Summer 2020/Fuller Online

NT500

Gabrielson

NT500: NEW TESTAMENT INTRODUCTION (4 Units: 160 hours). Jeremy Gabrielson.

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: 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 can 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.

RELATIONSHIP TO PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES: This course will introduce students to content and interpretation of the NT in its historical and contemporary context, which is consistent with the SOT PLO “Students will have demonstrated competence in the practice of biblical interpretation for faithful use of Scripture in their own lives and ministries” (MDiv, MAT, MATM).

COURSE FORMAT: This course will be conducted online on a ten-week schedule aligned with Fuller’s academic calendar for a total of 40 instructional hours. Students are required to interact with the material, with each other, and with the instructor regularly through online discussions, reading, and other assignments that promote active learning.

REQUIRED READING: 1195 total number of pages of books and articles required, plus reading the entire NT.

For this course, required reading should include:

The entire NT in English (using the NRSV, TNIV, or CEB)

Achtemeier, Paul J., Joel B. Green and Marianne Meye Thompson, eds. Introducing the New Testament: Its Literature and Theology. Eerdmans, 2001. ISBN: 978-0802837172, Pub. Price $48.00. [475 pp. assigned].

Blount, Brian K. Can I Get a Witness? Reading Revelation through African American Culture. Westminster John Knox, 2005. ISBN: 978-0664228699, Pub. Price $25.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library. [117 pp. assigned].

Gorman, Michael J. Reading Paul. Cascade Books, 2008. ISBN: 978-1556351952, Pub. Price $22.00. [188 pp. assigned].

Longenecker, Bruce W. The Lost Letters of Pergamum: A Story from the New Testament World. Second Edition. Baker Academic, 2016. ISBN: 978-0801097966, Pub. Price $21.99. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [182 pp. assigned].

Course Reader [articles, chapters from books will be placed on e-reserves, including articles or selections frombooks by Richard Bauckham, Beverly R. Gaventa, Richard B. Hays, L. Gregory Jones, Ross S. Kraemer, Amy-Jill Levine, David M. McCarthy, C. Kavin Rowe, and Mitzi J. Smith][233 pp assigned].

RECOMMENDED READING: In addition to the required reading, additional books and articles/chapters will be on reserve as recommended reading, including material by Brian K. Blount, Markus Bockmuehl, Justo L. Gonzalez, Michael J. Gorman, Joel B. Green, Stanley Hauerwas, Ross S. Kraemer, Jae Won Lee James A. Noel, Justo L. Gonzalez.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

Instructional hours comprised of class activities including video lectures, PowerPoint presentations,etc. [This assignment related to learning outcomes #1, 2, and 3] [15 hours].
Weekly Discussion Posts and Responses (One 250-word weekly forum post and at least one (approximately) 150-word response) (25%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2, 3, 4] [15 hours]. [Weekly posts and Replies are DLA’s 1-10, accounting for 15 hours instructional hours].
1195 total number of pages of books and articles required, plus reading the entire NT [104 hours total reading: 79 hours books & articles, plus 25 hours of reading the entire NT]. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3, 4]. The NT reading will be logged each week (10%).
A 1,000 word essay/reading response to the Longenecker book in conversation with Acts of the Apostles and the Course Reader selection by C. Kavin Rowe (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3, 4]. [4 hours writing].
A 1,000 word Reflection Essay interacting with the Jones and/or McCarthy Course Readings, reflecting on how someone has taught the student how to read scripture well through the embodiment of the gospel. (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes # 2, 3, 4]. [4 hours writing].
Interpretive Assignment, a 1,500 word working paper that gathers the results of the student’s close reading of an assigned biblical text from the Gospel of Luke (35%) (The student may propose an alternative text from the New Testament, subject to approval from the instructor). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3, 4]. [18 hours]. Signature Assignment (Also accounts for 18 instructional hours) This Interpretive Assignment must focus closely on working with a biblical text or texts, and cannot be a thematic or topical research paper. Your paper should be chiefly concerned with presenting your own questions and findings based on your careful reading and reflection on the chosen passage, and your conversation partners in your study should not need to go beyond the required (or in some cases recommended) reading from the class. Detailed instructions and a grading rubric will be included in the syllabus.

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.