The (NT625; 3 credit hours) Trinity School for Ministry, Fall 2013

Dr. Wesley A. Hill Office 222 724-266-3838 ext. 254 (school) 412-339-3250 (home) Email: [email protected]

Course Description The purpose of this course is to become better equipped to read the four canonical Gospels of the as Christian Scripture. We will focus on many themes and various historical and theological particularities along the way as we “read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest” the Gospels, but the overarching aim is to learn to engage with the Gospels as testimony to Christ and thereby deepen our grasp of the Christian good news. (Pre-requisite: BI500.) The general set of outcomes Trinity desires for each of our graduates includes the following:

1. The student will recognize and identify the biblical theology evident in the course work. 2. The student will be able to articulate an Anglican understanding of biblical, historical, systematic, and pastoral theology. 3. M.Div.: The student will be able to effectively communicate the Christian message to a diversity of people in order to advance the mission of God. M.A.R.: The student will be able to effectively teach the Christian faith. S.T.M.: The student will demonstrate the ability to carry out research from original sources. 4. M.Div.: The student will be prepared to effectively lead in a variety of Christian communities. M.A.R.: The student will be equipped to apply scholarship to the life of the church in his or her chosen theological discipline. S.T.M.: The student will be equipped to successfully pursue further independent research and post-graduate study in his or her chosen theological discipline.

This course is one of the core courses in the curriculum that provide an understanding of Scripture and biblical theology, thereby grounding this curriculum as a whole (outcome 1). Such attention to biblical theology is at the heart of a classic Anglican approach to Scripture (outcome 2; see Article XX of The XXXIX Articles of Religion), and an understanding of the Bible is a pre-requisite for both effectively communicating the Christian message and offering effective leadership (Outcomes 3 and 4). So this course contributes to each of these general outcomes, doing so through the following specific objectives:

1. Increased understanding of the historical and pastoral issues related to each of the four Gospels, and the purposes and themes of each of the Gospels. 2. Increased understanding of several important passages in the Gospels and how to compare and contrast these passages using a Synopsis. 4. Increased skill in interpreting individual passages in the Gospels in the light of (a) the specific book in which they appear, (b) the context of the fourfold , (c) the canon as a whole (biblical theology), and (d) the context of the history of Christian theology. 5. Introductory knowledge of some of the major trends in modern study of the Gospels.

For discussion of how I will assess whether these outcomes have been met, see the discussion below of the course requirements.

Required Texts There are four required textbooks for this course:

1. Synopsis of the Four Gospels: Revised Standard Version (New York: American Bible Society, 2010). (ISBN-13: 978-1-585-16942-9) 2. Jesus as a Figure in History: How Modern Historians View the Man from Galilee, second edition, by Mark Allan Powell (Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 2013). (ISBN-13: 978-0-664-23447-8) 3. The Gospels and Jesus, second edition, by Graham Stanton (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002). (ISBN-13: 978-0-19-924616-8) 4. Reading the Gospels Wisely: A Narrative and Theological Introduction by Jonathan T. Pennington (Grand Rapids: BakerAcademic, 2012). (ISBN-13: 978- 0-8010-3937-9)

Three other texts are recommended as offering good supplementary reflection for this course, but they are not required:

1. How God Became King: The Forgotten Story of the Gospels by N. T. Wright (San Francisco: HarperOne, 2012) 2. Who Chose the Gospels? Probing the Great Gospel Conspiracy by Charles E. Hill (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012)

General Approach Paying detailed attention to the Gospels is the bread and butter of this course, so each student is expected to have read each of the four by the first day of class and then spend time each on the Synopsis assignments (about which, see below). A combination of my lectures and our collective discussion will take up most of each weekly session. The assigned readings will provide key background information (and further bibliographies, should you wish to explore any topic in more depth), so that the lectures may focus more single-mindedly on the “big picture.” Even with this combination of your own focused study of the readings outside of class and our shared discussion in class, it will still not be possible to do more than scratch the surface of the four Gospels. Hence, the goal of this course is not so much the transfer of content but the modeling and imparting of a way of study—so that you will “learn to fish,” per the old saying (“Give a man a fish and feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime”).

Computer Policy I strongly encourage all students to leave all laptops, tablets, phones, etc., behind when they come to class. Contrary to your own self-assessment, you are not a master of multi- tasking. A bevy of neuroscientists, psychologists, and management experts converge in their judgment that multitasking and serious study don’t mix. (I am happy to provide you with studies arguing for this conclusion, should you wish to explore the evidence. One quote for now, from Russell A. Poldrack, professor of psychology at UCLA: “even if you can learn while distracted, it changes how you learn to make it less efficient and useful.”) On the positive side, there are cognitive benefits to writing notes by hand. A recent piece in the Wall Street Journal concluded, “Using advanced tools such as magnetic resource imaging, researchers are finding that writing by hand is more than just a way to communicate. The practice… can improve idea composition and expression” (Gwendolyn Bounds, “How Handwriting Trains the Brain,” Business section, October 5, 2010). So, if you want to be the class favorite, come with a pencil and notebook and without your computer. On a more serious note, I should say that I will not officially ban computers (it’s up to you whether you wish to bring them), but you are not permitted to check email, to surf the web, or engage in any other activities that are not directly related to this class. Disregarding this requirement will result in, first, a warning, and, second, a failing grade for one of your quizzes.

