Spring 2014/Houston

NT500

Young

NT500: NEW TESTAMENT INTRODUCTION (4 units). Stephen E. Young.

DESCRIPTION: This hybrid online and on-campus course 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 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 is a hybrid course, combining nine weeks of online interaction with one week of face-to-face time in Houston, Texas (overall the ten weekly lessons align with Fuller's academic calendar). The course involves reading, writing, use of libraries and other resources, and interactive discussion. Each week students and the instructor will interact with the material and with each other through threaded discussion forums.

REQUIRED READING:

The entire New Testament in English, using the CEB, NRSV or TNIV translations.

DeSilva, David A. An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods, and Ministry Formation. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2004. ISBN: 9780830827466. Pub. price $50. [591 pp. assigned]

González, J. L. Santa Biblia: The Bible through Hispanic Eyes. Nashville: Abingdon, 1996. ISBN: 9780687014521. Pub. price $18. [124 pp. assigned]

Green, Joel B. Seized by Truth: Reading the Bible as Scripture. Nashville: Abingdon, 2007. ISBN: 9780687023554. Pub. price $25. [185 pp. assigned]

Posted lectures online [95 pp. assigned]

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT: 160 hours total

  1. Class participation, and contributions to ongoing, weekly discussion forums on NT texts, interpretive exercises, required readings from the textbooks, and PDF lectures (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes # 1-2, 3.] [70 hours reading; 20 hours posting; 20 hours in class]

  2. Two interpretive exercises on assigned texts (1,350 words each, or about 2 pages single-spaced) (25%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome # 2.] [12 hours preparation and writing]

  3. A book review on González, Santa Biblia (1,200-1,500 words, or 3-4 pages one-and-a-half spaced) (25%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome # 3.] [8 hours reading; 6 hours writing]

  4. Final research paper on an assigned NT passage (2,500 words, or 7-8 pages one-and-a-half spaced) (35%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes # 2-4.] [14 hours reading; 10 hours writing]

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets Seminary Core Requirement (SCR) for MATM, MAICS, MAFS, MACL (effective 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.