel 211 lecture 29; Ed Week Rising with Healing in His Wings); The Johannine Epistles
  • Tu26Aug, 1:30-4:30: Apocalyptic Literature and the Revelation of John; First Visionary Experience
  • W27Aug, 9:00-10:30: Further "Portents in Heaven."

   

• Working Review Sheet
• Pick you passage and start thinking about it now.  Look at these "Getting Started Instructions," then when it is time to write, follow these detailed instructions; paper example

Affiliations

Classical Association of the Middle West and South (CAMWS) since 1991; CAMWS finance committee August 1994 to April 2004; state vice-president 1998.  See also the Utah Classics Resource web site.

Association of Ancient Historians (AAH) since 1998.

Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) since 2001.

Mormon Tabernacle Choir since 2003.

Utah Running and Races

Utah Triathlon

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This page was last modified: Friday June 05, 2009