Winter 2015/Sacramento

NT500

Tedford

NT500: NEW TESTAMENT INTRODUCATION (4 Units: 160 hours). James S. Tedford.

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: Upon successful completion of 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 to 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 meets on four alternating Saturdays for 7.5-hour sessions for a total of 30 hours of classroom instruction for lecture and discussion, plus 10 hours of directed learning activities, for a total of 40 instructional hours. Class will include lecture and discussion of biblical texts and secondary literature.

REQUIRED READING: 1255 pages of books and articles required, plus reading the entire New Testament.

One of these translations of the New Testament: CEB, NRSV, or TNIV [approx. 400 pp.].

Achtemeier, Paul J., Joel B. Green, and Marianne Meye Thompson. Introducing the New Testament: Its Literature and Message. Eerdmans, 2001. ISBN: 978-0802837172. Pub. Price $44.00 [608 pp.].

González, Justo L. Santa Biblia: The Bible through Hispanic Eyes. Abingdon, 1996. ISBN: 978-0687014521, Pub. Price $18.99 [123 pp.].

Green, Joel B. Seized by Truth: Reading the Bible as Scripture. Abingdon, 2007. ISBN: 978-0687023554, Pub. Price $25.99 [185 pp.].

RECOMMENDED READING:

Brown, Raymond E. An Introduction to the New Testament. Doubleday, 1997. ISBN: 978-0300140163, Pub. Price $39.00.

Erickson, Richard J. A Beginner’s Guide to New Testament Exegesis: Taking the Fear Out of Critical Method. InterVarsity, 2005. ISBN: 978-0830827718, Pub. Price $16.00.

Harrington, Daniel J. Interpreting the New Testament: A Practical Guide. Liturgical, 1990. ISBN: 978-0814651247, Pub. Price $18.95.

Witherington, Ben. Women and the Genesis of Christianity. Cambridge University Press, 1990. ISBN: 978-0521367356, Pub. Price $43.00.

Wright, N.T. The Challenge of Jesus: Rediscovering Who Jesus Was and Is. InterVarsity, 1999. ISBN: 978-0830822003, Pub. Price $16.00.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. Completion of assigned reading (1255 pages), including the entire New Testament in the CEB, NRSV, or TNIV translation. [80 hours, including 25 hours of reading the entire NT].

2. Contributions to classroom discussions on NT texts, interpretive exercises, and required readings from the textbooks (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes # 1-4.]. [10-15 hours].

3. A book review on González, Santa Biblia (1,200-1,500 words, or 3-4 pages one-and-a-half spaced, 20%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome # 3.]. [7 hours reading; 6 hours writing].

4. Two interpretive exercises on assigned texts (1,250 words each, or about 2 pages single-spaced, 30%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome # 2.]. [12 hours preparation and writing].

5. Final research paper on an assigned NT passage (1,800 words, or 4-5 pages one-and-a-half spaced, 40%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes # 2-4.]. [12 hours reading; 10 hours writing].

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets the core requirement in the 120 MDiv Program and the core requirement for MATM, MAICS, and MACL Programs (Winter 2010).

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.