Spring 2008/Pasadena
ST833A/533
Brown
ST833A/B/ST533: THE POLITICS OF JESUS. Colin Brown.
DESCRIPTION: This is a CATS doctoral seminar (for which students at the 800
level will register Spring and Summer, ST833A and ST833B), open to a limited
number of master's level students (ST533). The seminar will investigate the
politics of Jesus in the context of social, economic, political, and religious
life in Second Temple Judaism under the Romans. Attention will be paid to
primary sources including the Gospels, Josephus, and the Dead Sea Scrolls, in
the light of contemporary research.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: By the end of the course students should have (1) a good
grasp of primary (including Josephus) and secondary literature, (2) insight
into the religious & political world of Jesus, (3) growing skills in
pursuing historical Jesus studies, and (4) a deeper appreciation of Jesus'
teaching & actions.
COURSE FORMAT: The seminar will meet once a week for three hours. Each session
will be devoted to a topic designated in the seminar outline. Additional
material will be made available to registered students on the Fuller
Pipeline.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCE MATERIAL:
- Bockmuehl, Marcus, ed., The Cambridge Companion to Jesus.
Cambridge University Press, 2001.
- Bammel, Ernst, and C. F. D. Moule, eds. Jesus and the Politics of His
Day. Cambridge University Press, 1984 (and paperback reprints).
- Böttrich, Christfried, et al., eds. Josephus und das Neue
Testament. WUNT 209. Mohr-Siebeck, 2007.
- Bryan, Christopher. Render to Caesar: Jesus, The Early Church, and the
Roman Superpower. Oxford University Press, 2005.
- Crossan, John Dominic. God and Empire: Jesus Against Rome, Then and Now.
HarperSanFrancisco, 2007.
- Hengel, Martin. The Charismatic Leader and his Followers. Crossroad,
1981.
- Hendricks, Obery M., Jr. The Politics of Jesus: Rediscovering the True
Revolutionary Nature of Jesus' Teachings and How They Have Been Corrupted.
Doubleday, 2006.
- __________. The Zealots: Investigation into the Jewish Freedom Movement
in the Period from Herod I until 70 A.D. T. & T. Clark, 1989.
- Horbury, William, W. D. Davies, and John Sturdy, eds. The Cambridge
History of Judaism. Vol. 1. Cambridge University Press, 1999.
- Horsley, Richard A. Jesus and the Spiral of Violence: Popular Jewish
Resistance in Roman Palestine. Harper & Row, 1987.
- Horsley, Richard A., and John D. Hanson. Bandits, Prophets, and
Messiahs: Popular Movements in the Time of Jesus. Winston Press, 1985.
- Meier, John P. A Marginal Jew, 3: Companions and Competitors.
Doubleday, 2001.
- Mendels, Doron. The Rise and Fall of Jewish Nationalism. New York:
Doubleday, 1992.
- __________. "Jesus and the Politics of his Day." 98-112 in J.H.
Charlesworth and W. P. Weaver, eds., Images of Jesus Today. Trinity
Press International, 1994.
- Stegemann, Wolfgang, et al., eds. The Social Setting of Jesus and the
Gospels. Fortress, 2001.
- Theissen, Gerd, and Annette Merz. The Historical Jesus: A Comprehensive
Guide. Fortress, 1998.
- Yoder, John Howard. The Politics of Jesus. Eerdmans, [1972] 1994.
- Wright, N. T. Christian Origins and the Question of God. Vols. 1-2.
Fortress, 1992, 1994.
ASSIGNMENTS: All members of the seminar must study the designated readings
prior to the class. Attendance is required at all sessions. Each member will
make one or more oral presentations to the seminar and write a research paper
on an approved topic. At the 800 level, the course plan presented at the
beginning of the seminar will specify the work on which students enrolled will
be graded each quarter.
PREREQUISITES: ST502, LG512, NS500, and students must receive Dr. Brown's
permission in order to register for the seminar.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Elective.
FINAL EXAMINATION: None.
This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (1/08)