New Testament

• STH TN 721: New Testament Introduction
  Content of the New Testament writing in its historical setting and special attention to its relevance today. Required of MDiv, MTS, and MSM students. This course is a prerequisite for all New Testament II courses. MDIV & MTS CORE REQUIREMENT.
• STH TN 723: New Testament Greek I
  Introduction to the grammar and vocabulary of the Greek New Testament. For students with no training in Greek. (Credit for STH TN 723 is only given after successful completion of STH TN 724.)
• STH TN 724: New Testament Greek II
  Continues and presupposes STH TN 723.
• STH TN 803: Jesus in the Gospels
  A theological and exegetical study; attention to literary and religio-historical problems.
• STH TN 804: The Christian Bible: a History
  This course provides students with an opportunity to evaluate the nature of biblical authority carefully and prayerfully in light of the many competing claims about what it means, and has meant, to read the Bible.
• STH TN 805: Pauline Studies
  Paul's life, letters, and thoughts are considered historically and in their bearing upon Christian theology.
• STH TN 806: The Johannine Literature
  The interpretation of Jesus and Christianity in the Gospel of John, the Johannine letters, and the Revelation of John.
• STH TN 810: The Social Setting of Early Christianity
  The focus of the course will be the economy, society, and culture of the Greco-Roman world in which the first Christians lived. The purpose of the course is to introduce the student to the social world that produced the New Testament and other early Christian literature, including martyrdoms and apologies. We will read primary and secondary sources on Roman history (early imperial period), ancient Judaism (from Alexander the Great to the revolt by the messianic figure Bar Kochba), Greco-Roman religions (with focus on the "pagan spirituality" of the ancient mystery religions), and the reaction by Roman magistrates and pagan intellectuals to the new Christian movement. Such context is essential for reconstructing the life, religion, society, and culture of the ancient Christians.
• STH TN 813: Letter to the Romans
  Analysis of Paul's most systemic letter with special attention to the themes of election, justification by faith, ethics, and new Israel. Romans' historical impact on Luther, Wesley, Barth, and Bultmann.
• STH TN 816: Greek Reading I
  Political, religious, cultural, and social features of the world of early Christianity and of the diverse world views held by early Christians and their Jewish and pagan contemporaries. Walters or Knust. MDiv New Testament II Core Elective if taken with TN 723/TN 724/TN 816 for a total of ten credit hours.
• STH TN 818: New Testament Theology
  History of New Testament theology and its relationships to dogmatics. Variety and unity in the New Testament. The message of Jesus and the kerygma of the Apostolic Church. Problem of faith and language.
• STH TN 820: The Gospel of Mark
  English exegesis of the gospel according to Mark.
• STH TN 825: Gender & Family in Early Christianity
  A study of early Christian perspectives on gender, sexuality, marriage, divorce, household arrangements and family life, as expressed in New Testament and other early Christian writings, within the context of ancient Mediterranean teachings and practice. Topics will include: the impact of slavery on family arrangements, the roles of women in the household and society, ancient beliefs about masculinity and femininity, and the function of arguments regarding "natural" sexuality in earliest Christian discourse.
• STH TN 826: The Corinthian Correspondence
  A theological and exegetical study; attention to literary and religio-historical problems.
• STH TN 833: Archaeology and Christian Origins in the Aegean Basin
  This course focuses especially on three important archaeological excavations in the Aegean Basin?Corinth, Ephesus and Pergamum?utilizing material evidence as a means of exploring the civic context of nascent Christianity. Attention will be given to Greek and Roman city planning, urban architecture, daily life as reflected in the material remains, traditional civic religion, Roman imperial religion, and the use of domestic space for religious purposes. The relevance of these data for understanding Christian origins and early Christian writings?particularly 1 Corinthians and Revelation?will also be a matter of central concern in this course.
• STH TN 835: Greek Reading I: Plato and Paul
  Practice in the reading and translation of ancient and koine Greek texts.
• STH TN 841: Luke-Acts
  Luke-Acts as apologetic and missionary instrument in the Roman world. Redefinition of the figure of Jesus, Paul, and the apostles in the late first century.
• STH TN 848: Story and Storytelling
  The nature of narrative, the types of narrative specific to the Bible and the Near East, and the transmission of stories. The art of storytelling and the retelling of biblical stories today.

Back to full list of Courses