Summer 2019/Fuller Online

NT500

Fekkes

NT500: NEW TESTAMENT INTRODUCTION (4 Units: 160 hours). Jan Fekkes III, Ph.D.

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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.

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: c.1300 total number of pages of books and articles required, plus reading the entire NT.

DeSilva, David A. An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods, and Ministry Formation. 2^nd Edition. IVP Academic, 2018. ISBN: 978-0830852178, Digital ed. ISBN: 978-0830874002. Pub. Price $60.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library [c. 800 pp. assigned].

Davis, Ellen F. and Hays, Richard B. The Art of Reading Scripture. Eerdmans, 2003. ISBN: 978-0802812698. Pub. Price $36.00 Not currently available as an e-book. [c.180 pp. assigned].

Gooder, Paula. Phoebe: A Story. IVP Academic, 2018. Pub. Price $22.00. ISBN: 978-0830852451. Not currently available as an e-book. [c. 240 pp. assigned].

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

RECOMMENDED READING:

De La Torre, Miguel A. Reading the Bible from the Margins. Orbis, 2002. ISBN: 978-1570754104. Pub. Price $22.00. Available as an e-book from the Fuller Library.

Edwards, James R. Is Jesus the Only Savior? Eerdmans, 2005. ISBN: 978-0802809812. Pub. Price $18.00. Not currently available as an e-book.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

Four “units” divide up the course over the ten weeks of the quarter:

· Unit 1 (Weeks 1-3): Exploring the Gospels and Acts

· Unit 2 (Weeks 4-6): Exploring the Pauline Epistles

· Unit 3 (Weeks 7-9): Exploring Hebrews, General Epistles and Revelation

· Unit 4 (Week 10): Exploring a selected New Testament passage

100 course-points can be earned for the entire course, distributed over the following seven course assignments/assessments:

1. 1. C. 100-150 pp. of PDF and video lectures [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 3] [10 hours].
2. 2. C. 980 pp. of required reading from textbooks, and articles, besides reading the entire New Testament. Compliance with this assignment, along with Assignment 1, is measured in three 500-word reading responses (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #1, 3] [70 hours].
3. 3. Weekly group forum engagements — each in a Canvas “discussion”— on NT texts, required readings and the three assigned exercises. This assignment includes a 250-word initial post, together with at least three 200-word replies. (30%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3, 4] [20 hours; all of which serve as a DLA.]
4. 4. Three 750-word maximum solo “exercises” on specific, selected biblical texts. (15%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3, 4] [20 hours].
5. 5. A book review on Gooder, Phoebe (1200-1400 words) (15%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #3, 4] [8 hours writing]
6. 6. Interpretive Assignment: A 2500-word close-reading analysis of a selected text, incorporating consideration of scholarly discussion as well as of the effect of reading from location. (20%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #2, 3, 4, 5] [28 hours].
7. 7. Engagement with the Instructor Grade: (5%). In trying to compensate for the lack of face-to-face classroom engagement, responding to instructor questions and substantive posts will serve as a partial metric of a student’s engagement with the course.

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.