Winter 2021/Fuller Online

NS512

Green

NS512: JESUS AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD (4 Units: 160 hours). Joel B. Green.

DESCRIPTION: An exploration of the historical, theological, and ethical significance of the proclamation of God’s kingdom, centered especially in the witness to the mission and message of Jesus in the Synoptic Gospels, but also in other New Testament voices and beyond.

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: The message of God’s kingdom is a central coordinate for theology and ethics in and of the New Testament. Consequently, it provides an important focal point for engaging in the synthetic, critical, and constructive work of biblical theology that is pivotal to day-to-day ministries of all kinds.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Having successfully completed this course, students will have demonstrated the ability (1) to articulate the importance of both the Old Testament witness to God’s dominion and the context of the first-century Roman Empire for explicating the witness of New Testament writings to God’s kingdom; (2) to work with the New Testament materials relevant to God’s kingdom in a synthetic way that takes seriously the particularity of these materials and the potential of a coordinated New Testament witness to God’s kingdom; (3) to exhibit the relationship between exegesis and theological interpretation of New Testament texts concerned with God’s kingdom; and (4) to articulate the ongoing significance of the witness of Jesus and early Christian writers to God’s kingdom for critical reflection on ecclesial practices.

RELATIONSHIP TO PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES: Through focused study of a particular biblical book or topic, students acquire deeper mastery of the interpretation of the Bible, taking into account its ancient and contemporary contexts, which is consistent with the SoT Program Learning Outcome: “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 is concerned with the practice of New Testament theology, which necessarily involves sociocultural and canonical interests. As a result, the course will require regular exegetical and theological work with biblical texts. 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. This course modality provisions a fully asynchronous structure enhanced with optional synchronous meeting times. Although it does not require synchronous meeting times, faculty may provide one or more opportunities for live interaction scheduled to support represented time zones.

REQUIRED READING: ca. 900 pages required.

Blount, Brian K. Then the Whisper Put on Flesh: New Testament Ethics in an African American Context, pp. 45–118. Abingdon, 2001. ISBN: 978-0687085897, Pub. Price $25.99. Not available digitally from the Fuller Seminary Library [73 pp. assigned].

Green, Joel B. “Kingdom of God/Heaven.” Pages 468–81 in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. Edited by Joel B. Green. 2nd ed. IVP Academic, 2013. ISBN: 978-0830824564, Pub. Price $60.00. Available digitally from the Fuller Seminary Library [13 pp. assigned].

Grindheim, Sigurd. Living in the Kingdom of God: A Biblical Theology for the Life of the Church. Baker Academic, 2018. ISBN: 978-1540960320, Pub. Price $24.99. Available digitally from the Fuller Seminary Library [200 pp. assigned].

Jipp, Joshua W. “King and Kingdom: Sharing in the Rule of Christ the King.” Pages 139–210 in Christ Is King: Paul’s Royal Ideology. Fortress, 2015. ISBN: 978-1451482102, Pub. Price $44.00. Available digitally from the Fuller Seminary Library [72 pp. assigned].

McCaulley, Esau. “Freedom Is No Fear: The New Testament and a Theology of Policing.” Pages 25–46 in Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope. IVP Academic, 2020. ISBN: 978-0830854868, Pub. Price $20.00. Available digitally from the Fuller Seminary Library [21 pp. assigned].

McKnight, Scot, and Modica, Joseph B., eds. Jesus Is Lord, Caesar Is Not: Evaluating Empire in New Testament Studies. IVP Academic, 2012. ISBN: 978-0830864584, Pub. Price $22.00. Available digitally from the Fuller Seminary Library [224 pp. assigned]

New Testament. Students may use the CEB, NRSV, or TNIV. Those with Greek may use either UBS⁵ or NA²⁸ [300–400 pp. assigned].

Padilla, C. René. “The Mission of the Church in Light of the Kingdom of God,” Transformation 1, no. 2 (1984): 16–20. Online: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/026537888400100206 [5 pp.].

Pennington, Jonathan T. “Kingdom of God/Kingdom of Heaven.” Bible Odyssey. Online: https://www.bibleodyssey.org/en/places/main-articles/kingdom-of-god-kingdom-of-heaven [2 pp.].

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

Weekly videos, podcasts, and reading. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes ##1–4.] (45 hours)
Weekly forum/group posts and discussions (20% of final grade). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes ##1–4.] (30 hours)
Group exegetical assignments (20% of final grade). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes ##2–3.] (30 hours)
Two interpretive assignments (15% of final grade). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes ##2–3.] (15 hours)
Two working papers (15% of final grade). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes ##2–3.] (10 hours)
Research essay (2500–3000 words) (30% of final grade). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes ##1–4.] (30 hours)

PREREQUISITES: BI500 (or NE502) and NT500 (or NS500).

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Biblical Studies Elective. Meets the NTT requirement in the 144 MDiv.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.