DESCRIPTION:

This course introduces the student to a critical study of the four New Testament Gospels, including (1) major interpretive approaches in current Gospel research; (2) the distinctive literary and theological characteristics of the Gospel portraits; (3) the historical setting of the Gospel writers; (4) critical issues involved in "history of Jesus" research; and (5) the relationship between faith and history and the relevance of Jesus for today.

This course is obviously basic to anyone who desires to live as a disciple of Jesus, whom the Gospel writers proclaim "Christ." Successful completion of the course will not only make one a better interpreter of the life and teachings of Jesus (and thus a more effective follower) but a more astute observer of the way the four evangelists shaped and contextualized their respective christologies. In this way Gospel interpretation becomes a catalyst for the application of contemporary insight into the significance of Jesus.

The course is primarily lecture in format, utilizing an inductive approach that takes up critical issues of Gospel interpretation in the process of reading the Gospels themselves. The Gospels will be read and studied as narratives with their own literary and theological integrity, allowing each to contribute its own unique Christological perspective to the church's overall understanding of Jesus. The course will meet weekly for a three-hour session.

Aland, Kurt. Synopsis of the Four Gospels. Greek-English, 10th ed. United Bible Societies, 1993; OR the same synopsis in English only.

Brown, Raymond E. An Introduction to New Testament Christology. Paulist Press, 1994.

__________. An Introduction to the New Testament. Doubleday, 1997.

Burridge, Richard A. Four Gospels, One Jesus? A Symbolic Reading. Eerdmans, 1994.

Dunn, James D. G. The Evidence for Jesus. Westminster Press, 1985.

Bauckham, Richard, ed. The Gospels for All Christians: Rethinking the Gospel Audiences. Eerdmans, 1998.

Cartlidge, David R. and David L. Dungan. Documents for the Study of the Gospels. Rev. ed. Fortress Press, 1994.

Green, Joel B., Scott McKnight and I. Howard Marshall, eds. Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. InterVarsity Press, 1992.

Hedrick, Charles W. When History and Faith Collide: Studying Jesus. Hendrickson, 1999.

Kingsbury, Jack Dean. Gospel Interpretation: Narrative-Critical and Social-Scientific Approaches. Trinity Press International, 1997.

Schnackenburg, Rudolf. Jesus in the Gospels: A Biblical Christology. Westminster John Knox, 1995.

1. A midterm exam, based on the Gospels of Mark and Matthew (25%).

2. A 15-page "Life of Jesus" research paper based on one of the Gospels only (25%).

3. A film critique, comparing two major films on the life of Jesus and interacting with course materials (15%).

4. A final exam, based on the Gospels of Luke and John as well as the historical Jesus (35%).