Fall 2012/Phoenix

NS500

Perry

NS500:  NEW TESTAMENT 1: GOSPELS AND ACTS.  Peter S. Perry.

                                                                                                                                                           

 

DESCRIPTION:  This course constitutes an introduction to the nature, structure, and message of the New Testament Gospels and Acts in their historical, literary, and canonical contexts.

 

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY:  The Gospels are our primary witnesses to the life and ministry of Jesus and, with Acts, to early Christianity. Knowledge of their distinctiveness and interrelatedness is crucial for understanding Jesus and the way early Christians followed him, for shaping Christian discipleship, and for preaching, teaching, and leadership in the church today.

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES:  Having successfully completed this course, students will have demonstrated that they (1) can articulate the character of the Gospels and Acts as witnesses to Jesus Christ; (2) are familiar with the historical background, content, structure, and message of each of these writings; (3) have skill in the interpretation of the Gospels and Acts as appropriate for effective leadership in Christian communities.

 

COURSE FORMAT: Once a week, three-hour sessions of lecture, discussion, and small group activities.

 

REQUIRED READING:

The Bible in the NRSV, TNIV or CEB.

Strauss, Mark L. Four Portraits, One Jesus: A Survey of Jesus and the Gospels. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-310-22697-0. $28.41

Throckmorton, B. H. Gospel Parallels: A Comparison of the Synoptic Gospels, New Revised Standard Version. 5th ed. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1992. ISBN: 978-0840774842. $23.09.

Course readings (available on-line), including articles and chapters by Richard Bauckham, Warren Carter, Joanna Dewey, Musa Dube, Amy Jill Levine, Robert W. Wall, and others.

 

RECOMMENDED READING (selections included in course readings on-line):

Ferguson, Everett. Backgrounds of Early Christianity. 3^rd ed. Eerdmans, 2003. ISBN: 978-0802822215. $23.38. [75 pp]

Green, Joel. The Theology of the Gospel of Luke (New Testament Theology). Cambridge University Press, 1995. ISBN: 978-0521469326. $24.05. [55 pp]

Kysar, Robert. John, the Maverick Gospel. 3^rd ed. Westminster John Knox, 2007. ISBN: 978-0664230562. $16.12. [70 pp]

Levine, Amy-Jill and Marc Z. Brettler, eds. The Jewish Annotated New Testament. Oxford University Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-0195297706. $22.78. [20 pp]

Rhoads, David, et. al. Mark as Story. 2^nd ed. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1999. ISBN: 978-0800631604. $17.40. [77 pp]

Wall, Robert W. “Acts” in New Interpreter’s Bible: Acts-First Corinthians. Vol. 10. Abingdon Press, 2002. ISBN: 978-0687278237. $46.25 [34 pp]

 

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1.     Preparation, Attendance & Participation (10%)

2.     Weekly quizzes over each Gospel and Acts’ background, content, structure, and message (25%)

3.     Five short essays interpreting passages from each Gospel and Acts (30%)

4.     Final exam covering lectures and readings (25%)

 

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM:  Meets MDiv core requirement in New Testament 1 (NT1); meets MAT (2010) program requirement.

 

PREREQUISITES:  None.

 

FINAL EXAMINATION:  Yes