Fall 2014/Pasadena

NE506

Givens

NE506: NEW TESTAMENT EXEGESIS: ROMANS (GREEK TEXT) (4 Units: 178 hours). Tommy Givens.

DESCRIPTION: A close reading of selected passages of the Greek text of the Epistle to the Romans, with lecture and discussion on the broad themes and crucial turns of the letter’s argument, the social setting of the letter, and the theological concerns that occasion and characterize the letter.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Having successfully completed this course, students will have demonstrated (1) studied, theologically sensitive reading of the Greek text of Romans according to literary (including intertextual), grammatical, text-critical, and sociohistorical criteria; (2) an understanding of key issues in the critical study of Romans, including “the parting of the ways” and current political readings of Romans; and (3) critical reflection on the living witness of Romans for the Christian life today.

COURSE FORMAT: This class meets twice weekly for two hour sessions for a total of 40 instructional hours in the classroom for lecture and discussion.

REQUIRED READING: 1,000 pp. required [500 pp. NT and commentaries, 500 pp. course packet]

Choose ONE of the following: Aland, K., et al. The Greek New Testament. 4th rev. ed. United Bible Societies, 2011 (UBS4). ISBN: 978-1598567205, Pub. Price $49.95 [1144 pp.] OR Aland, K., et al. The Greek New Testament. 5th rev. ed. United Bible Societies, 2014 (UBS5). ISBN: 978-1619701380, Pub. Price $59.95 [974 pp.] ORNestle, E. & K. Aland. Novum Testamentum Graece. 28th ed. Deutsche Bibelstiftung, 2012 (NA28). ISBN: 978-3438051400, Pub. Price $45.99 [890 pp.].

Choose ONE of the following: Dunn, James D. G. Romans, 2 vols. Word, 1988. ISBN: 978-0849902529, Pub. Price $49.99 and $49.99 [972 pp.]. OR Jewett, Robert. Romans: A Commentary. Fortress Press, 2006. ISBN: 978-0800660840, Pub. Price $90.00 [1140 pp.]

Choose ONE of the following: Barth, Karl. The Epistle to the Romans. 6th ed. Oxford, 1968. ISBN: 978-0195002942, Pub. Price $19.95 [576 pp.]. OR Grieb, A. Katherine. The Story of Romans: A Narrative Defense of God’s Righteousness. Westminster John Knox Press, 2002. ISBN: 978-0664225254, Pub. Price $30.00 [192 pp.]; OR Johnson, Luke Timothy. Reading Romans: A Literary and Theological Commentary. Smyth & Helwys, 2013. ISBN: 978-1573122764, Pub. Price $23.00 [260 pp.].

Course Packet: Includes articles/chapters by (among others) Agamben, Elliot, Kirk, Stendahl, Stowers, Tamez, Thimmes [500 pp.].

Also see “Linguistic and Exegetical Books Required in the Master of Divinity Programs” available at http://schedule.fuller.edu/sot/ecds/Ling-Exeg-Biblio.html.

RECOMMENDED READING:

Nanos, Mark. The Mystery of Romans. Fortress, 1996. ISBN: 978-0800629373, Pub. Price $30.00.

Stowers, Stanley. A Rereading of Romans: Justice, Jews, and Gentiles. Yale, 1997. ISBN: 978-0300070682, Pub. Price $39.00.

Wright, N. T. Romans in The New Interpreter’s Bible: Acts-First Corinthians. Abingdon, 2002. ISBN: 978-0687278237, Pub. Price $74.00.

ASSIGNMENTS & ASSESSMENT: 

1. 1,000 pp. of logged, required reading (500 pp. NT and commentaries; 500 pp. course packet) [67 hours].

2. Preparation for each course meeting by studying the Greek text of assigned passages, considering the exegetical judgments of two required texts above (one from group 2, the other from group 3) and any assigned articles, answering study questions, and/or completing a translation with comments to be submitted (ca. 800 words each) (30%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes # 1 and 2] [34 hours].

3. One exegetical working paper on a selected passage (1,500-2,500 words each) (30%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, and 3] [12 hours].

4. A final exegetical research paper on one of several suggested passages in Romans (ca. 3,000 words) (40%) [This assignment is related to learning outcomes # 1, 2, and 3] [25 hours].

PREREQUISITES: NE502 and NS501.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets the Biblical Language Text Exegesis requirement in the 120 MDiv program. Meets the NTE requirement in the 144 MDiv Program and MA program requirement for New Testament book study (NTBK).

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.