DESCRIPTION:

This course is a general introduction to the New Testament texts from Acts through Revelation with major emphasis given to the letters of Paul and Pauline studies. Attention is given to the first century contexts (Judaism; Greco-Roman society; early church) of the documents, to the methodological issues of interpretation, and to the use of these texts in the church today.

An understanding of the letters of Paul, the other New Testament "letters," Acts, and Revelation is essential for Christian teaching and preaching. This literature provides a foundation for a biblical theology which is essential to Christian thought and obedient life. This literature also provides an opportunity for various types of hermeneutical reflection on its meaning for the church and its life today.

This is an Individualized Distance Learning [IDL] course. The course materials consist of a video tape introduction, twenty audio cassette tapes of the course lectures and a course notebook (185 pages). The student has six months (twelve months for those living outside of the USA) to complete the course, through listening to the tapes, working through the course notebook, completing the required readings and submitting the four written assignments.

Aune, D. E. The New Testament in Its Literary Environment. (Library of Early Christianity.) Philadelphia: Westminster, 1987.

Banks, R. Paul's Idea of Community. Rev. ed. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994.

Barrett, C. K. Paul: An Introduction to His Thought. Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 1994.

Meeks, W. A. The First Urban Christians: The Social World of the Apostle Paul. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1983.

Murphy-O'Connor, J. Paul the Letter-Writer: His World, His Options, His Skills. (Good News Studies 41.) Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 1995.

The following articles in the Anchor Bible Dictionary (ed. D. N. Freedman; 6 vols.; New York: Doubleday, 1992) are also required reading: "Hebrews, Epistle to the": "James, Epistle of"; "John, Epistles of"; "Jude, Epistle of"; "Luke"; "Luke-Acts, Book of"; "Peter, First Epistle of"; "Peter, Second Epistle of"; and "Revelation, Book of."

Ferguson, E. Backgrounds of Early Christianity. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans, 1993.

Kümmel, W. G. Introduction to the New Testament. 17th ed. Trans. H. C. Kee. Nashville/New York: Abingdon, 1975.

Reumann, J. Variety and Unity in New Testament Thought. (Oxford Bible Series.) Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press, 1991.

1. Preparation of a brief essay (4-5 pages) on the theology of either Hebrews or Revelation.

2. Preparation of a detailed structural outline (2-4 pages) of either 1 John or James.

3. Take an objective content examination, covering 50 significant quotations from Acts-Revelation.

4. Preparation of a paper (10-12 pages) on Paul and his letters.

None.

Meets M. Div. core requirement in New Testament 2 (NT2).

None.