Winter 2006/Pasadena
NS562
Bartchy
NS562: THE RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY.
S.
Scott Bartchy.
DESCRIPTION: NS562 leads students into the exceedingly rich and complex
religious and cultural worlds in which the Christian movement was born and
defined. Within a constant stress on the context of the prevailing cultural
values and social codes, the readings and lectures stimulate analysis of the
diverse religious practices and systems of thought to determine the extent to
which they functioned as barriers or bridges in the early Christians'
encounters with the people among whom they lived and evangelized in the Roman
Empire. Major theological themes of the New Testament are examined in this
context, with a focus on the characteristics and concerns of God as revealed by
Jesus of Nazareth.
COURSE OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES. Students who complete this course will
have become acutely aware of how the differences between the achievement/guilt
values of the so-called western world and the honor/shame values of the
first-century Mediterranean world influence their interpretations of the New
Testament. They will have analyzed the inner logic and justification of the
various understandings of divine power and purpose, of the human predicament,
and of salvation that prevailed among the dominant cultures: Judean, Greek, and
Roman. They will then be able to employ this awareness and these insights to
see more clearly the cutting edges of the Gospel's challenge to the
expectations of these ancient cultures and of their own culture. This knowledge
may lead students to a profound reevaluation of their own leadership practices
as well as of their interpretation of the New Testament in their ministries.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: Students will be challenged to reflect on the
interactions between the Gospel and culture not only in the first century but
also in their present experience as leaders, teachers, preachers, and
evangelists.
COURSE FORMAT: The course meets weekly for three hours of lectures &
occasional small-group discussions.
REQUIRED READING:
- Barrett, C. K. The New Testament Background: Selected
Documents. Rev. ed. Harper & Row, 1989.
- Ferguson, E. Backgrounds of Early Christianity. 3rd ed. Eerdmans,
2003.
- Klauck, H.-J. The Religious Context of Early Christianity: A Guide to
Graeco-Roman Religions. Fortress, 2003.
- deSilva, D. A. Honor, Patronage, Kinship, and Purity: Unlocking New
Testament Culture. InterVarsity Press, 2000.
RECOMMENDED READING:
- Burkert, W. Ancient Mystery Cults. Harvard University Press,
1987; repr. 2005.
- Klauck, H.-J. Magic and Paganism in Early Christianity. Fortress,
2003.
- Malina, B. J. The New Testament World: Insights from Cultural
Anthropology. 3rd & expanded ed. Westminster John Knox, 2001.
- Malina, B. J. and R. L. Rohrbaugh. Social Science Commentary on the
Synoptic Gospels. Rev. ed. and Social Science Commentary on the Gospel
of John. Fortress, 2003, 1998.
- Turcan, Robert. Cults of the Roman Empire. Blackwell, 1996.
ASSIGNMENTS: (1) Regular attendance at the lectures is expected, as is careful
and critical reading of all the assigned primary and secondary literature.
Note: the lectures presuppose the timely completion of the reading assignments
and supplement this information, not review it. (2) A research paper: 12-15
pages on a topic to be approved by the professor (40% of grade). (3)
Examinations: one-hour midterm (stressing identifications and definitions; 10%
of grade) and two-and-one-half-hour final (all essays, stressing analysis and
comparative synthesis of major concepts; 50% of grade).
PREREQUISITES: NS500 or NS501.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in New Testament
Theology (NTT).
FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.