Biblical Studies II: Christian Origins (Winter 2006)

 

Course description

This course explores the origins of Christianity as reflected in early Christian literature of the first and early second centuries. We will consider both common denominators and diversity in the world-views and practices of various Christian communities, looking at the transformations which took place as an obscure Jewish sect from Galilee made its way into the Greco-Roman world. Beginning with early Christian perceptions of Jesus, we move on to consider Paul and the communities he founded before surveying several other important topics and debates in early Christian literature. Throughout, we will place our discussions of early Christianity within broader social and cultural contexts in the ancient Mediterranean world.

Required Books

  • Bible (modern translation such as NRSV, NEB, NIV, Jerusalem)
  • Bart D. Ehrman, The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings.

Evaluation

  • Attendance and participation in class discussions 15%
  • Analysis of primary source (TBA), due week 5 in class (5 pages double-spaced no longer) 20%
  • Proposal and bibliography for research paper, due week 8 (2-3 pages) 10%
  • Major test in class week 11 30%
  • Research paper, due week 13 (8-10 pages) 25%
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Discussion schedule:

Unit 1: Orientation

Week 1

Introduction and approaches: Christian origins and the academic study of religion Early Christian literature: Nature and genre

Readings: *Ehrman, chs. 1, 29

Week 2

Early Christian literature in context: Worlds of the early Christians (Palestine and the Greco-Roman world)

Readings: *Ehrman, chs. 2-3*

Unit 2: The Gospels and early Christian portraits of Jesus

Week 3

The Gospels and their origins Mark, the Gentile Gospel

Readings: *Gospel of Mark; Ehrman, chs. 4-6

Week 4

Matthew, the Jewish Gospel Luke, the early Christian historian

Readings: *Gospel of Matthew; Luke-Acts; Ehrman, chs. 7-9

Week 5

John and the Johannine circle

Readings: *Gospel of John; 1-3 John; Ehrman, chs. 10-12

*Assignment 1 (analysis of primary source) due at beginning of class

Week 6

Historical Jesus: The Jewish peasant of Galilee in context

Readings: *Gospel passages (TBA); *Ehrman, chs. 13-17

Unit 3: Paul and his communities

Week 7

Paul within early Christianity: Sources and problems

Readings: *Galatians 1-2:14 and *Acts 15:1-29; Ehrman, ch. 18 Christians at Thessalonica: Early Christian Apocalypticism

Readings: *1 Thessalonians; Ehrman, ch. 19

Week 8

Christians at Corinth: Internal problems and group-society relations

Readings: *1 Corinthians; 2 Corinthians; Ehrman, ch. 20 *Assignment 2 (proposal and bibliography) due at beginning of class

Week 9

Galatians and Romans: Paul, the Jewish people and the Gentiles

Readings: *Galatians; Romans (esp. *Romans 9-11); Philippians; Philemon; Ehrman, chs. 21

Week 10

Legacies of Paul: Women in the Pastoral Epistles and the “Acts of Paul and Thecla”

Readings: *1-2 Timothy, Titus; *“Acts of Paul and Thecla” (handout); Colossians; Ephesians; Ehrman, chs. 22-24

Unit 4: Themes in other early Christian literature

Week 11

**Major test in class**

Week 12

Christians and the Jewish heritage: Hebrews

Readings: *Hebrews; James; Ehrman, ch. 25 Christians and their Greco-Roman neighbours: 1 Peter

Readings: *1 Peter; *Pliny the Younger’s letter to emperor Trajan (handout); 2 Peter; Jude; Ehrman, ch. 26

Week 13

Christians and the cosmos: John’s Apocalypse (Revelation) and apocalyptic literature

Readings: *Revelation; Ehrman, ch. 27-28 *Assignment 3 (research paper) due at beginning of class

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Assignment descriptions: See hardcopy syllabus