Western Traditions

HUM 101 LA: Western Traditions (CS1A)
MWF 11:00 – 11:50 a.m. TH 1:00 – 1:50 p.m.

An interdisciplinary introduction to enduring ideas of the classical and Judeo-Christian traditions at the root of Western civilization. Through study of selected works of literature by Greek, Roman, Hebrew, early Christian, and Renaissance authors, students will explore issues surrounding citizenship, leadership, justice, honor, war, death, and friendship. This course may be substituted for Hist 101, Eng 116 or Rel 103.

Cornerstone 1A. Three hours.

This course is of particular interest to students who:

Are eager for credit in any one of three different departments: English, History, and Religion.
Wish to read a variety of works ranging from a blood-drenched war poem, the Iliad, to parts of Augustine’s Confessions, Dante’s Inferno (a tour of Hell), and Machiavelli’s Prince, a timeless guide to underhanded political manipulation.
Would like to satisfy a basic cornerstone requirement while being introduced to a number of professors from different disciplines who will be guest lecturers.
Are interested in exploring enduring questions about human existence.

gammon Meet Your Professor

Mark E. Gammon, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Religion
B.A., Hampden-Sydney College, 1991
M.Div., Duke University Divinity School, 1996
Ph.D. Boston College, 2006

Mark Gammon is Assistant Professor of Religion with a specialization in theological ethics. His dissertation, “A Fatal But Sure Sign: Moral Theology and Jewish Suffering,” is a critique of post-Holocaust moral theology and an attempt to reclaim the christocentric traditions of rescuers for contemporary Christian practice. He is active in the ongoing scholarly conversation between Christianity and Judaism, presenting at the international conference on genocide, Remembering for the Future, in Oxford, England in 2000 and publishing in the conference proceedings. In 2006, he was a participant in a National Endowment for the Humanities summer seminar, “Representations of the ‘Other’: Jews in Medieval Christendom” at the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies in Oxford, England.

Dr. Gammon came to Simpson College in 2003 from the Institute for Communitarian Policy Studies at George Washington University, a public policy think tank, where he served as a research associate, writing extensively on cross-cultural moral theory, international relations, and First Amendment law and co-editing a volume of the Chicago-Kent Law Review dealing with the First Amendment rights of children. He is the author of a chapter on free speech and the protection of children in a volume on church-state relations in the U.S. forthcoming from Praeger Press. He also has published reviews in the fields of Christian social ethics and biomedical ethics. His current research interests include Jewish-Christian relations, virtue ethics, Reformed and post-liberal theology, Puritanism, and revolutionary theory. He teaches several classes dealing with various aspects of religious ethics, as well as introductory classes in biblical studies, American religion, and the Western tradition.

Office: Mary Berry 221
(515) 961-1685
mark.gammon@simpson.edu

Meet Your Desitination Leader

Kayla Hamilton

Kayla Hamilton Hey, my name is Kayla and I will be a sophomore here at Simpson in the fall. I am currently planning to major in international management with a minor in religion. I love to travel and hope to work in an international setting someday. I took Humanities 101 last fall as my LAS and absolutely loved it. In fact, I should probably blame that class for my sparked interest in humanities which led to my religion minor.

I am originally from Fort Madison, a small town along the Mississippi in southern Iowa. I have a little sister, (or, more correctly, a younger sister as she is now taller than me) who will be a sophomore in high school next year. My family is incredibly important to me. I would even count my mom, dad, sister, and grandma among my friends.

This past year at Simpson I was the group leader for Shalom Zone, an after-school program in Des Moines, and plan to continue with that in the fall. I am also a Wesley Service Scholar and active in German Club. I just recently joined Alpha Phi Omega, a service fraternity, and was also just elected as the president of Alpha Lambda Delta, a first-year national honor society. I also worked at Applebees in Des Moines this past year, but am reconsidering my Applebuddy position for the fall. In my free time I love to relax with friends, jog, read, volunteer, and travel among other things.

Humanities 101 is a great introduction to undergraduate studies and will be a rewarding experience for everyone in the class, including myself. I am very excited to meet you all and assist in making your transition to college as smooth as possible. Have a great summer and get excited for college!


