DESCRIPTION:

This course in New Testament looks at the emergence of early Christian writings and their eventual formation into a canonical complement to the Jewish scriptures to form the Bible. Since literature, however occasional, rises from ongoing historical activity, the study of the New Testament necessarily concerns itself with questions of content, context, criticism, and theology.

For the Christian student, biblical study delicately balances content and criticism, faith and history, piety and inquiry. NS501 looks at Acts, the letters, and the Apocalypse as documents spun off from the first century Christian mission--texts which combined eventually with the gospels to form the written New Testament, primary text for the Christian religion.

This course will consist of lectures and discussion. Class will meet twice weekly for two-hour sessions.

Achtemeier, P. J.; J. B. Green; and M. M. Thompson. Introducing the New Testament: Its Literature and Theology. Grand Rapids/Cambridge, UK: William B. Eerdmans, 2001 [pages 1-51; 245-608 required].

Banks, R. Paul's Idea of Community. Rev. ed. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994.

Horrell, D. An Introduction to the Study of Paul. (Continuum Biblical Studies Series.) London and New York: Continuum, 2000.

Meeks, W. A. The First Urban Christians: The Social World of the Apostle Paul. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1983.

Scholer, D. M. New Testament II: Acts-Revelation/Course Study Guide. Fuller Theological Seminary, Continuing and Extended Education/School of Theology, Individualized Distance Learning, [1996]. This notebook is available from the Fuller Seminary Bookstore.

Ascough, R. S. What Are They Saying About the Formation of Pauline Churches? New York/Mahwah, NJ: Paulist, 1998.

Aune, D. E. The New Testament in Its Literary Environment. (Library of Early Christianity.) Philadelphia: Westminster, 1987.

Cousar, C. B. The Letters of Paul. (Interpreting Biblical Texts.) Nashville: Abingdon, 1996.

Ferguson, E. Backgrounds of Early Christianity. 2d ed. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1993.

Murphy-O'Connor, J. Paul the Letter-Writer: His World, His Options, His Skills. (Good News Studies 41.) Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1995.

Witherington, B., III. The Paul Quest: The Renewed Search for the Jew of Tarsus. Downers Grove/Leicester: InterVarsity, 1998.

1. A brief essay (4-5 pages) on the theology of either Hebrews or Revelation.

2. A detailed structural outline (2-4 pages) of either 1 John or James.

3. An objective content examination (in class), covering 50 significant quotations from Acts-Revelation.

4. A paper (10-12 pages) on Paul and his letters.