Paul's Letters for Today (BN9148B)

Postgraduate, 24.0 points

Content

This unit examines the apostle Paul's life, ministry, and theology through an engagement with his letters and the book of Acts. It also explores how Paul navigates the issues of inclusion, church leadership, politics, and household dynamics against the historical and cultural background of the ancient Mediterranean world. The unit will also look at the relevance and application of Paul’s letters in diverse contexts of personal life, ministry, and public theology. It will also give an opportunity for further development of exegetical skills with particular emphasis on rhetorical and socio-scientific analysis.

Unit code: BN9148B

Unit status: Approved (New unit)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Elective

Unit discipline: New Testament

Proposing College: Eva Burrows College

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Learning outcomes

1.

Assess how social, religious, political, and cultural background shape our understanding of Paul’s life and ministry
2.

Evaluate the use of Acts and Letters for reconstructing Paul’s life

3.

Examine the main aspects of Paul’s theology and practice
4.

Apply exegetical skills to selected passages from Pauline corpus

5.

Assess the relevance of Paul’s mission and theology to modern contexts

6.

Demonstrate how insights from Paul’s letters contribute to life, ministry, or theological conversations about current ecclesial and public issues

Unit sequence

Prerequisite 24 points level 8 Field B

Pedagogy

This unit applies a constructivist approach to HEd pedagogy attuned to online delivery. Teaching and learning in the unit occur through various student-centered learning experiences. Apart from undertaking assessment-for-learning tasks, students will engage with guided readings, exegetical exercises, knowledge application exercises, reflections, video lessons, etc. Online tutorials, workshops, and student presentations will provide spaces for peer-to-peer learning and developing discipline-specific and soft skills.

Indicative Bibliography

  • Finger, Reta Halteman. Roman House Churches for Today: A Practical Guide for Small Groups. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2007.
  • Fredriksen, Paula. Paul, the Pagans' Apostle. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2017.
  • Gaventa, Beverly Roberts. Our Mother Saint Paul. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2007.
  • Gorman, Michael J. Apostle of the Crucified Lord: A Theological Introduction to Paul & His Letters. Second ed. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2017.
  • Longenecker, Bruce W, ed. The New Cambridge Companion to St. Paul. Cambridge Companions to Religion. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2020.
  • Porter, Stanley E. The Apostle Paul: His Life, Thought, and Letters. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2016.
  • Tidball, Derek. Ministry by the Book: New Testament Patterns for Pastoral Leadership. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2009.
  • Westfall, Cynthia Long. Paul and Gender: Reclaiming the Apostle's Vision for Men and Women in Christ. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2016.
  • Witherington, Ben. A Week in the Life of Corinth. Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2012.
  • Works, Carla Swafford. The Least of These: Paul and the Marginalized. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2020.

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)

Variant 1

Wiki 1000 20.0
Audio recording or Podcast 2000 30.0
Learning Resource 4000 50.0

Variant 2

Book Review 1000 20.0
Oral Presentation 2000 30.0
Exegetical Essay 4000 50.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 16 Aug, 2023

Unit record last updated: 2023-08-16 09:24:36 +1000