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

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: The four Gospels of the New Testament are our primary witnesses to the life and ministry of Jesus. A thorough knowledge of their contexts is crucial for understanding Jesus and his message, for shaping Christian discipleship, as well as for the various tasks of preaching and teaching in the church today.

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

COURSE FORMAT: The course, which consists of lectures and discussion, will meet twice weekly for two-hour sessions.

REQUIRED READING:

The Bible in the NRSV or TNIV.

Aland, Kurt. Synopsis of the Four Gospels. Greek-English, 13th ed. United Bible Societies, 2006. ISBN: 1598561774. $129.95. OR the same synopsis in English only. ISBN: 1585169420. $49.99.

Barton, Stephen C., ed. The Cambridge Companion to the Gospels. Cambridge University Press, 2006. ISBN: 0521002613. $30.99.

Stanton, Graham. The Gospels and Jesus. 2nd ed. Oxford University Press. 2002. ISBN: 0199246165. $34.99.

Theissen, Gerd. The Shadow of the Galilean: The Quest for the Historical Jesus in Narrative Form. 2d ed. Fortress, 2007. ISBN: 9780800639006. $22.00.

Course packet: Includes Gospel texts and articles/chapters by Frances Taylor Gench, Amy Jill Levine, Teresa Okure, Elsa Tamez, Marianne Meye Thompson, N. T. Wright, and others.

Achtemeier, P., J. Green, and M. Meye Thompson. Introducing the New Testament: Its Literature and Theology. Eerdmans, 2001. ISBN: 0802837174. $40.00.

Ferguson, Everett. Backgrounds of Early Christianity. 3rd ed. Eerdmans, 2003. ISBN: 0802822215. $38.00.

Green, Joel B., Scot McKnight, and I. Howard Marshall, eds. Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. InterVarsity Press, 1992. ISBN: 0830817778. $60.00.

Wright, N. T. Jesus and the Victory of God. Fortress Press, 1996. ISBN: 0800626826. $41.00.

1. Two exegetical working papers (ca. 1500-2500 words each; the first worth 20%, the second 25%)

2. One book review of The Shadow of the Galilean, in which students will consider the contribution of the study of historical context to the reading of the Gospels (ca. 1000 words; 10%)

3. Exegetical outline of each Gospel (ca. 500-750 words each, worth total of 20%)

4. Final exam assessing students' familiarity with the Gospels (e.g., text ID) and understanding of central course issues (e.g., Gospel genre, Synoptic Problem) (in class during exam week) (25%)