Content

This unit investigates the meanings attributed to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in a variety of texts from the early Christian movement. Consideration will be given to the development of Christian understandings of atonement, the nature of early claims about the resurrection of Jesus and the relationship between cross and resurrection in Pauline texts, the Gospels, and a number of non-canonical early Christian texts (including texts from Nag Hammadi and the Apostolic Fathers). The centrality of early claims about the death and resurrection of Jesus in relation to the development of Christian theology, community and ethics will be explored.

Unit code: BN9040P

Unit status: Archived (New unit)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Elective

Unit discipline: New Testament

Delivery Mode: Face to Face

Proposing College: Pilgrim Theological College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Critically analyse the main features of the understanding of the death and resurrection of Jesus in a number of early Christian texts, with reference to their overall genre, contents and purpose.

2.

Discuss the historical, sociological, literary and theological factors that contributed to the development and diversity of early Christian understandings of the death and resurrection of Jesus.

3.

Articulate, through detailed exegesis, the way that one early Christian text treats the death and resurrection of Jesus and its ecclesial, missional, or ethical implications

4.

Compare significant scholarly debates over the meaning of the death of Christ and/or the nature of the resurrection in early Christianity

5.

Develop a seminar presentation based on independent research on a topic related to the unit content.

Unit sequence

15 points in New Testament Study

Pedagogy

Lectures, tutorials, engagement with online learning materials, tasks and tutorial discussion

Indicative Bibliography

  • Bryan, Christopher. The Resurrection of the Messiah. New York: Oxford University Press, 2011.
  • Carroll, John T. and Joel B. Green, eds. The Death of Jesus in Early Christianity. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1995.
  • Crossan, John Dominic. The Cross That Spoke: The Origins of the Passion Narrative. San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1988.
  • Gorman, Michael J. The Death of the Messiah and the Birth of the New Covenant: A (Not So) New Model of the Atonement. Eugene OR: Cascade, 2014.
  • Hengel, Martin. The Cross of the Son of God: Containing the Son of God, Crucifixion, the Atonement. Translated by John Bowden. London: SCM, 1986. [n.b. these studies are also available in separate volumes].
  • den Heyer, C. J. Jesus and the Doctrine of the Atonement. Translated by John Bowden. Harrisburg: Trinity Press International, 1998.
  • Moss, Candida R. The Other Christs: Imitating Jesus in Ancient Christian Ideologies of Martyrdom. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.
  • Novakovic, Lidija. Resurrection: A Guide for the Perplexed. London: Bloomsbury T & T Clark, 2016.
  • Perkins, Pheme. Resurrection: New Testament Witness and Contemporary Reflection. New York: Doubleday, 1984.
  • Reid, Barbara E. Taking up the Cross: New Testament Interpretations through Latina and Feminist Eyes. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2007.
  • Sawicki, Marianne. Seeing the Lord: Resurrection and Early Christian Practices. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1994.
  • Wright, N. T. The Resurrection of the Son of God. Christian Origins and the Question of God 3. London: SPCK, 2003.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Essay

6000 word essay on a topic to be agreed with lecturer, including a non-assessed classroom presentation with structured feedback.

0 100.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by John Capper on 19 Oct, 2017

Unit record last updated: 2022-10-27 12:36:22 +1100