	Summer Registration Fall Orientation Liberal Arts Seminar What is LAS? Summer Reading LAS Courses Resources
Western Traditions HUM 101 LA: Western Traditions (CS1A) MWF 11:00 – 11:50 a.m. TH 1:00 – 1:50 p.m. An interdisciplinary introduction to enduring ideas of the classical and Judeo-Christian traditions at the root of Western civilization. Through study of selected works of literature by Greek, Roman, Hebrew, early Christian, and Renaissance authors, students will explore issues surrounding citizenship, leadership, justice, honor, war, death, and friendship. This course may be substituted for Hist 101, Eng 116 or Rel 103. Cornerstone 1A. Three hours. This course is of particular interest to students who: Are eager for credit in any one of three different departments: English, History, and Religion. Wish to read a variety of works ranging from a blood-drenched war poem, the Iliad, to parts of Augustine’s Confessions, Dante’s Inferno (a tour of Hell), and Machiavelli’s Prince, a timeless guide to underhanded political manipulation. Would like to satisfy a basic cornerstone requirement while being introduced to a number of professors from different disciplines who will be guest lecturers. Are interested in exploring enduring questions about human existence. Meet Your Professor Mark E. Gammon, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Religion B.A., Hampden-Sydney College, 1991 M.Div., Duke University Divinity School, 1996 Ph.D. Boston College, 2006 Mark Gammon is Assistant Professor of Religion with a specialization in theological ethics. His dissertation, “A Fatal But Sure Sign: Moral Theology and Jewish Suffering,” is a critique of post-Holocaust moral theology and an attempt to reclaim the christocentric traditions of rescuers for contemporary Christian practice. He is active in the ongoing scholarly conversation between Christianity and Judaism, presenting at the international conference on genocide, Remembering for the Future, in Oxford, England in 2000 and publishing in the conference proceedings. In 2006, he was a participant in a National Endowment for the Humanities summer seminar, “Representations of the ‘Other’: Jews in Medieval Christendom” at the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies in Oxford, England. Dr. Gammon came to Simpson College in 2003 from the Institute for Communitarian Policy Studies at George Washington University, a public policy think tank, where he served as a research associate, writing extensively on cross-cultural moral theory, international relations, and First Amendment law and co-editing a volume of the Chicago-Kent Law Review dealing with the First Amendment rights of children. He is the author of a chapter on free speech and the protection of children in a volume on church-state relations in the U.S. forthcoming from Praeger Press. He also has published reviews in the fields of Christian social ethics and biomedical ethics. His current research interests include Jewish-Christian relations, virtue ethics, Reformed and post-liberal theology, Puritanism, and revolutionary theory. He teaches several classes dealing with various aspects of religious ethics, as well as introductory classes in biblical studies, American religion, and the Western tradition. Office: Mary Berry 221 (515) 961-1685 mark.gammon@simpson.edu Meet Your Desitination Leader Kayla Hamilton Hey, my name is Kayla and I will be a sophomore here at Simpson in the fall. I am currently planning to major in international management with a minor in religion. I love to travel and hope to work in an international setting someday. I took Humanities 101 last fall as my LAS and absolutely loved it. In fact, I should probably blame that class for my sparked interest in humanities which led to my religion minor. I am originally from Fort Madison, a small town along the Mississippi in southern Iowa. I have a little sister, (or, more correctly, a younger sister as she is now taller than me) who will be a sophomore in high school next year. My family is incredibly important to me. I would even count my mom, dad, sister, and grandma among my friends. This past year at Simpson I was the group leader for Shalom Zone, an after-school program in Des Moines, and plan to continue with that in the fall. I am also a Wesley Service Scholar and active in German Club. I just recently joined Alpha Phi Omega, a service fraternity, and was also just elected as the president of Alpha Lambda Delta, a first-year national honor society. I also worked at Applebees in Des Moines this past year, but am reconsidering my Applebuddy position for the fall. In my free time I love to relax with friends, jog, read, volunteer, and travel among other things. Humanities 101 is a great introduction to undergraduate studies and will be a rewarding experience for everyone in the class, including myself. I am very excited to meet you all and assist in making your transition to college as smooth as possible. Have a great summer and get excited for college!
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