DESCRIPTION: This course constitutes an introduction to the nature, structure, and message of the New Testament Gospels in their historical, literary, and canonical contexts.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Having successfully completed this course, students should be able (1) to articulate the character of the Gospels as witnesses to Jesus Christ; (2) to demonstrate familiarity with the historical background, content, structure, and message of each of the New Testament Gospels; and (3) to demonstrate developing skill in the interpretation of the Gospels as appropriate for effective leadership in Christian communities.

RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: The New Testament Gospels are the chief witnesses for the significance of Jesus' life and ministry. A thorough knowledge of each provides the foundation for understanding Jesus and his message, for shaping and enacting Christian discipleship, as well as for the various tasks of preaching, teaching, and service in the church and world today.

COURSE FORMAT: The course, which meets weekly for a three-and-a-half-hour session, involves lectures and discussion based on readings and assignments based on the four Gospels and secondary sources.

REQUIRED READING:

Barton, Stephen C., ed. The Cambridge Companion to the Gospels. Cambridge University Press, 2006.

Stanton, Graham. The Gospels and Jesus. 2nd ed. Oxford University Press. 2002.

Theissen, Gerd. The Shadow of the Galilean: The Quest of the Historical Jesus in Narrative Form. Fortress, 1987.

Students need access to early Jewish and Christian sources; these can be found online at www.earlyjewishwritings.com and www.earlychristianwritings.com.

Achtemeier, Paul, Joel Green, and Marianne Meye Thompson. Introducing the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001.

Aland, Kurt. Synopsis of the Four Gospels, English edition. OR Synopsis of the Four Gospels, Greek-English edition. United Bible Societies, 1993.

Brown, Raymond E. An Introduction to the New Testament. Doubleday, 1997.

Ferguson, Everett. Backgrounds of Early Christianity. 3rd ed. Eerdmans, 2003.

Green, Joel B., Scot McKnight, and I. Howard Marshall, eds. Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. InterVarsity Press, 1992.

Powell, Mark Allan. Fortress Introduction to the Gospels. Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1998.

1. Regular attendance, participation, and preparation for each meeting of the course by carefully reading the assigned texts

2. Regular short (1-2 pp.) written assignments in preparation for class on a Gospel passage or course topic (30%)

3. Critical review essay (3-4 pp.) of Shadow of a Galilean (10%)

4. One research paper (8-10 pp.) on a given pericope from the Gospels (30%)

5. Final examination (in class during exam week) covering lectures and reading (30%)