Winter 2018/Pasadena

NT500

Tedford

NT500: NEW TESTAMENT INTRODUCTION (4 Units: 160 hours). James S. Tedford.

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: Upon successful completion of 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 to 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; and (4) can read the New Testament in ways that foster faithful Christian practice.

COURSE FORMAT: This class meets for four Saturdays for 7.5 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. Class will include lecture and discussion of biblical texts and secondary literature.

REQUIRED READING: 916 pages required, plus reading the entire New Testament.

One of these translations of the New Testament: CEB, NRSV, or TNIV.

Achtemeier, Paul J., Joel B. Green, and Marianne Meye Thompson. Introducing the New Testament: Its Literature and Message. Eerdmans, 2001. ISBN: 978-0802837172. Pub. Price $46.00 [608 pp.].

González, Justo L. Santa Biblia: The Bible through Hispanic Eyes. Abingdon, 1996. ISBN: 978-0687014521, Pub. Price $18.99 [123 pp.].

Green, Joel B. Seized by Truth: Reading the Bible as Scripture. Abingdon, 2007. ISBN: 978-0687023554, Pub. Price $25.99 [185 pp.].

RECOMMENDED READING:

Brown, Raymond E. An Introduction to the New Testament. Yale University Press, 1997. ISBN: 978-0300140163, Pub. Price $75.00.

Erickson, Richard J. A Beginner’s Guide to New Testament Exegesis: Taking the Fear Out of Critical Method. InterVarsity, 2005. ISBN: 978-0830827718, Pub. Price $22.00.

Green, Joel B., and Lee Martin McDonald, eds. The World of the New Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts. Baker, 2013. ISBN: 978-0801098611, Pub. Price $44.99.

Harrington, Daniel J. Interpreting the New Testament: A Practical Guide. Liturgical, 1990. ISBN: 978-0814651247, Pub. Price $18.95.

Powell, Mark Allan. Introducing the New Testament: A Historical, Literary, and Theological Survey. Baker, 2009. ISBN: 978-0801028687. Pub. Price $44.99.

Witherington, Ben. Women and the Genesis of Christianity. Cambridge University Press, 1990. ISBN: 978-0521367356, Pub. Price $45.99.

Wright, N.T. The Challenge of Jesus: Rediscovering Who Jesus Was and Is. InterVarsity, 1999. ISBN: 978-0830822003, Pub. Price $20.00.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

  1. Completion of assigned reading, including the entire New Testament in the CEB, NRSV, or TNIV translation. [80 hours, including 25 hours of reading the entire New Testament].

  2. Contributions to classroom discussions on NT texts, interpretive exercises, required readings from the textbooks, and research paper topics (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes # 1-4.] [10-15 hours]

  3. A book review on González, Santa Biblia (1,200-1,500 words, or 3-4 pages one-and-a-half spaced, 20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome # 3.] [7 hours reading; 6 hours writing]

  4. Two interpretive exercises on assigned New Testament texts (1,250 words each, or about 2 pages single-spaced, first assignment 10%, second assignment 20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome # 2.] [15 hours preparation and writing].

  5. Final research paper on an assigned NT passage (1,800 words, or 4-5 pages one-and-a-half spaced, 40%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes # 2-4.] [12 hours reading; 10 hours writing].

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.

For your convenience, order these texts online through the Archives Bookshop.