Winter 2020/Pasadena

NT500

Givens

NT500: NEW TESTAMENT INTRODUCTION (4 Units: 160 hours). Tommy Givens.

DESCRIPTION: New Testament Introduction orients students to the literature of the New Testament in its various literary, historical, and theological contexts and to New Testament interpretation in service of Christian practice.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Having successfully completed this course students will have demonstrated that they (1) have an introductory knowledge of the literature, history, and theology of the New Testament; (2) can identify a range of questions (e.g., historical, literary, canonical) that might be addressed to particular New Testament texts and can explore those questions in the process of interpreting particular New Testament texts; (3) are able to take into account the varied contexts of both the biblical materials and their contemporary interpreters; (4) can read the New Testament in ways that foster faithful Christian practice.

RELATIONSHIP TO PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES: This course will introduce students to content and interpretation of the NT in its historical and contemporary context, which is consistent with the SOT PLO “Students will have demonstrated competence in the practice of biblical interpretation for faithful use of Scripture in their own lives and ministries” (MDiv, MAT, MATM).

COURSE FORMAT: This class meets once per week for three-hour sessions for a total of 30 hours of classroom instruction for lecture and discussion plus 10 hours of directed learning activities for a total of 40 instructional hours.

REQUIRED READING: 765 pages of required reading, plus reading the entire New Testament.

The NRSV, CEB, or TNIV translation of the New Testament [25 hours].

Achtemeier, P., J. Green, and M. Meye Thompson.Introducing the New Testament: Its Literature and Theology. Eerdmans, 2001. ISBN: 978-0802837172, Pub. Price $48.00 [235 pp. assigned].

Green, Joel B.Seized by Truth: Reading the Bible as Scripture. Abingdon, 2007. ISBN: 978-0687023554, Pub. Price $28.99. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [185 pp.].

Theissen, Gerd.The Shadow of the Galilean: The Quest for the Historical Jesus in Narrative Form.Rev. ed. Fortress, 2007. ISBN: 978-0800639006, Pub. Price $23.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [232 pp.].

Course reader. [articles/chapters by Frances Taylor Gench, Justo González, Amy Jill Levine, Teresa Okure, Elsa Tamez, Marianne Meye Thompson, N. T. Wright, and others]. [113 pp.].

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. Entire New Testament + 765 pages of logged, required reading (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-4]. [76 hours, including 25 hours of reading the entire NT].
2. 100-200-word responses to reading in preparation for each class session (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-4 and constitutes the online directed learning activities of the course, DLAs]. [10 hours].
3. Book Reviews [2 papers; 1,000 words each] (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-3]. [10 hours].
4. Peer Reviewed Interpretative Working Papers [2 papers; 1,500 words each] (40% total; 20% each). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-4]. [20 hours].
5. Final Reflection Paper on Apocalyptic [1,000 words] (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-4]. [4 hours].

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets a core requirement in the 120 MDiv, 80 MAT, 80 MATM, and 80 MAICS Programs (Fall 2015) and the MATM, MAICS, and MACL Programs (Winter 2010).

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.

NOTE: This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. Textbook prices are set by publishers and are subject to change. Copyright 2019 Fuller Theological Seminary.