Spring 2015/Pasadena

NT578

Sechrest

NT578: PAUL AND HIS LETTERS (4 Units: 160 hours). Love Sechrest.

DESCRIPTION: This course constitutes an introduction to the ministry and theology of the apostle Paul, and to the nature, structure, message and interpretation of the undisputed Pauline epistles in their historical, literary, and canonical contexts.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Having successfully completed this course, students will have demonstrated that they: (1) are familiar with the historical background, genre, content, structure, and message of seven Pauline epistles; (2) have skill in the interpretation of these writings as appropriate for effective leadership in various contexts; (3) can articulate the character of these NT letters as witnesses to the significance of Jesus Christ for the life and mission of his church; and (4) can account for the varied contexts of both the biblical materials and their contemporary interpreters.

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: 1,043 total pages required

NRSV, CEB, or TNIV Bible: Romans; 1-2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, 1 Thessalonians, Philemon.

Gorman, Michael. Apostle of the Crucified Lord: A Theological Introduction to Paul and his Letters. Eerdmans, 2004. ISBN: 978-0802839343, Pub. Price $44.00 [473 pp. assigned].

Horrell, David G. An Introduction to the Study of Paul. 2nd edition. Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2006. ISBN: 978-0567040831, Pub. Price $34.95 [176 pp. assigned].

Polaski, Sandra Hack. A Feminist Introduction to Paul. Chalice, 2005. ISBN: 978-0827210370, Pub. Price $19.99 [130 pp.].

E-Reserves [264 pp.], including the following:

Eisenbaum, Pamela. “Jewish Perspectives: A Jewish Apostle to the Gentiles,” in Studying Paul's Letters: Contemporary Perspectives and Methods, edited by Joseph A. Marchal. Fortress, 2012 [pp. 135-154].

Furnish, Victor Paul. “The Bible and Homosexuality: Reading the Texts in Context” in Homosexuality in the Church: Both Sides of the Debate, edited by Jeffrey S. Siker, Westminster John-Knox, 1994 [pp. 18-38].

Hays, Richard. “Awaiting the Redemption of Our Bodies: The Witness of Scripture Concerning Homosexuality,” in Homosexuality in the Church: Both Sides of the Debate, edited by Jeffrey S. Siker, Westminster John-Knox, 1994 [pp. 3-17].

Kahl, Birgitte. “Paul Among Jews and Muslims” in The Colonized Apostle: Paul in Postcolonial Eyes (Paul in Critical Contexts), edited by Christopher Stanley. Fortress, 2011 [pp. 206-222].

Khiok-Khng, Yeo. “Messianic Predestination in Romans 8 and Classical Confucianism,” in Navigating Romans Through Cultures: Challenging Readings by Charting a New Course (Romans Through History & Culture), edited by Yeo Khiok-Khng. T&T Clark, 2005 [pp. 259-294].

Sechrest, Love L. “Identity and the Embodiment of Privilege in Corinth,” in 1 and 2 Corinthians: Texts and Contexts, edited by Yung Suk Kim. Fortress, 2013 [pp. 9-30].

Smith, Mitzi J. “Utility, Fraternity, and Reconciliation: Ancient Slavery as a Context for the Return of Onesimus" in Onesimus Our Brother: Reading Religion, Race, and Culture in Philemon, edited by Matthew V. Johnson, James A. Noel, and Demetrius K. Williams. Fortress, 2012 [pp. 47-58].