Spring 2013/Pasadena

NS500

Givens

NS500: EL NUEVO TESTAMENTO 1: LOS EVANGELIOS Y LOS HECHOS DE LOS APÓSTOLES [New Testament 1: Gospel and Acts]. Tommy Givens.

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

SIGNIFICANCE FOR LIFE AND MINISTRY: The Gospels and Acts are our primary witnesses to the life and ministry of Jesus and the Spirit by which he began to lead the church after his resurrection. 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 will have demonstrated that they (1) can articulate the character of the Gospels and Acts as witnesses to Jesus Christ for the life and mission of his church; (2) are familiar with the historical background, content, structure, and message of each of the Gospels and Acts; and (3) have skill in the interpretation of the Gospels and Acts as appropriate for effective leadership in Christian communities.

COURSE FORMAT: We will meet twice weekly for two-hour sessions of lecture and discussion and make use of Moodle for work submission.

REQUIRED READING:

La Biblia.

Theissen, Gerd. La Sombra del Galileo: Un relato desde las investigaciones históricas sobre Jesús de Nazarét. Trans. Constantino Ruiz-Garrido. Ediciones Sígueme, 2011. ISBN: 978-8430110612, Pub.price $18.00 [224 pp.].

Weren, W. Métodos de exégesis de los Evangelios. Trans. X. Pikaza. Instrumentos para el Estudio de la Biblia 12. Verbo Divino, 2003. ISBN: 9788481695311. Pub.price 30,29€ ($39.25).

Course packet: Includes articles/chapters by Jacir de Freitas Faria, Daniel Groody, Mercedes Lopes, René Krüger, Paulo Lockmann, Sandra Nancy Mansilla, María Antonia Marques, Nestor Míguez, José Cárdenas Pallares, Hermes Tonini, Franklyn Pimentel-Torres, Dagoberto Ramírez F., María Engracia Robles Robles, Elisabeth Schussler-Fiorenza, Elsa Tamez, Gonzalo M. de la Torre Guerrero, María Cristina Ventura Campusano, and others.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Green, Joel B., and Scot McKnight, eds. Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. InterVarsity Press, 1992. ISBN: 978-0830817771, Pub.price $60.00 [959 pp.].

Wright, N. T. Jesus and the Victory of God. Fortress Press, 1996. ISBN: 978-0800626822. Pub.price $45.00 [741 pp.].

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

  1. Exegetical outline of three Gospels and Acts (750-1000 words each, worth total of 40%)
  2. One exegetical working paper (1500-2500 words; 20%)
  3. One book review of Theissen’s La Sombra del Galileo (1000-1500 words, 10%).
  4. Final exam assessing students’ familiarity with the Gospels and Acts and understanding of central course issues (e.g., genre of Gospel and Acts narratives, the relation of Jesus and the church to the biblical hope of Israel) (30%)

PREREQUISITES: Spanish.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv core requirement in New Testament 1 (NT1); meets MAT (2010) program requirement.

FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.


NOTE: This ECD is a reliable guide to the course design but is subject to modification. Textbook prices are set by publishers and are subject to change.