Winter 2021/Fuller Online

NT500

Black

NT500: NEW TESTAMENT INTRODUCTION (4 Units: 160 hours). Stephanie L. Black.

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. 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: 1017total number of pages of books and articles required, plus the entire NT.

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

Achtemeier, P., J. Green, and M. Meye Thompson. Introducing the New Testament: Its Literature and Theology. Eerdmans, 2001. ISBN: 978-0802837172, Pub. Price $48.00. Available as a Kindle e-book, $31.20. [594 pp. assigned].

Fee, Gordon D., and Douglas Stuart. How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, fourth edn. Zondervan, 2014. ISBN: 978-0310517825, Pub. Price $22.99. Available as a Kindle e-book, $15.99. [72 pp. assigned].

Course e-readings. [Selected readings on NT history, cultural contexts, genre, canonization]. [423 pp.].

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

  1. Ten weekly online ‘micro-lecture’ introductions (Prezi or PPT). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3]. [5 hours].
  2. 1017 pp. of required reading from textbook plus articles and book chapters on e-reserve. Reading report to be submitted at end of course. (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3, 4]. [90 hours, including 25 hours of reading the entire NT].
  3. Six threaded online learning activities or forum discussions, focusing on, e.g., NT historical and cultural contexts, NT genres, literary context, canonization, and their relation to NT texts. (25%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes # 1, 2, 3, 4]. [20 hours].
  4. Four threaded online group discussions of selected NT texts and proposed analyses; each 300 words initial analysis + subsequent discussion posts (30%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3, 4]. [20 hours].
  5. Five biweekly 200-word journal entries reflecting on the student’s ongoing learning in the course, submitted to the instructor. (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #2, 4]. [3 hours].
  6. A 1500- to 1800-word close-reading analysis of a selected text from New Testament (student’s choice with approval of instructor) exploring historical and cultural contexts, genre and literary context, summarizing the biblical author’s flow of thought, addressing current scholarly discussion, and suggesting the text’s significance for today’s readers. (25%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #2, 3, 4]. [22 hours research and 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. Copyright 2019 Fuller Theological Seminary.