DESCRIPTION: This course introduces students to the canonical Gospels of
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, with particular attention to the theological and
literary purpose of each, and to their historical value as sources for the life
of Jesus of Nazareth.
COURSE OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES: The objectives of this course are that
students will have gained (1) a basic knowledge of the content and structure of
each of the four Gospels, their interrelationships and their place in the New
Testament, and why just these four were included; (2) some familiarity with the
Jewish and Graeco-Roman world within which these accounts were written and in
which Jesus carried out his ministry; (3) an acquaintance with the theology of
each of the Gospel writers; (4) an understanding of how to assess and make use
of the historical information they provide about Jesus of Nazareth.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: The four "Gospels" were given that name because
together they present the one "gospel," that is, the heart of the Christian
message and the foundation of Christian life and ministry--the coming of Jesus
Christ into the world, his proclamation of the Kingdom of God, his teaching and
miracles, his death, and his resurrection--everything that our ministries are
about.
COURSE FORMAT: The class will meet twice weekly for lecture and discussion in
two-hour sessions, with a break.
REQUIRED READING: