This unit sets Paul's letter to the Galatians in dialogue with the letter of James, examining whether these two voices represent a genuine theological conflict or a complementary diversity within earliest Christianity. These two texts address some of the most contested theological fault lines of the early Christian movement: to what extent are Christ-followers bound by the obligations of Torah and covenant? How do faith and law relate? The unit traces how early believers navigated competing allegiances — to Torah, to tradition, and to a new community formed around the risen Christ — and the significance of those ancient debates for contemporary constructions of Christian identity.
Unit code: BN3200P
Unit status: Approved (Major revision)
Points: 18.0
Unit level: Undergraduate Level 3
Unit discipline: New Testament
Proposing College: Pilgrim Theological College
Show when this unit is running| 1. | demonstrate an awareness of the dating, authorship, social setting, key themes, and literary genres of Galatians and James |
| 2. | critically interpret passages from Galatians and James in conversation with secondary scholarship and with an awareness of the hermeneutical principals involved |
| 3. | articulate the complexities of identity and inclusion relating to Jews and Gentiles in first century Christianity |
| 4. | identify and evaluate the arguments relating to law and grace in Galatians and James and implications for the contemporary church |
Prerequisites: an Introductory unit (18 points, or equivalent) in New Testament studies
Lectures, seminars, discussion groups.
| Type | Description | Word count | Weight (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forum - Discussion forum | 1000 words across 6 discussion forums |
1000 | 20.0 |
| Essay - Exegetical essay | 2000 | 40.0 | |
| Essay - Thematic essay | 2000 | 40.0 |
Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 25 Jun, 2026
Unit record last updated: 2026-06-25 09:26:48 +1000