In this unit, students learn about the effects of Roman imperialism on the composition of the Gospels as well as the impact of later colonial legacies upon their interpretation. It first analyses how imperial power was negotiated in complex and often ambivalent ways by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Students then explores how the Gospels have themselves been interpreted as both a mechanism of colonial dominion as well as a resource for resistance and liberation.
Unit code: BN9075Z
Unit status: Approved (New unit)
Points: 24.0
Unit level: Postgraduate Elective
Unit discipline: New Testament
Proposing College: Wollaston Theological College
Show when this unit is running| 1. | Describe elements of the background, structure, themes and literary forms of the four canonical Gospels |
| 2. | Compare and contrast the different rhetorical strategies the Gospels employ in their negotiation of Empire |
| 3. | Critically reflect upon ways selected Gospel texts have been used in modern times to advance and/or resist colonial projects |
| 4. | Integrate aspects of decolonial theory and biblical interpretation |
| 5. | Outline the impact of scholarly literature on decolonisation as it relates to biblical interpretation |
Students must have completed 24 points in BN before commencing this unit.
Pre-intensive activities: asynchronous lectures and readings to be completed in the two weeks leading up to the intensive week. Intensive week: lectures and seminar-style discussions of primary and secondary readings.
Fernando F. Segovia, Decolonizing Biblical Studies: A View from the Margins (Maryknoll: Orbis, 2000).
Mitzi J. Smith and Jayachitra Lalitha (eds), Teaching All Nations: Interrogating the Matthean Great Commission (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2014).
Warren Carter, Matthew and the Margins: A Sociopolitical and Religious Reading (Maryknoll: Orbis, 2000).
Hans Leander, Discourses of Empire: The Gospel of Mark from a Postcolonial Perspective (Atlanta: SBL, 2013).
Anne F. Elvey, Reading the Magnificat in Australia: Unsettling Engagements (Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2020).
Musa W. Dube and Jeffrey L. Staley (eds), John and Postcolonialism: Travel, Space and Power (London: T&T Clark, 2002).
Fernando F. Segovia and R.S. Sugirtharajah, A Postcolonial Commentary on the New Testament Writings (London: T&T Clark, 2009).
Jione Havea (ed), Postcolonial Voices from Downunder: Indigenous Matters, Confronting Readings (Eugene: Pickwick, 2017).
R.S. Sugirtharajah, Exploring Postcolonial Biblical Criticism: History, Method, Practice (Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell, 2012).
Stephen D. Moore, Empire and Apocalypse: Postcolonialism and the New Testament (Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2006).
| Type | Description | Word count | Weight (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal Reflection - Assessment 1: Reflective Learning Journal | Students are to keep a reflective learning journal to write about their expectations, observations, learning and personal change during the pre-intensive activities and intensive week. Students are required to consistently make links between theory (from the readings, lectures, etc) and practice (implications for biblical interpretation), ensuring all sources are correctly referenced. The key components are:
|
2500 | 35.0 |
| Oral Presentation - Assessment 2: Class Presentation | Working in groups of 2 or 3, you will be assigned a biblical text from the Gospels discussed during the unit and you will prepare a 15 minute presentation for the class on the final day of the intensive. The presentation should include a PowerPoint and cover the following points:
|
1500 | 20.0 |
| Exegetical Essay - Assessment 3: Exegetical Essay | 3000 | 45.0 |
Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 25 Aug, 2023
Unit record last updated: 2023-08-25 16:11:05 +1000