Exploring the New Testament with Mark’s Gospel (BN8001C)

Postgraduate, 24.0 points

Content

This unit introduces students to the study of the New Testament through a detailed investigation of one of its books, the Gospel of Mark. Students examine this Gospel’s structure, genre, themes, and socio-historical context, and thereby develop foundational skills and knowledge for interpreting Mark’s Gospel and other New Testament books. The unit also provides an introduction to broader issues in New Testament study: how early Christians shared the good news of Jesus, both orally and by writing the books that were collected as the New Testament; the names and types of the books of the New Testament; features of some New Testament books beyond the Gospel of Mark; and how the Catholic Church understands the inspiration and canonicity of the New Testament today.

Unit code: BN8001C

Unit status: Approved (Major revision)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Foundational

Unit discipline: New Testament

Proposing College: Catholic Theological College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Discuss the structure, genre, themes, and socio-historical context of the Gospel of Mark.
2.

Critically interpret a passage from the Gospel of Mark, using appropriate methods and resources, and develop insights for the life of the church today.
3.

Summarise the types of books within the New Testament and provide an account of their features and historical development.
4.

Describe how the Bible, particularly the New Testament, is regarded from a Catholic perspective.
5.

Evaluate ideas in New Testament scholarship.

Pedagogy

Lectures, readings, analysis of biblical texts, online exercises, and discussions.

Indicative Bibliography

  • Anderson, Janice Capel, and Stephen D. Moore, eds. Mark and Method: New Approaches in Biblical Studies. 2nd ed. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2008.
  • Byrne, Brendan. A Costly Freedom: A Theological Reading of Mark’s Gospel. Strathfield: St Pauls, 2008. Also published: Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2008.
  • Donahue, John R., and Daniel J. Harrington. The Gospel of Mark. Sacra Pagina 2. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2002.
  • Harrington, Daniel J. How Do Catholics Read the Bible? Come and See Series. Lanham: Sheed & Ward (Rowman & Littlefield), 2005.
  • Malbon, Elizabeth Struthers. Hearing Mark: A Listener’s Guide. Harrisburg: Trinity, 2002.
  • Moloney, Francis J. The Gospel of Mark: A Commentary. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2002.
  • Perkins, Pheme. Reading the New Testament: An Introduction. 3rd ed. New York: Paulist, 2012.
  • Powell, Mark Allan. Introducing the New Testament: A Historical, Literary, and Theological Survey. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2018.
  • Rhoads, David, Joanna Dewey, and Donald Michie. Mark as Story: An Introduction to the Narrative of a Gospel. 3rd ed. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2012.
  • Telford, W. R. The Theology of the Gospel of Mark. New Testament Theology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Short Answer Responses

Online responses of about 50 words in each teaching week of semester except the first and last week.

 500 10.0
Report 1000 15.0
Exegetical Essay 2500 35.0
Essay 2500 40.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 26 Jun, 2024

Unit record last updated: 2024-06-26 14:16:40 +1000