Winter 2009/Pasadena
NS509
Thompson
NS509: LIFE OF JESUS. Marianne Meye Thompson.
DESCRIPTION: This course focuses on the historical and theological
significance of key aspects of Jesus' life and ministry for the life and faith
of the church.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: Having successfully completed the requirements for this
course, students should be able
- to describe the witness of the Gospels to the significance of key events in
the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth;
- to articulate various issues in and ways of relating the ministry of Jesus
to the developing faith of the early church;
- to demonstrate the relationship between exegesis of Gospel texts and
theological reflection on those texts and their place in NT Theology;
- to reflect critically on recent interpretations of Jesus and his
mission.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: Jesus' mission, message, and identity are foundational
to understanding the Gospels, the ministry of the Church, the identity and
character of God, and God's mission in the world. Successful completion of the
course should equip the student to preach and teach from the Gospels with
greater sensitivity and skill, to understand Jesus more fully, and to interpret
the quest for Jesus to the church today.
COURSE FORMAT: Lecture and discussion of the Gospels and reading. The course
will meet twice weekly for two-hour sessions.
REQUIRED READING:
- Aland, Kurt, ed. Synopsis of the Four Gospels.
Greek-English, 7th ed., United Bible Societies, 1984.
- Borg, Marcus J., and N. T. Wright. The Meaning of Jesus: Two
Visions. HarperSanFrancisco, 1999.
- Levine, Amy-Jill. The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of
the Jewish Jesus. HarperOne, 2006.
- McClymond, Michael J. Familiar Stranger: An Introduction to Jesus of
Nazareth. Eerdmans, 2004.
- Thompson, Marianne Meye. "What Are You Looking For? Mapping the Quest of
the Historical Jesus" and "Why Do You Seek the Living among the Dead? Finding
the Way to Jesus." (available on line).
RECOMMENDED READING:
- Green, Joel B., Scot McKnight, and I. Howard Marshall, eds.
Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. InterVarsity Press, 1991.
ASSIGNMENTS:
- Written assignments on the Gospels (40% of the grade)
- A book review of Amy-Jill Levine, The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and
the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus (25% of the grade)
- Final essay examination (35% of the grade)
PREREQUISITES: NS500 New Testament 1.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in New Testament
Theology (NTT).
FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.
This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. (10/08)