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Unit outline_

BBCL3601: Daniel and Revelation as Apocalypses

Semester 2, 2024 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

The books of Daniel in the Hebrew Bible and Revelation in the New Testament are the only apocalypses found in any western Bible. In this unit students will apply advanced methods in analysis of biblical texts (literary, thematic, linguistic, and text critical) in order to analyse these texts in the context of the most relevant extra-biblical apocalyptic texts, such as 1 Enoch, 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Hebrew, Biblical and Jewish Studies
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
BBCL2603 or BBCL2607 or BBCL2609 or BBCL2610 or BBCL3602 or HBRW2623 or HBRW2625 or HBRW2632 or HBRW3601 or HBRW3602 or 12 credit points at 2000 level in Biblical Studies and Classical Hebrew or Jewish Civilisation, Thought and Culture
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
BBCL2006 or BBCL2606
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Michael Abrahams-Sprod, michael.abrahams-sprod@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Stephen Cook, stephen.cook@sydney.edu.au
Jonathan Thambyrajah, jonathan.thambyrajah@sydney.edu.au
The census date for this unit availability is 2 September 2024
Type Description Weight Due Length
Presentation Tutorial presentation and exegesis essay
Tutorial presentation and written tutorial paper
30% Multiple weeks 1500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Participation Tutorial participation
Tutorial participation
10% Ongoing N/A
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO4 LO3 LO2
Assignment Research essay
Research essay
60% Week 13
Due date: 03 Nov 2024 at 23:59
3000 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5

Assessment summary

Class participation

Ongoing preparation and active contribution to discussion in both lectures and tutorials

 

10%

Tutorial presentation (10%) and exegesis essay (20%)

Choice of weeks 2–13

1500 words

30%

Final essay

Sunday 3rd November (listen to class announcements)

3000 words

60%

Assessment criteria

Standard

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy 2023 reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy 2023. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Course Introduction and Introduction to 1 Enoch Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5
Doing Exegesis Tutorial (1 hr) LO4
Week 02 1 Enoch: The Book of the Watchers Lecture (2 hr) LO2 LO3 LO5
1 Enoch 14:8–25. Tutorial (1 hr) LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 03 1 Enoch: the Animal Apocalypse in relation to Daniel Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5
1 Enoch chapters 21–22 Tutorial (1 hr) LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 04 Daniel Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2
1 Enoch 93:1–10; 91:12–17 Tutorial (1 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 05 Daniel Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2
Daniel 5:1–31 Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO4
Week 06 Daniel Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5
Daniel 8:1–27 Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4
Week 07 4 Ezra Lecture (2 hr) LO3 LO5
Daniel 11:29–12:13 Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4
Week 08 4 Ezra Lecture (2 hr) LO3 LO5
4 Ezra 5:21–6:34 Tutorial (1 hr) LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 09 2 Baruch Lecture (2 hr) LO3 LO5
4 Ezra 13:1–58 Tutorial (1 hr) LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 10 2 Baruch Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO5
2 Baruch chapters 26–30 Tutorial (1 hr) LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 11 Revelation Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2
2 Baruch 50:1-51:16 Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 12 Revelation Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2
Revelation chapter 2 Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO4
Week 13 Revelation and Course Wrap Up Lecture (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Revelation 21:1–22:5 Tutorial (1 hr) LO1 LO4

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

All readings will be available via Reading List on the Canvas site.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Analyse the canonical apocalypses Daniel and Revelation in the light of the wider literary genre “apocalypse.”
  • LO2. Discuss and problematize questions of defining a literary genre.
  • LO3. Relate non-canonical compositions to the study of biblical texts.
  • LO4. Conduct independent research relating canonical and non-canonical texts.
  • LO5. Discuss the most important non-canonical apocalypses.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Both informal feedback and USS data from this unit are used to inform, refine and revise further iterations of the unit.

Further details can be found on the course handout on the Canvas site.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.