Content

This unit explores the portrayal of Jesus in modern film. By viewing representative films and film-clips in conjunction with selected readings, the course analyzes and assesses the cinematic depiction of Jesus in these films in light of the findings of modern biblical scholarship and the historical record found in the New Testament Gospels and other literature. This unit will also foster a critical awareness of how Jesus films influence viewers’ perceptions about Jesus and the early Jesus movement.

Unit code: BN3700T

Unit status: Approved (Major revision)

Points: 18.0

Unit level: Undergraduate Level 3

Unit discipline: New Testament

Proposing College: Trinity College Theological School

Show when this unit is running

Learning outcomes

1.

Critique the portrayal of Jesus in films where Jesus is the chief character in light of biblical texts

2.

Describe how various narratives (biblical and non-biblical), genres and cultures have influenced the portrayal of Jesus in film.

3.

Discuss the ways in which Jesus films influence viewers’ perceptions about Jesus and the early Jesus movement.

Unit sequence

18 points at foundational level in New Testament study, or equivalent.

Pedagogy

Viewing film, discussion, reading, analysis, lectures and tutorials.

Indicative Bibliography

  • Adams, Edward. Parallel Lives of Jesus: A Guide to the Four Gospels. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 2011.
  • Aland, Kurt, ed. Synopsis of the Four Gospels, Revised Standard Version. New York: American Bible Society, 2010.
  • Ehrman, B. The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christians Writings, 6th ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2015.
  • Powell, M. A. Fortress Introduction to the Gospels. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1998.
  • Reinhartz, Adele. Jesus of Hollywood. New York: Oxford University Press, 2007.
  • Staley, Jeffrey L. and Richard Walsh. Jesus, the Gospels, and Cinematic Imagination: A Handbook to Jesus on DVD. Atlanta: Westminster John Knox, 2007.
  • Stern, Richard C., Clayton Jefford and Guerric De Bona. Savior on the Silver Screen. New York and Mahwah: Paulist, 1999.
  • Tatum, W. Barnes. Jesus at the Movies: A Guide to the First Hundred Years. 3rd ed. Santa Rosa: Polebridge, 2012.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Essay

Essay (1500)

0 30.0
Critical Review

Critical Review (2500 words)

0 50.0
Journal

Journal (1000 words)

0 20.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 30 Sep, 2022

Unit record last updated: 2022-09-30 13:18:41 +1000