Contact Information and Office Hours
Dr. Thomas L. Long, Professor of English, 241 Wythe Hall
757.825.3663 (voice) | 757.825.3842 (fax) | longt@tncc.vccs.edu (email)
http://www.tncc.vccs.edu/faculty/longt (Web home page)
Office Hours: 3:30 - 5:30 p.m. Monday - Thursday
What is this course? This course surveys books of the Christian scriptures, the New Testament, with emphasis on the historical and geographical setting and place of the Judaism in the ancient Middle East and Greco-Roman cultures as background to the writings. The course will examine the history and development of early Christianity, from its origins in Jewish-Christianity to its transformation into Gentile Christianity. However, this is not your father's (or your pastor's) Bible study. The course employs historical-critical methods of research and analysis of biblical texts, which it examines as a literary and cultural artifact. These methods are the product of two centuries (or more) of textual, archeological, and historical scholarship. It will distinguish between the Jesus of History and the Christ of Faith and will explore the literary forms of canonical and apocryphal texts. While matters of faith are as important to many people as breathing, they are secondary matters in a scholarly, academic course. Many of this course's assertions will contradict the beliefs of some students, but students are not expected or required to "believe in" the conclusions of biblical scholars. Students are only required to understand and to explain the scholarly consensus.
Who is the professor? Dr. Thomas L. Long (Professor of English and Humanities) earned an M.A. in Theology with his thesis on narrative hermeneutics and a Ph.D. in English with a dissertation on AIDS and American apocalypticism (revised into a book currently being considered for publication by a university press). He is chairman and delegate of the Literature and Religion Division of the Modern Language Association (the MLA). He has presented lectures on literature and religion at University of Leeds and Staffordshire University (England) and the College of William and Mary (among other places). He is the author of several articles, including entries in the Encyclopedia of Millennialism.
What are the course requirements? Students will be expected to read carefully the assigned biblical scholarship, note and guide handouts, and biblical passages. Because the course does not include composition prerequisites, students will not be assigned papers or reports. Instead, students will be graded based on weekly quizzes (which will include short answer and brief paragraph items) and midterm and final exams, which will include short-answer and essay questions.
What is the textbook for the course? Bart D. Ehrman, The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings, 2nd ed. (New York: Oxford UP, 2000) and The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version with Apocrypha (New York: Oxford UP, 1989).
How will the course grade be determined? The final course average will be computed according to the following: Average of quiz scores = 30% + midterm score=30% + final exam score=30% + attendance, participation, course engagement=10%. Essays and short answers will be graded not only on the accuracy of the content but also according to the principles of standard written English (including grammar and spelling).
Grading Scale
After years of receiving inflated grades ("earning" a C for simply attending, "earning" a B for doing the work in the course), students are frequently surprised and disappointed in the grades they receive in this course. This is a college course, however, and in this course students will be held to the standards of college-level work, not the standards of high school. Most students who complete the course earn a B or C.
90-100 (excellent work) = A
80-89 (good work) = B
70-79 (minimally competent work) = C
60-69 (less than competent work) = D
0-59 (failure) = F
Attendance and Participation
A portion of the final grade for the course will depend on the student's attendance record and participation in the course. Just as a successful learning experience depends on the reliable presence of the professor, it also depends on the regular attendance and the active, prepared participation of all students. Students who miss more than 20% of the course (9 hours or the equivalent three weeks in a standard semester) will fail the course. There are no "excused" absences. Students are also expected to arrive on time and not to leave before the end of class. Late arrivals and early departures (which are distracting to both professor and students) will be recorded and every two instances will count as one absence.
Classroom Decorum
A college classroom is not a publicly subsidized form of adult day care (unlike high school classrooms, apparently). Behavior that is disruptive or hostile will not be tolerated. The professor reserves the right to dismiss any student from the classroom, either temporarily or permanently. Students should consult the "Student Handbook" section of the College Catalog in order to acquaint themselves with the student code of conduct.
Repeating a Course
Students may attempt a course twice for credit. However, if a student wants to take the same course a third time, the student can only do so with the approval of the dean of Instruction. Registering for a course but withdrawing from it later counts as one attempt.
Withdrawals and Incompletes
Students may withdraw from a course on their own until the designated deadline at the middle of a term. Students' transcripts will record this attempt as a "W," which will not affect a student's GPA but will count as an attempt (see Repeating a Course). After the withdrawal deadline, only a faculty member is authorized to withdraw a student administratively and only for documented extenuating circumstances (e.g. illness, change in work schedule, military deployment). The professor has the discretion whether or not to request the withdrawal at this point. In addition, a student may request to take an incomplete at the end of the course, provided that the student a.) is passing the course and b.) has already completed the majority of the work for the course. The professor has the discretion whether or not to grant an incomplete. Students must complete the work for the course by the end of the following semester in order to earn a passing grade. Unfortunately, most students who take an incomplete fail to complete the work, so this option should be requested only in rare instances.
ADA Accommodations
Students with documented disabilities should contact the college's Counseling Center in order to secure a letter stating the specific reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act that professors can make in order to enhance a student's likelihood of academic success. The Counseling Center is located in 201 Diggs Hall and can be reached by voice phone at 757.825.2827 or by TDD 757.825.2853.
Student Success
Success in a college course depends on many factors. Our college and its faculty try to provide students with competent, professional instruction and with a variety of learning resources (print media, electronic media, computing resources, tutorial services, counseling). No matter what the professors and the college provide, however, most of responsibility for a student's success lies with the student. Some suggestions may help you to enhance your own learning:
 | College is not high school; in many of the college's courses you are likely to need to spend two to three hours' preparation out of class for every one hour you spend in class. In a normal semester, that means six to nine hours weekly on each course. If you are spending considerably less, you are in trouble. |
| College grading is not high school grading; be grateful when you earn a "B" or "C" even when you are accustomed to earning "B" or "A." A grade of "C" is "average." |
| Weak habits or skills in math, reading, or writing took you years to develop; you will not undo them in one visit to a tutorial center or seeking assistance from a knowledgeable friend one time. If you do not devote time to consistent, regular, long-term remedial work, your skills will not improve. (If you doubt this, ask an athlete, musician, or entertainer how many hours of practice they spend.) |
| Meet one other person in each class, even if you are an introverted person. Having a network of peers will enrich your experience and give you someone else to rely on. |
| Meet with your professor outside of class at least once. You might discuss your work in the course, talk about the college, ask your professor's advice about a course, a college, or something else. That professor might later serve as a reference when you apply to a college or university bachelor's degree program. |
| Get involved in one campus event, activity, or organization. You may find it difficult to fit into a busy schedule, but you will find yourself more connected to your program and you will have another support network to help you pursue your academic goals. |
| Professors teach because education excites and rewards them. You may not share their enthusiasm. Courtesy and diplomacy suggest that you might try pretending to like learning, at least for the sake of your professor. (Your mother should have taught you not to make an unpleasant face when your dinner host places before you some food you dislike or have never tried before.) |
| Lifelong learning is the central fact of postmodern, information-age society. You and I will spend the rest of our lives having to learn new things. If you don't like learning, learn to like it. |
Take pride in your work. Shabby, careless work communicates three things: I don't care about myself. I don't care about you. I don't care about our common goals.