The Letters and Life of Paul (BN9701T)

Postgraduate, 24.0 points

Content

In this unit, students will critically examine the chronology, authenticity, and content of the letters attributed to the Apostle Paul, the development of Paul’s theology and its later imitators, and the significance of Paul for modern theology. Students will learn about some of the subtleties of the Greek text, some of the theories about authorship and editing, and some of the insights of comparative analysis resulting from studies in Greco-Roman archaeology and epigraphy. In addition, students will explore how the Acts of the Apostles, as the earliest biography of Paul, supplements one’s understanding of a Pauline chronology and theology.

Unit code: BN9701T

Unit status: Approved (New unit)

Points: 24.0

Unit level: Postgraduate Elective

Unit discipline: New Testament

Proposing College: Trinity College Theological School

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Learning outcomes

1.

To demonstrate a sophisticated familiarity with the life and writings of the Apostle Paul through a reading of the biblical texts (Paul’s letters and the Acts of the Apostles).
2.

To critically analyse the Pauline material in its linguistic, historical, social and literary contexts.

3.

To critically engage with key features of the interpretive history of the Pauline literature from the Post-Apostolic period to the present day.
4.

To identify the major theological themes addressed by the Pauline material, and to demonstrate how they relate to the religious and political perspectives of ancient Judaism.
5.

To identify how the Acts of the Apostles contributes to one’s understanding of a Pauline biography and theology.
6.

To identify suitable resources and directions for ongoing study of Pauline literature, for the purposes of further studies.

Unit sequence

A Foundation unit in Field B

Pedagogy

Recorded weekly lectures, followed by weekly synchronous tutorials (online or face-to-face in flipped classroom); this will be supplemented by weekly required readings (both primary and secondary materials), plus fortnightly online forums.

Indicative Bibliography

  • Gupta, Nijay K, Erin M. Heim, and Scot McKnight, eds., The State of Pauline Studies: A Survey of Recent Research (Baker Academic, 2024)
  • Longenecker, Bruce, ed., The New Cambridge Companion to St. Paul (Cambridge University Press, 2020)
  • McKnight, Scot, and B. J. Obopeza, eds., Perspectives on Paul: Five Views (Baker Academic, 2020)
  • Novenson, Matthew V, Paul Then and Now (Eerdmans, 2022)
  • Roetzel, Calvin J, The Letters of Paul: Conversations in Context (6th ed.; Westminster John Knox, 2015)
  • Schreiner, Thomas R, Handbook on Acts and Paul’s Letters (Baker Academic, 2019)
  • Stirewalt, M. Luther, Paul the Letter Writer (Eerdmans, 2003)
  • Yung Suk, Kim, How To Read Paul: A Brief Introduction to His Theology, Writings, and World (Fortress Press, 2021)
  • Thiessen, Matthew, A Jewish Paul (Baker Academic, 2023)

Assessment

Type Description Word count Weight (%)
Essay - Epistolary analysis

Essay analysing the structure of a Pauline letter, identifying the letter's various components, including its thesis statement (informs letter occasion and purpose).

 3500 35.0
Essay - Thematic essay

Survey of Paul's letter looking at a common theme (e.g., sexual ethics, role of women in church/household, "justification by faith," etc.)

 3500 35.0
Forum - Fortnightly online forum discussions

6 online (ARK) Forum discussions

 1000 30.0
Approvals

Unit approved for the University of Divinity by Prof Albert Haddad on 20 Jun, 2025

Unit record last updated: 2025-06-20 12:10:47 +1000