Govt305 RootsofModernIdeologies

1. CourseNumberandName:Govt305,RootsofModernIdeologies Credits:3 2.CourseDescription:Asignificantcauseoftherevolutionaryandterroristactivityofrecenttimesisa speciesofpoliticalthoughtcalledideology,andtwoofthe rootssustainingmodernideologyaretheancientreligiousideasofGnosticism andmillennialism.Thiscourseisastudyofthesetworeligiousideasandtheirevolution intotwoofthefundamentalassumptionsthatunderliemuchofthesecularandevenantireligious doctrineoftoday. 3.CourseGoals: Muchconfusionsurroundsthemeaningoftheconceptideologywithitsmost commonmeaningbeingopinion.Initsmostcommonus,ideologyisapersonsviewabout governmentoreconomics.AlongtraditionofEuropeanscholarship,however,tracesthegrowthof ideologytoancientandmedievalreligiousmovements.Thegoalofthiscourseistosurveythat scholarshipwithspecialreferencetomillennialismtheapocalypticexpectationofaonethousandyear reignofJesusChristdescribedintheBookofRevelationandmillennialprophesiesintheOld Testament.ThroughareadingofNormanCohnsPursuitoftheMillenniumthecourseexamines medievalEuropeanmovementsthataretheimmediateancestorsofmanycontemporaryideological movements.WethenexamineErnestTuvesonsRedeemerNationtoreviewthemillennialistinfluence onAmericanpoliticalandsocialthought.ThecoursethenlooksatGnosticism,anancientreligionof radicalalienationfromthenaturalorder.WewillstudyGnosticismbothinitsancientforms,asrecounted byHansJonasinTheGnosticReligionandinitsprincipalmoderndevelopmentdiscussedbyEric Voegelininvariouswritings. 4. CourseLearningOutcomes:SuccessfulcompletionofRootsofModernIdeologieswillenable studentsto: a)DescribekeypassagesfromtheOldandNewTestamentthatprophesyatransformationof earthlyexistenceintoaheavenlybliss. b)Describeheapocalyptictraditionofmillennialexpectations. c)SummarizetheoriginsoftheAmericancivilreligion. d)ContrasttheMessianisminthefirstCrusadesasseenintheEmperoroftheLastDaysand PseudoBaldwin. e)ComparetheFlagellantMovementandtheBrethrenoftheFreeSpirit. f)CompareandcontrasttheTaboriteswiththenewJerusalemofThomasMunster. g)DiscusstheEnglishbackgroundthatinformsAmericanmillennialspeculations. h)ExploremillennialexpectationsinthedoctrineofManifestDestinyandaviewofAngloSaxons asthechosenrace. i)ComparemillennialexpectationsoftheAmericanCivilWartotheirequivalentsduringthe Crusades. j)DescribekeyGnosticsymbolsincludingthealien,thestrangerssojourn,lightvs.darkness.

k)CompareandcontrasttheGnosticsystemsofSimonMagus,HermesTrismegistusand Valentinus. l)CompareandcontrastancientandmodernvariantsofgnosisusingtheanalysisofEric Voegelin. 5).CourseConcepts a)Millennialism b)Millenarian c)Immanentistapocalyptic d)Augustinianviewofhistory e)Periodizationofhistory f)ManifestDestiny g)Gnosticism h)Ideology 6.RequiredTexts: Bishirjian,RichardJ.,TheAmericanPoliticalTraditionandtheNatureofPublic Philosophy (Copley,2004),ISBN:1581523394.Availableat$12.00each. ContactyourInstructor. Cohn,Norman.ThePursuitoftheMillennium.2ded.NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress, 1990.ISBN:13:9780195004564. Jonas,Hans.TheGnosticReligion.3ded.Boston:BeaconPress,2001.ISBN:13: 9780807058015. Tuveson,ErnestLee.RedeemerNation.Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,1968 reprint,Chicago:UniversityofChicagoPress,MidwayReprint,1980.ISBN:13: 9780226819211. Voegelin,Eric,SciencePoliticsandGnosticism,(ISIBooks,2004)ISBN:13: 9781932236484. 7.RecommendedReading Voegelin,Eric,ModernityWithoutRestraint,UniversityofMissouriPress,1999. ISBN:13:9780826212450. Voegelin,Eric,NewScienceofPolitics,UniversityofChicagoPress,1987, ISBN:13:9780226861142. St.Augustine'streatmentofthemillenarianvisioninthebookofRevelation,asrecountedbyTuvesonin ChapterOneofRedeemerNation,canbefoundinBook20oftheCityofGod,whichisavailableviaNew AdventatCityofGod,BookXXandviatheChristianClassicsLibraryatCityofGod,BookXX.St. Augustine'sconceptoflineartimeiscentraltoWesternconsciousnessofhistory. JohnAdams's"DissertationonCanonandFeudalLaw,"alsodiscussedbyTuvesoninChapter1of RedeemerNation,isavailableinGeorgePeek'seditionofThePoliticalWritingsofJohnAdams (Indianapolis:BobbsMerrill,1954)andviawww.founding.com http://www.founding.com/founders_library/pageID.2138/default.asp

