This course will study the life and the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth in the context of the cultural, political and religious situation of the first century of the common era. It will take into account evidence from the gospels, historical records, and cultural anthropology to help understand the meanings of Jesus' life and teachings. The course will raise such questions as: How did Jesus fit in with his contemporaries? What did Jesus teach? Why was Jesus crucified? What is the relationship between Jesus' teachings and the beginning of Christianity? How do history and theology work together (or in contrast) in the study of Jesus' life?
(1) To apply critical thinking skills to the reading of biblical and non-biblical texts using historical-critical methods to discover what may be known about the historical Jesus.
(2) To broaden the student's knowledge of both historical and sociological contexts of first-century Palestine and the ability to do scholarly research and exegetical study.
(3) To be able to identify how certain previous scholars have reconstructed the life of Jesus and
then articulate one’s own reconstruction with applicable relevance for today.
(4) To gain an appreciation of the interplay of historical and theological perspectives in reconstructing the life and teachings of Jesus.
American Bible Society. Synopsis of the Four Gospels. American Bible Society, 2010. (or any other synopsis of the gospels)
Aslan, Reza. Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth. Random House, 2013.
Borg, Marcus and N.T. Wright. The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions. 2nd edition. HarperOne, 2007.
Crossan, John Dominic. The Historical Jesus: The Life of a Mediterranean Peasant. HarperOne, 1993.
**Please be aware that participation during gathering days is necessary for passing this course.
Weekly Assignments (80 points) The student will be expected to complete a short assignment during most weeks of the quarter. These assignments will include online discussions, textual analyses, a reading questionnaire, a video book review and a paper proposal.
Group Project (20 points) Each student will participate in a group project what will involve a careful read of the gospel accounts of Jesus' arrest, trial, and crucifixion and construct a synthetic narrative based on that reading. This will be discussed in more detail during gathering days.
Final Paper or Essay (100 points) As a capstone for this course the student will have a chance to write either a research paper on a topic related to the historical Jesus or an essay presenting the student’s own reconstruction of the historical Jesus.
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.
| Date | Day | Details | |
| Sep 10, 2013 | Tue | Module One: Reading and Hangout | due by 05:59AM |
| Sep 14, 2013 | Sat | Module One: Discussion (first post) | due by 05:59AM |
| Sep 17, 2013 | Tue | Module Two: Reading and Hangout | due by 05:59AM |
| Sep 23, 2013 | Mon | Module Two: Reading Questionnaire | due by 05:59AM |
| Sep 24, 2013 | Tue | Module Three: Reading and Hangout | due by 05:59AM |
| Sep 28, 2013 | Sat | Module Three: Discussion (first post) | due by 05:59AM |
| Oct 01, 2013 | Tue | Module Four: Reading and Hangout | due by 05:59AM |
| Oct 07, 2013 | Mon | Module Four: Synoptic Analysis | due by 05:59AM |
| Oct 08, 2013 | Tue | Module Five: Reading | due by 05:59AM |
| Oct 15, 2013 | Tue | Module Six: Reading and Hangout | due by 05:59AM |