Spring 2014/Houston

NE567

Davis

NE567: THE GOSPEL OF JOHN (4 Units). Jim Davis.

DESCRIPTION: This course is entirely devoted to an extended investigation of the Gospel according to John. Special attention will be paid to the historical and sociological background of John, its literary genre, structure, and style and the theology and themes that emerge from the narrative.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students successfully completing NE567 will be able to do the following: (1) Know the contents of the Gospel of John; (2) Interpret the meaning of John through reading and critical interaction using historical, literary, sociological, rhetorical and canonical critical methods; (3) Read John theologically and understand its theological thrusts; (4) See clearly the nature of the Gospel of John as both human word and Holy Scripture; (5) Read John as formative for Christian character and discipleship.

COURSE FORMAT: The class meets on four weekends, for a total of 30 contact hours. Through lectures, large and small group discussions, video presentations, student work, outside reading, and research, students will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in both the medium and the message of the Gospel according to John.

REQUIRED READING:

The Gospel of John (three times: one each in the NRSV, CEB and TNIV translations).

Bruner, Frederick Dale. The Gospel of John: A Commentary. Eerdmans, 2012. ISBN: 978-0802866356, Pub. Price $75.00 [1311 pp.].

Burge, Gary M. Interpreting the Gospel of John: A Practical Guide. 2nd ed. Baker Academic, 2013, ISBN: 978-0801048845, Pub. Price $21.99 [240 pp.].

Thompson, Marianne Meye. The God of the Gospel of John. Eerdmans, 2001. ISBN: 978-0802847348, Pub. Price $26.00 [279 pp.].

RECOMMENDED READING:

Blomberg, Craig L. The Historical Reliability of John’s Gospel. InterVarsity Press, 2011. ISBN: 978-0830838714, Pub. Price $24.00 [346 pp.].

Smith, D. Moody. John among the Gospels. University of South Carolina Press, 2001. ISBN: 978-1570034466, Pub. Price $19.95 [256 pp.].

Witherington, Ben III. John’s Wisdom. Westminster John Knox, 1995. ISBN: 978-0664256210, Pub. Price $50.00 [424 pp.].

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. Reading from course texts and the completion of a reading journal (30%).

2. Two short interpretive papers on texts from the Gospel of (40%).

3. A Final Examination (30%).

PREREQUISITES: None.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MA program requirements for New Testament book study (NTBK).

FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.