How were the New Testament documents heard and interpreted by their earliest historical audiences? How should they be heard and interpreted by communities of faith today? Careful analysis of historical context--political, economic, social, military, cultural, linguistic and visual--leads to awareness of the New Testament as both contextual and living in faith communities today. Participants practise a range of exegetical methods (historical-critical, literary, socio-cultural and rhetorical) and related skills to develop their ability to hear and critically interpret the New Testament.
Unit code: BN1001S
Unit status: Approved (Major revision)
Points: 18.0
Unit level: Undergraduate Level 1
Unit discipline: New Testament
Proposing College: Stirling College
Show when this unit is running| 1. | Describe how the New Testament documents were composed, heard and interpreted. |
| 2. | Identify key characteristics of the historical worlds from which the New Testament writings emerged. |
| 3. | Describe the interpretive significance of the New Testament’s use of Old Testament traditions. |
| 4. | Apply a range of exegetical approaches and analytical tools to exegete a selected New Testament text identifying practical implications for today.. |
This is a foundational undergraduate unit, requiring no prerequisites.
A selection of lectures, seminars, exegetical workshops, class discussions, set readings, forums.
Students are expected to have a good study Bible (NRSV, NIV, NKJV).
Bailey, Kenneth E. Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels. London: SPCK, 2008.
Burge, Gary M, Lynn Cohick and Gene L Green. The New Testament in Antiquity. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009.
Cardenal, Ernesto. The Gospel in Solentiname. NY: Orbis, 2010.
DeSilva, David Arthur. An Introduction to the New Testament: Contexts, Methods & Ministry Formation. Downers Grove: IVP, 2018.
Green, Joel B, ed., Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Academic, 2013.
Green, Joel B, ed. Hearing the New Testament: Strategies for Interpretation. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2010.
Green, Joel B, and Lee Martin McDonald, eds. The World of the New Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 2013.
Patte, Daniel and Teresa Okure, eds.* Global Bible Commentary*. Nashville: Abingdon, 2004.
Powell, Mark Alan, ed. Methods for Matthew. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.
Schottroff, Luise. The Parables of Jesus. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2006.
Witherington, Ben. Matthew. Macon: Smyth & Helwys, 2006.
| Type | Description | Word count | Weight (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blog - Blog post | Blog post reflecting on lectures and set readings. |
400 | 10.0 |
| Document Study - Exegetical Workshop Paper 1 | 800 | 20.0 | |
| Document Study - Exegetical Workshop Paper 2 | 800 | 20.0 | |
| Essay - Exegetical Essay | 2000 | 50.0 |
Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Maggie Kappelhoff on 21 Sep, 2021
Unit record last updated: 2021-09-21 12:12:48 +1000