Intro to the New Testament

Introduction to the New Testament

This course introduces the New Testament along with its background, history, and origins. This course aims to give students the skills necessary to interpret these texts responsibly with methodologies that have proved useful for contemporary audiences. Introduction to the New Testament fulfills the breadth requirement for Sacred Texts.

Goals of the Course

• To recognize that multiple forms of Christianity emerge in the texts of the New Testament;
• To learn to carefully read and analyze ancient texts;
• To understand the texts of the New Testament in the context of other contemporaneous texts;
• To understand the larger debates that have preoccupied scholars and other readers of the New Testament. 

Degree Learning Goals: Please take some time to look over the Professional Degree Learning Goals (MDiv, MASC, MAPSC) and the Academic Degree Learning Goals (MTS, MA).

Incompletes:  If incompletes are allowed in this course, see the Master's Student Handbook for Policies and Procedures.

Pass/Fail:  Masters students wishing to take the class pass/fail should discuss this with the instructor by the second class session.

Academic Integrity and Community Covenant:  All students are expected to abide by Iliff’s statement on Academic Integrity, as published in the Masters Student Handbook, or the Joint PhD Statement on Academic Honesty, as published in the Joint PhD Student Handbook, as appropriate.  All participants in this class are expected to be familiar with Iliff’s Community Covenant.

Accommodations:  Iliff engages in a collaborative effort with students with disabilities to reasonably accommodate student needs.   Students are encouraged to contact their assigned advisor to initiate the process of requesting accommodations.  The advising center can be contacted at advising@iliff.edu or by phone at 303-765-1146. 

Writing Lab:  Grammar and organization are important for all written assignments.  Additional help is available from the Iliff Writing Lab, which is available for students of any level who need help beginning an assignment, organizing thoughts, or reviewing a final draft. 

Inclusive Language:  It is expected that all course participants will use inclusive language in speaking and writing, and will use terms that do not create barriers to classroom community. 

Books for the Course

Required

• Marc Brettler and Amy-Jill Levine (eds.), The Jewish Annotated New Testament (Oxford, 2011). ISBN: 978-0195297706. You may also want a study Bible (such as the most recent HarperCollins Study Bible, ISBN: 978-0060786847), although the latter is not required. The Jewish Annotated New Testament already contains the text of the NRSV and is quite adequate as a New Testament.
  
• Bart Ehrman, The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings (Fifth or Sixth Edition). ISBN: 978-0199757534.
• Pamela Eisenbaum, Paul Was Not A Christian (HarperOne, 2010). ISBN: 978-0061349911.
• Krister Stendahl, The Final Account: Paul’s Letter to the Romans (Fortress, 1995). ISBN: 978-0800629229.

Recommended

• Kurt Aland (ed.), Synopsis of the Four Gospels (Revised 1982; English only; American Bible Society, 2010). ISBN: 978-1585169429. This book is HIGHLY recommended. We will make substantial use of the synopsis in class, but I will also provide copies of the relevant pericopes online.
• Brian Blount et al., True to Our Native Land: An African American Commentary on the New Testament (Fortress, 2007). ISBN: 978-1585169429.
• Carol A. Newsom, Sharon H. Ringe, and Jacqueline E. Lapsley (eds.), Women’s Bible Commentary (Third Edition Revised and Updated; Westminster/John Knox, 2012). ISBN: 978-0664237073.
• L. Michael White, Scripting Jesus: The Gospels in Rewrite (HarperOne, 2010). ISBN: 0061228796.

Goals of the Course

• To recognize that multiple forms of Christianity emerge in the texts of the New Testament;
• To learn to carefully read and analyze ancient texts;
• To understand the texts of the New Testament in the context of other contemporaneous texts;
• To understand the larger debates that have preoccupied scholars and other readers of the New Testament. 

Course Outcomes

Upon successfully completing this course, students will be able to do the following:

• Identify and engage the most important concepts that have emerged from the study of the New Testament.
• Identify where significant New Testament passages reside.
• Use a synopsis. 

Course Requirements

Discussion and Participation: Students will be expected to participate in discussions in a manner that demonstrates that they have completed the reading and that they are engaging (and not merely summarizing) the material at a level suitable for graduate studies. (10%)

Biweekly Quizzes: Students will complete three 20-30 minute quizzes (at two-week intervals, beginning in week 3) that will cover important terminology, identifications, and important concepts addressed in the readings and in class. (20% each; 60% total)

Epistle Exercise: Students will compose a 500-word letter in response to the Epistle to Philemon. (10%)

Comprehensive Final Exam: Students will complete a one-hour comprehensive final exam that will cover important terminology, identifications, and important concepts addressed in the readings and in class throughout the quarter. (20%)

Degree Learning Goals: Please take some time to look over the Professional Degree Learning Goals (MDiv, MASC, MAPSC) and the Academic Degree Learning Goals (MTS, MA).

Incompletes:  If incompletes are allowed in this course, see the Master's Student Handbook for Policies and Procedures.

Pass/Fail:  Masters students wishing to take the class pass/fail should discuss this with the instructor by the second class session.

Academic Integrity and Community Covenant:  All students are expected to abide by Iliff’s statement on Academic Integrity, as published in the Masters Student Handbook, or the Joint PhD Statement on Academic Honesty, as published in the Joint PhD Student Handbook, as appropriate.  All participants in this class are expected to be familiar with Iliff’s Community Covenant.

Accommodations:  Iliff engages in a collaborative effort with students with disabilities to reasonably accommodate student needs.   Students are encouraged to contact their assigned advisor to initiate the process of requesting accommodations.  The advising center can be contacted at advising@iliff.edu or by phone at 303-765-1146. 

Writing Lab:  Grammar and organization are important for all written assignments.  Additional help is available from the Iliff Writing Lab, which is available for students of any level who need help beginning an assignment, organizing thoughts, or reviewing a final draft. 

Inclusive Language:  It is expected that all course participants will use inclusive language in speaking and writing, and will use terms that do not create barriers to classroom community.