Fall 2008/Pasadena
NS501
Young

NS501: NUEVO TESTAMENTO 2: HECHOS-APOCALIPSIS [New Testament 2: Acts-Revelation]. Stephen E. Young.


DESCRIPTION: This course, taught in Spanish, introduces the study of the book of Acts, the letters of the New Testament, and the book of Revelation. Emphasis is placed on the theology of each of these documents, giving attention to what unifies them as well as to what makes each of them unique. Questions such as the authorship, occasion, genre, and structure of each document are considered insofar as they inform the interpretation of its contents. Paul's life and thought are given special attention due to his prominence in this portion of the New Testament.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students completing this course will have demonstrated (1) a fundamental knowledge of the contents of Acts, the NT letters, and Revelation; (2) an appreciation for the unity and diversity that characterizes the witness of these documents to Jesus Christ; (3) an understanding of the implications of literary genre for how one is to read and interpret these documents; (4) an acquaintance with some of the historical, cultural, religious, and other factors that shaped the growth and development of the early church, the various issues it confronted, and the impact all this had upon its theology.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: An understanding of these documents is foundational for developing a biblically informed theology that equips one for preaching and teaching, for thinking carefully and creatively about Christian faith in today's world, and for faithful Christian discipleship.

COURSE FORMAT: Lectures and discussion of the assigned primary and secondary readings; student participation is expected. The class meets twice a week for two-hour sessions.

REQUIRED READING:

Acts - Revelation in a Spanish Bible.

Brown, R. E. Introducción al Nuevo Testamento. 2 vols. Madrid: Editorial Trotta, 2002.

Thielman, Frank. Teología del Nuevo Testamento: Síntesis del canon del Nuevo Testamento. Miami: Editorial Vida, 2006.

RECOMMENDED READING:
Aune, David A. El Nuevo Testamento en su entorno literario. Bilbao: Desclée de Brouwer, 1993.

Ladd, G. E. Teología del Nuevo Testamento. Barcelona: Editorial Clie, 2002.

Meeks, Wayne A. Los primeros cristianos urbanos: El mundo social del apóstol Pablo. Salamanca: Ediciones Sígueme, 1988.

Wright, N. T. El Verdadero pensamiento de Pablo. Barcelona: Editorial Clie, 2002.

ASSIGNMENTS:
  1. Journal based on assigned reading for each class, submitted weekly (20%).

  2. Paper (8-10 pages) on an assigned topic of Pauline theology (25%).

  3. Group project on the distinctive theology of an assigned NT book, with a 5-page written component (25%).

  4. Final exam (30%).

PREREQUISITES: Spanish.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in New Testament 2 (NT2).

FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.

This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (7/08)