Winter 2020/Fuller Online

NT500

Perry

NT500: NEW TESTAMENT INTRODUCTION (4 Units: 164 hours). Peter S. Perry.

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: 930 pages of books and articles required, plus reading the entire NT.

The entire NT in English (using the NRSV, TNIV, or CEB) [25 hours].

Wright, N.T. and Michael F. Bird. The New Testament in Its World: An Introduction to the History, Literature, and Theology of the First Christians. Zondervan, 2019. ISBN: 978-0310499305, Pub. Price $59.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [465 pp. assigned]

Powell, Mark Allan. What Do They Hear? Bridging the Gap Between Pulpit and Pew. Abingdon, 2009. ISBN: 978-0687642052, Pub. Price $17.99. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [92 pp.].

Green, Joel B. Seized by Truth: Reading the Bible as Scripture. Abingdon, 2007. ISBN: 978-0687023554, Pub. Price $28.99. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [185 pp.].

Levine, Amy-Jill and Marc. Z. Brettler, eds. The Jewish Annotated New Testament. Oxford, 2011. ISBN: 978-0190461850, Pub. Price $39.95. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [68 pp. assigned].

Additional Reading:

Kennedy, George. New Testament Interpretation through Rhetorical Criticism. Univ. of North Carolina, 1984, 3-38. ISBN: 978-0807841204. $35.00. Also available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [36 pp. assigned]

Klauck, Hans-Josef. Ancient Letters and the New Testament. Baylor, 2006, 1-25. ISBN: 978-1932792409. $39.95. Also available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [25 pp. assigned].

Rhoads, David, et. al. Mark as Story. 3rd ed. Fortress, 2012, 39-62, 73-115. ISBN: 978-0800699093. $24.00. Also available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [68 pp. assigned]

Sugirtharajah, R. S. Postcolonial Criticism and Biblical Interpretation. Oxford University, 2002, 74-102. ISBN: 978-0198752691. $53. Available as eReserve from the Fuller Library [29 pp. assigned].

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

Preparation for and participation in video lectures via course website, online exercises, and three 50 min online meetings via Zoom on Jan 8, 22, and Feb 26 (5%) [20 hrs].
930 total pages of books and articles required, plus reading the entire NT. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1-4]. [84 hours, including 25 hours of reading the entire NT].
Three interpretative assignments on select passages [3 pages each] (10% each = 30%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1-4]. [18 hours].
250-word weekly forum posts (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1-4]. [10 hours of DLAs].
250-word weekly replies (5%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1-4]. [10 hours of DLAs].
Weekly online quizzes (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1-2]. [4 hours].
Integrative Project [4 pages] (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1-4]. [16 hours].
Final Exam (20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes 1-4]. [2 hours].

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: Yes.