Content

This unit studies the book of Acts, and it will consider its composition, structure, and historical background. Key issues, events, personalities and their influence will be addressed. In particular, events surrounding the Day of Pentecost, and the expansion of the early church will be examined. The unit will principally address the theology of the Church of the Apostles and how it differed from Judaism, how the early Church practiced Christian faith, and how it evangelised.

Unit code: BN1800A

Unit status: Archived (New unit)

Points: 18.0

Unit level: Undergraduate Level 1

Unit discipline: New Testament

Delivery Mode: Face to Face

Proposing College: St Athanasius College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Describe the message, content, and theology of the book of Acts

2.

Reflect on the early Church’s practice of faith such as prayer, fasting, interpreting scripture, caring for the poor, and providing hospitality and care

3.

Describe the difficulties that the Apostles faced from both Jews and gentiles alike, and how the Holy Spirit leads the early church in addressing them

4.

Evaluate the methods the early church used to preach the word of God and how these methods can be applied to evangelism today

Unit sequence

Prohibited combinations: Only one of BN1800A, BN2800A, BN1809A or BN2809A may be taken

Pedagogy

Weekly lectures. Weekly reading material from both scripture and set text.

Indicative Bibliography

  • Anderson, Kevin L. “But God Raised Him from the Dead": The Theology of Jesus’ Resurrection in Luke-Acts. Milton Keynes, UK: Paternoster, 2006.
  • Barnett, Paul. The Birth of Christianity: The First Twenty Years. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2005.
  • Cassidy, Richard J. Society and Politics in the Acts of the Apostles. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 1987.
  • Chambers, Andy. Exemplary Life: A Theology of Church Life in Acts. Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group , 2012. (recommended for purchase)
  • Dibelius, Martin. The Book of Acts: Form, Style, and Theology. Edited by K. C. Hanson. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2004.
  • Dupont, Jacques. The Salvation of the Gentiles: Essays on the Acts of the Apostles. Translated by John R. Keating. New York: Paulist Press, 1967.
  • Green, Michael. Evangelism in the Early Church. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1970
  • Green, Michael. Thirty Years That Changed the World: The Book of Acts for Today. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2004. (recommended for purchase)
  • Jervell, Jacob. The Theology of the Acts of the Apostles. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1996.
  • Kee, Howard Clark. To Every Nation under Heaven: The Acts of the Apostles. Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International, 1997.
  • Lüdemann, Gerd. Early Christianity According to the Traditions in Acts. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1989.
  • Matthews, Shelly. Perfect Martyr: The Stoning of Stephen and the Construction of Christian Identity. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.
  • Thompson, Alan J. One Lord, One People: The Unity of the Church in Acts in Its Literary Setting. London: T&T Clark, 2008.
  • Thurston, Bonnie. Spiritual Life in the Early Church: The Witness of Acts and Ephesians. Minneapolis: Fortress, 1993.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Multiple Choice Quizzes or Tests

Quiz (1 Hour)

0 5.0
Multiple Choice Quizzes or Tests

Quiz (1 Hour)

0 5.0
Multiple Choice Quizzes or Tests

Quiz (1 Hour)

0 5.0
Multiple Choice Quizzes or Tests

Quiz (1 Hour)

0 5.0
Essay

Paper (2000 Words)

0 45.0
Essay

Paper (1000 words)

0 35.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by John Capper on 1 Nov, 2017

Unit record last updated: 2022-10-31 15:47:11 +1100