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

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: A comprehensive knowledge of the content and theology of the New Testament is essential for Christians who seek to share the gospel in today's changing world. Students will gain insight into the radical message of the New Testament in its first-century context and interpret this same message to challenge and inspire Christian communities today.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Having successfully completed this course, students will have demonstrated that they: (1) are familiar with the historical background, genre, content, structure, and message of the writings from Acts through Revelation; (2) have skill in the interpretation of these writings as appropriate for effective leadership in various contexts; and (3) can articulate the character of the Acts of the Apostles, the NT letters, and the Apocalypse of John as witnesses to the significance of Jesus Christ for the life and mission of his church.

COURSE FORMAT: The class meets every day for four-hour sessions (1-4:50pm; Mon-Fri) during two weeks of instruction (June 20-July 1, 2011). Class consists of lecture plus discussion of readings.

REQUIRED READING:

NRSV or TNIV Bible (any version) and/or the Greek New Testament (USB⁴ or NA²⁷).

Brown, Raymond. An Introduction to the New Testament. The Anchor Yale Bible Reference Library. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1997. ISBN: 0-300-14016-9, $60.00.

Dunn, James D. G., ed. The Cambridge Companion to St. Paul. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003. ISBN: 0-521-78694-0, $95.00.

Elliott, Neil, and Mark Reasoner, eds. Documents and Images for the Study of Paul. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2010. ISBN: 978-0-8006-6375-9, $35.00.

Longenecker, Bruce W. The Lost Letters of Pergamum. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2003. ISBN: 0-8010-2607-5, $17.99.

1. A short interpretative paper (800-1000 words) focusing on how the cultural, socio-economic, political, and/or religious context of the biblical author and first-century A.D. readers can help illuminate the text's message (200pts; 33% of grade)

2. Two quizzes on the reading assignments focusing on historical-critical issues (2 X 50 = 100pts; 17% of grade)

3. Final exam (300pts; 50% of grade). This final will be taken online through Moodle for a two-hour period any time between July 18 and 22, 2011. The student can decide which day to take the final but must complete the final before 11:59pm Friday July 22 and cannot take the exam sooner than 8am Monday July 18.