RichardHooker,inthePrefacetohisLawsofEcclesiasticalPolity,providedananalysisofthePuritan critiqueoftheChurchofEnglandintheSixteenthCentury.Hooker'sanalysisissummarizedinVoegelin's NewScienceofPolitics,chapter5.Hooker'sanalyticalconceptsseemtofitcloselysomeofthemessianic movementsrecountedbyNormanCohn. StevenRunciman'sMedievalManicheeprovidesahistoryofgnosticactivityinsouthernEuropethat complementsthepictureoftheFreeSpiritactivityinnorthernEuropedrawnbyCohninchapters8and9. SeveralwritingsbyThomasMuntzerareavailableinMichaelBaylor'scollectionentitledTheRadical Reformation,whichislistedintheBibliographysectionofthiscourse[foundin"Handouts"onyour ControlPanel.See,also,McGinn,VisionsoftheEnd,chapter32,formaterialsontheHussitesand Taborites. ThomasPaine'sdivisionofpoliticalhistoryintothe"oldgovernments"andthe"new"onescanbefoundin thefirstthreechaptersoftheRightsofMan,PartTwo,availableviatheUniversityofAdelaideat http://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/p/paine/thomas/ SelectedwritingsofRichardPrice,includinghissermonson"TheEvidenceforaFuturePeriodof ImprovementintheStateofMankind(1787)"and"ADiscourseontheLoveofourCountry(1789),"can befoundinD.O.Thomas'seditionofRichardPrice:PoliticalWritings,CambridgeTextsintheHistoryof PoliticalThought(Cambridge:CambridgeUniversityPress,1991).Anonlineversionisavailableatviathe LibertyLibraryoftheConstitutionSocietyat SelectedPoliticalWorksofRichardPrice. MichaelBarkun'sstudyoftheChristianIdentitymovementanditsBritishIsraelismbackgroundinReligion andtheRacistRight(seetheBibliographysectionofthiscourse)providesadetailedlookatsomeofthe contemporarystrandsofAmericanmillennialism.Seeparticularlychapters1,2,5,&6 StevenRuncimanalsoprovidesanexcellentbriefintroductiontognosticisminchapters1&2ofThe MedievalManichee(seetheBibliographysectionofthiscourse),asdoesKurtRudolphinGnosis:the NatureandHistoryofGnosticism.JamesRobinson'sTheNagHammadiLibrarycollectsthetextsfrom thisrecentlyfoundtreasuretroveofancientgnosticwritings.Thislibraryisalsomadeavailableonlinevia alinkfromtheGnosticSocietyathttp://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/nhl.html Anadditionalonlinesourceofinformationongnosticismis ThePearl 8.AdditionalResources TheGnosticSocietyLibrary(www.gnosis.org/library.html) ThePearl:AGnosticChristianWebsite(www.thepearl.org) ApocalypticismandMillennialism:ASelectBibliographyforResearch( http://www.ambs.edu/ljohns/ApocMillBibliography.htm) CourseSyllabus CourseNumber:Govt305 CourseTitle:RootsofModernIdeologies Faculty:RichardJ.Bishirjian,Ph.D. PerformanceRequirements/CourseGrade: WritingAssignments(20%each):TherearetwowritingassignmentsfoundintheAssignmentssection ofyourcoursetemplate.(Total:40%)

