Winter 2018/Pasadena

NT866/566

Downs

NT866/566: CRITICAL ISSUES IN THE STUDY OF PAUL (6/4 Units: 380/160 Hours). David J. Downs.

DESCRIPTION: This is a 6-unit seminar for doctoral students, also offered at the 500-level as a 4-unit course open to a limited number of master’s level students. This seminar offers an examination of selected topics in current study of the Pauline epistles, including literary, historical, and theological issues. Topics include the nature of Pauline theology; the socio-economic context of the Pauline mission; Paul and the law; Paul and the Gentiles; Paul, ethnicity, and race; Paul and Scripture; Paul as apocalyptic theologian; and Paul and empire.

LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students completing this course will have demonstrated (1) familiarity with a range of recent critical approaches to the Pauline Epistles; (2) skill in the interpretation of the Greek text of the Pauline Epistles; (3) an ability to engage in thoughtful and generous criticism of recent research in the field of Pauline studies; and (4) the capacity to produce sound research reflecting critical abilities.

COURSE FORMAT: This seminar meets once per week for three hour sessions for a total of 30 hours of classroom instruction for lecture and discussion plus 10 hours of directed learning activities for a total of 40 instructional hours. Class time will include presentations on and discussion of selected topics in current study of the Pauline epistles.

REQUIRED READING: For doctoral students: 2500 total number of pages required. For Master’s-level students: approximately 1100 pages from the following:

Course Reader. [300 pp. assigned].

Barclay, John M. G. Paul & the Gift. Eerdmans, 2015. ISBN: 978-0802868893, Pub. Price $70.00. [570 pp. assigned].

Bates, Matthew W. The Hermeneutics of Apostolic Proclamation: The Center of Paul’s Method of Scriptural Interpretation. Baylor University Press, 2012. ISBN: 978-1602583283, Pub. Price $49.95. [355 pp. assigned].

Johnson Hodge, Caroline. If Sons, Then Heirs: A Study of Kinship and Ethnicity in the Letters of Paul. Oxford University Press, 2007. ISBN: 978-0195182163, Pub. Price $78.00 [148 pp. assigned].

Longenecker, Bruce W. Remember the Poor: Paul, Poverty, and the Greco-Roman World. Eerdmans, 2010. ISBN: 978-0802863737, Pub. Price $25.00 [300 pp. assigned].

Longenecker, Bruce W., ed. Narrative Dynamics in Paul: A Critical Assessment. Westminster John Knox, 2002. ISBN: 978-0664222772, Pub. Price $32.00 [150 pp. assigned].

Lopez, Davina C. Apostle to the Conquered: Reimagining Paul’s Mission. Paul in Critical Contexts. Fortress, 2010. ISBN: 978-0800697693, Pub. Price $22.00 [173 pp. assigned].

Novenson, Matthew V. Christ among the Messiahs: Christ Language in Paul and Messiah Language in Ancient Judaism. Oxford University Press, 2015. ISBN: 978-0190274092, Pub. Price $35.00. [175 pp. assigned].

Sechrest, Love. A Former Jew: Paul and the Dialectics of Race. Library of New Testament Studies 410. Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2010. ISBN: 978-0567462749, Pub. Price $140.00 [250 pp. assigned].

Westerholm, Stephen. Justification Reconsidered: Rethinking a Pauline Theme. Eerdmans, 2013. ISBN: 978-0802869616, Pub. Price $15.00. [99 pp. assigned].

RECOMMENDED READING: See the course syllabus.

ASSIGNMENTS AND ASSESSMENT:

1. Attendance at and participation in all seminar meetings. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1-4]. [33 hours for 800-level students; 30 hours for 500-level students].

2. Translation preparation (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #2]. [for 800-level students: 9 texts, 5 hours each, 45 hours; for 500-level students: 9 texts, 1 hour each, 9 hours].

3. Translation consultant (5%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #2]. [for 800-level students: 5 hours; for 500-level students: 5 hours].

4. Exegetical assignments (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1 and 2]. [for 800-level students: 5 texts, 5 hours each, 25 hours; for 500-level students: 1 text, 5 hours].

5. Discussion assignments (15%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1 and 3]. [for 800-level students: 4 texts, 3 hours each, 12 hours; for 500-level students: 2 texts, 2 hours each, 4 hours].

6. Seminar presentation (10%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #3 and 4]. [for 800-level students: 15 hours; for 500-level students: 5 hours].

7. Critical response (5%). [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #3 and 4]. [for 800-level students: 10 hours].

8. Assigned reading. [This assignment is related to learning outcomes #1, 2, 3, and 4]. [for 800-level students: 2500 pages at 15 pages/hour, 165 hours; for 500-level students: 1100 pages at 15 pages/hour, 72 hours].

9. Research paper (ca. 7500 words for 800-level students; 3000 words for 500-level students. (40%). [This assignment is related to learning outcome #4]. [for 800-level students: 70 hours; for 500-level students: 30 hours].

PREREQUISITES: Admission into the ThM or PhD program; at master’s level: permission of the professor.

RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Fulfills one New Testament Literature requirement (Pauline Literature) for PhD students with a Major Concentration in New Testament. One of two courses fulfilling a course requirement for PhD students with a minor in New Testament and for ThM students. Elective for master’s-level students.

FINAL EXAMINATION: None.