Content

This unit introduces students to interpreting the New Testament, familiarising them with its historical, social and literary settings and introducing them to methods of biblical exegesis. Historical-critical approaches are introduced and explained with special attention to the Gospel of Matthew in reference to the other Synoptic Gospels. Literary, socio-cultural and rhetorical approaches are introduced and explained with special attention to the Gospel of John, the Pauline corpus, and Revelation and reference to other New Testament writings.

Unit code: BN8701B

Unit status: Archived (New unit)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Foundational

Unit discipline: New Testament

Delivery Mode: Online

Proposing College: Catherine Booth College and Eva Burrows College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Identify types of literature found in the New Testament including their particular interpretive demands.

2.

Outline key developments in the history of New Testament Studies

3.

Assess how historical and social aspects of the New Testament era interact with New Testament texts.

4.

Critically apply tools of New Testament interpretation: dictionaries, lexicons, commentaries, online resources, primary sources and others.

5.

Examine the appropriation of Hebrew Bible texts and traditions within the New Testament.

6.

Demonstrate progress in making the transition from text to life, particularly for use in theological, hermeneutical and homiletical application.

Pedagogy

Lectures, seminars, group work, online forums, videos

Indicative Bibliography

  • Bockmuehl, Markus. Seeing the Word. Refocusing New Testament Study. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2006.
  • Coggins, Richard J., and James L. Houlden (eds.). A Dictionary of Biblical Interpretation. London: SCM Press, 1990.
  • Green, Joel B., and Lee Martin McDonald (eds.). The World of the New Testament: Cultural, Social, and Historical Contexts. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013.
  • Drane, John W. Introducing the New Testament, Minneapolis: Fortress, 2001.
  • Horrell, David G. An Introduction to the study of Paul. 3rd ed. London: Bloomsbury, 2015.
  • Green, Joel B (ed.). Hearing the New Testament. Strategies for interpretation. Grand Rapids, MI/Carlyle, UK: Eerdmans/Paternoster, 1995.
  • Hayes, John H., and Carl R. Holladay. Biblical exegesis: A beginner’s handbook. 3rd edition. Atlanta: John Knox, 2007. (recommended for purchase)
  • Johnson, Luke T. The Writings of the New Testament. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 2010. (recommended for purchase)
  • Powell, Mark Allan (ed.). Methods for Matthew. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2009.
  • Resseguie, James L. Narrative Criticism of the New Testament: An Introduction. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2005.
  • Schweizer, Eduard. A Theological introduction to the New Testament. Nashville: Abingdon, 1991.
  • Tuckett, Christopher. Reading the New Testament, methods of interpretation. London: SPCK, 1987.
  • Via, Dan O. (ed.) Guides to biblical scholarship. (Series of booklets on exegetical methodology), Philadelphia: Fortress Press.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Forum

1,000 words of original online forum discussion on weekly workshop papers.

1000 20.0
Workshop

1,000 word workshop paper

1000 15.0
Workshop

1,000 word workshop paper

1000 15.0
Exegetical Essay

3,000 word exegetical essay

3000 50.0
Approvals

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

Unit record last updated: 2021-09-07 09:43:48 +1000