DiscussionTopics(3.5%each):Discussiontopicsaregraded.Therearetensessionsoftopicsforyou torespondtwo.(Total:35%) FinalExam(25%):Atwopartfinalexamisalsorequired.ThefirstpartoftheFinal(10%)isamultiple choicetestcomposedofalistofkeytermsandsymbolsforwhichyouaretoselectthecorrectdefinitions. SomekeytermsarelistedinKeyConceptsinLectures.InthesecondpartoftheFinal(20%),youwill begiventhreeessayquestionsofwhichyouaretoanswerone.YoumaytaketheFinalintwostagesthe firstpartislocatedintheQuizzessectionofyourcoursedeliverysystemlocatedonyourHomePage. TheessayportionofyourfinalexamislocatedinAssignments.Youmustwriteyouranswersoffline, savethedocumentanduploaditintheAssignmentssectionofyourcoursedeliverysystem.10%/15% (Total:25%) CourseParticipationandassignmentsubmissions:Studentsareresponsibleforparticipatinginthe coursethroughthefollowingacademicactivities:uploadingassignments,postingtodiscussion folders,andrespondingtofacultyinquiries.Studentsareexpectedtobeinvolvedinongoing instructionalactivitiesbasedontherecommendedscheduleforcoursecompletionasdetailedinthe syllabus.Inordertoactivelyparticipateinacourse,Studentsmustmakecontactwiththeirfaculty mentoronaregularbasisthroughoneofthefollowingmethods: Postingofanassignmentintheassignmentareaofthecoursewebsite(e.g.,apaper, project,etc.). Postingofanassignmenttosharewiththefacultymentorandotherstudentsinthecourse website(e.g.,areviewofabookorarticle,aproposalforaresearchstudy,apresentationin theformofaPowerPointpresentationfile,reportingonparticipationinaresearchstudy,etc). Participationinathreadeddiscussioninthecoursewebsite(e.g.,commentingona discussionquestionpostedbythefacultymentor,providingfeedbacktoanotherstudent, etc.). Viewinginstructionalmaterials(e.g.,aPowerPointpresentationpreparedbythefaculty mentor,astreamingaudioorvideopresentation,etc.).

Rubrics RubricsthatwillguideyourInstructorsgradingofyourassignmentsarelocatedat http://www.yorktownuniversity.com/grad_rubrics.cfm AcademicIntegrity Availablebothinthestudentandfacultyhandbooks. Recommendedscheduleforcoursecompletion SessionOne:IntroductiontoCourseBiblicalbasisofmillenarianismearlytexts. Lecture:Lecture1,pts.1,2 ReadingAssignments:ReadConceptsofIdeologyfoundinLecturesandKeyConcepts.Nextread: Genesis,chs.3,4,&6Daniel,chs.710Matthew,chs.24&25Mark,ch.13Luke,ch.21:536Acts oftheApostles,ch.1:1112Thessalonians,ch.22Peter,ch.3Revelation,chs.1822(esp.chs. 19:11to21:4) DiscussionTopics: TheBiblehasbeenastronginfluenceonWesternthinkingabout"endtime."Yourfirstreading assignmentsintroducedyoutoJewishandChristian"apocalyptic"prophesies.Cohnwrites,"Already hereonecanrecognizetheparadigmofwhatwastobecomeandtoremainthecentralphantasyof revolutionaryeschatology."Sketchtheoutlinesofthis"paradigm"byreferencetotheBiblicaltexts.

