Content

Building on skills in historical-critical and narrative criticism, this unit will introduce recent developments in biblical exegesis and hermeneutics which apply visual and oral material from the ancient world to the interpretation of New Testament texts. The associated methods will be applied to particular texts providing opportunities to consider various aspects of the New Testament in its cultural milieu. Consideration will be given to the way in which an understanding of the social context and communal practices of the ancient world assists in examination of early Christian communities. The support and challenges that these methods present to mainstream methods of text-focused exegesis will be explored in light of their assumptions and limitations. Implications of this hermeneutic for proclamation of the Gospel in the contemporary world will also be considered.

Unit code: BN3398B

Unit status: Archived (New unit)

Points: 18.0

Unit level: Undergraduate Level 3

Unit discipline: New Testament

Delivery Mode: Face to Face

Proposing College: Eva Burrows College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Analyse the importance of cultural artefacts and performance traditions for understanding New Testament texts.

2.

Demonstrate the importance of cultural artefacts and performance traditions through the writing of an extended hermeneutical/exegetical essay.

3.

Evaluate strengths and weaknesses of visual and oral approaches for interpreting the New Testament.

4.

Critically apply visual and oral methodological approaches to the exegesis of specific New Testament texts.

5.

Develop liturgical material from the hermeneutical results of visual and/or oral approaches.

Unit sequence

45 points in Biblical Studies

Pedagogy

Lectures, workshops, presentations

Indicative Bibliography

  • Briggs, Richard S. Words in Action: Speech Act Theory and Biblical Interpretation: Towards a Hermeneutic of Self-Involvement. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 2001.
  • Eve, Eric. Behind the Gospels: Understanding the Oral Tradition. London: SPCK, 2013
  • Horsley, Richard A, Jonathan A Draper, and John M Foley, eds. Performing the Gospel: Orality, Memory and Mark. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2011.
  • Lopez, Davina C. Apostle to the Conquered: Reimagining Paul's Mission. Paul in Critical Contexts. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2008.
  • Mack, Burton L. Rhetoric and the New Testament. Guides to Biblical Scholarship 5. edited by Dan O Via Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, Publishers, 1990.
  • Maier, Harry O. Picturing Paul in Empire: Imperial Image, Text and Persuasion in Colossians, Ephesians and the Pastoral Epistles. London: Bloomsbury T&T Clark, 2013
  • Robbins, Vernon K. Exploring the Texture of Texts: A Guide to Socio-Rhetorical Interpretation. Harrisburg: Trinity Press, 1996.
  • Ward, Richard F, and David J Trobisch. Bringing the Word to Life: Engaging the New Testament through Performing It. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2013.
  • Weissenrieder, Annette, Friederike Wendt, and Petra von Gemünden, eds. Picturing the New Testament, WUNT2 193. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, 2005.
  • Witherington III, Ben. New Testament Rhetoric: An Introductory Guide to the Art of Persuasion in and of the New Testament. Eugene: Cascade Books, 2009.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Exegetical Essay

2,500 word Critical/Exegetical Essay

0 50.0
Oral Presentation

2,500 word presentation

0 50.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by John Capper on 23 Oct, 2014

Unit record last updated: 2020-10-28 14:50:32 +1100