DoesthisrelatetoanyoftheconceptsofideologylistedinLectures? LearningOutcomes: 4.a SessionTwo:ApocalyptictraditioninmedievalEuropeMillennialismandmillenarianism. ReadingAssignments:Cohn,PursuitoftheMillennium,Introductionandchapter1andTuveson, RedeemerNation,Prefaceandchapter1.Bishirjian,Chapter2,CivilReligionasPoliticalReligion. Lecture: Lecture1,p.3 DiscussionTopics: BothCohnandTuvesonpointtoanapocalyptictradition.Whatisthemeaningofthatconcept?Can youapplyittoanymovementsinAmericatoday? LearningOutcomes:4.b SessionThree.CivilReligion ReadingAssignments:Bishirjian,Chapter4,Origins oftheAmericanCivilReligionandChapter5, CritiqueoftheAmericanCivilReligion DiscussionTopics: HowdoesWoodrowWilsonfitintothegreaterconceptofpoliticalreligion?Are thereanycontemporaryparallels? LearningOutcomes:4.c SessionFour: Medievalmessianismtraditionofreligiousdissent Lecture:Lecture2,parts1and2,andLecture3,part1. ReadingAssignments:Pleasereadchapters2,3,4,and5ofCohn,PursuitoftheMillennium. DiscussionTopics: GiveanexampleofthemessianismthatCohndiscussesinyourreadingsforthissession. LearningOutcomes:4.d SessionFive:MedievalcultsSybillineOracles,JoachimofFlora Lecture:Lecture3,part1part2. ReadingAssignments:Chapters6,7,8,and9ofCohn'sPursuitoftheMillennium.Firstwriting assignmentisdue. DiscussionTopics:

ThemovementcalledtheBrethrenoftheFreeSpiritiscentraltothereadingsinthissection.Discussthis sect,outlineitsprincipleideas,andexplorewhatmayhavemotivatedmembersofthisculttoexpress theirhopesforsalvationintheseterms. LearningOutcomes:4.e

th SessionSix:EgalitarianStateofNatureEnglishPeasantRevolt15 centuryTaboritesThomas MuntzertheNewJerusalematMunster.

Lecture:Lecture4,Parts1and2. ReadingAssignments:ReadChapters10,11,12,13,andtheconclusionofCohn'sPursuitofthe Millennium. DiscussionTopics: DoanyoftheEgalitarianmovementsdiscussedinyourreadingshavemodernparallels? LearningOutcomes: 4.f SessionSeven:MillennialistroleofAmerica,theEnglishbackgroundthebeliefinProgress. Lecture: Lecture5,part1. ReadingAssignment:Tuveson,RedeemerNation,readchapter1again,thenreadchapters2,3. DiscussionTopics: Americaasa'ChosenPeople'isathemethatappearsfrequentlyinAmericanpoliticaldiscourseand literature.TuvesonwritesthattheCivilWarwasinterpretedinmoralterms,andeschatologically.Is AmericaashiningcityonaHill?Ifso,whatdoesthatsymbolhavemessianicovertones? LearningOutcomes:4.g4.h SessionEight: ManifestDestiny,MillennialistThoughtinAmerica,cont.

Lecture:Lecture5,part2 ReadingAssignment:Chapters4,5&6ofTuveson. DiscussionTopics: AnalyzetheBattleHymnoftheRepublic LearningOutcomes:4.i SessionNine: MainSymbolsofancientGnosticism.

ReadingAssignment:Chapters1,2,&3ofHansJonas'sTheGnosticReligionandthebriefprefacesto thefirsttwoeditionsofthatbook.InLecturesreadDr.BishirjiansessaytitledModernPolitical Religions. DiscussionTopics: CompareandcontrastSt.Augustine's"meaningoftranscendentalhistory"(Voegelin)andthatofJoachim ofFlora. LearningOutcomes:4.j ClassTen:TheMainGnosticSystems. ReadingAssignments:Readchapters4,5,6,and7ofJonas'sTheGnosticReligionandtheessay "ErsatzReligion"inVoegelin'sScience,PoliticsandGnosticism.Thenreadchapters8and9inJonas's TheGnosticReligion.Secondwritingassignmentisdue. DiscussionTopics: Valentiniangnosticismisarichminetoexplorebecauseofitsintellectualsophistication.Its"Iranian" counterpartwasthesystemofMani.CompareandcontrastValentiniangnosticismwithMani'ssystem. WhatisVoegelingettingatinhistenpage"Introduction"toScience,Politics,andGnosticism? LearningOutcomes:4.k4.l