Course Requirements Class attendance and participation. Given that we only meet once a week, being present for each class session is vitally important. If you must miss class, you should contact a member of the class to collect any handouts, get notes, and to record the class session. (Attending lectures and participating in class discussions targets primarily course objectives 2, 3, and 5.) Reading quizzes. Because the content of my lectures and our class discussion will largely focus on the “big issues” of interpretation, much of the important background information—such as date and authorship considerations, etc.—will only be accessible to you through the assigned readings. The readings are, then, considered to be essential to this course, not simply optional extras that might help to “fill out” my lectures if the student desires to go further in depth. Therefore, most class sessions will include a “true or false” quiz on the content of the assigned readings. This is purely to ensure that the student is in fact completing the reading; questions about how to integrate the readings with class lectures will not appear on the quizzes. (Taking the quizzes targets course objective 1.) Synopsis work. For most class sessions, students will be required to complete a comparison of Gospels passages using the required Synopsis textbook. I will provide explanation for how to do this, but students wishing to get a head start may consult Gordon D. Fee, New Testament Exegesis: A Handbook for Students and Pastors, third edition (Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 2002), pp. 113ff. Exegetical or thematic paper. A ten page paper (double-spaced) on a theme or passage of your choice in one of Paul’s letters is the primary assignment for this course. If you choose to do an exegesis paper, you must select a passage at least four verses long. (Students in the S.T.M. program, in lieu of writing the ten-page paper, should write a twenty-page paper on either a Pauline passage or theme.) The paper should be formatted correctly using SBL/Chicago/Turabian, and the “Comprehensive Guidelines for Writing Papers” posted on the website for this course. This set of guidelines includes general instructions for all papers, as well as specific guidelines for both exegesis papers and theme papers. The bibliography is not included in the page count. The paper is to be double-spaced, with one inch margins on all four sides, and in Times New Roman font, 12 point. Do not use a title page, but rather use the following heading on the first page of the paper:

First line: Your last name, course number, term Second line: Passage exegeted or theme of the paper

So, if your last name is Smith, your title should appear as follows:

Smith, NT 635, Fall 2012 Phil. 2:1-11

or

Smith, NT 635, Fall 2012 Humility in Paul’s Letters

Please use the following information to name the file you submit, separating the items with hyphens. Use “ExegesisPaper” or “ThemePaper” rather than the specific title of your paper. Some examples are here:

YourLastName-ExegesisPaper-NT635-Fall2012.doc (or .docx) YourLastName-ThemePaper-NT635-Fall2012.doc (or .docx)

So, if your last name is Smith, your file would be labeled one of these:

Smith-ExegesisPaper-NT635-Fall2012.doc (or .docx) Smith-ThemePaper-NT635-Fall2012.doc (or .docx)

This assignment is 35% of your course grade, and it will be submitted in three stages. First, on November 19, you will email me a paragraph-length proposal of what you intend to write about. This proposal must include not only the passage or theme you have selected but also some indication of how you plan to organize your essay. I will then give you feedback on the proposal. Second, on December 10, you will submit a rough draft of your paper. Neither your proposal nor the draft you submit will count towards your final grade, but I will again offer you feedback and direction on what you have written. Finally, on December 23, you will submit the final, corrected version of your paper. This deadline is fixed, unless you have arranged to take an Incomplete with the Registrar and the Academic Dean (which includes submitting a form and paying a fee). Incompletes are usually granted only for foreseeable, critical reasons, not for time management difficulties. For those who do take Incompletes, the deadline for submitting coursework is absolute. Even in this scenario, however, you may petition the Academic Dean for an extension in the case of a medical emergency. Also, unless otherwise indicated, you should assume that the deadline is 11:59 p.m. on the date given. (Writing the paper targets course objective 4, primarily.) Final exam. This exam, consisting of essay questions, will cover the content of the readings and lectures. More information on how to prepare for this exam will be given in class as the time approaches. (The final exam, a kind of capstone evaluation, targets all the course objectives but mainly objective 2.)

Course Evaluation Final grades for the course will be calculated as follows: The reading quizzes will count for 25% of your mark for the course (the lowest quiz score will be dropped), the Synopsis work for 20%, the exegetical/thematic paper for 35%, and the final exam for 20%. Final grades may be raised or lowered on the basis of class attendance, participation, and/or tardiness of work. Also, please not that samples of student work may be used as part of an ongoing assessment of courses and degree programs. Students’ names will be removed from any work used for this purpose. Your written work will be evaluated according to the following criteria: clarity and charity of thought and expression, accuracy of information, and breadth and depth of discussion. I will use letter grades or their equivalent to mean the following:

B (80-89): The thought and expression are clear and the information is accurate. The discussion is broad and deep enough to indicate a solid understanding of the issue. By “broad” I mean that sufficient aspects of the topic are covered, and by “depth” I mean that enough supporting and illustrating material is offered to flesh out the basic thought.

C (70-79): The material shows an adequate grasp of the topic, but at points the discussion is unclear, inaccurate, narrow or shallow.

D (60-69): The material shows something close to an adequate grasp of the topic but is notably defective according to one or more of the criteria.

F (below 60): The material does not indicate that the student has an adequate grasp of the topic, or it is severely defective according to the criteria.

A (90-100): The material is exceptional. Usually this means that it is not only clear and accurate but also develops the topic in breadth and depth beyond what is necessary for a good understanding of it. Such material is often, though not always, marked also by creativity, exceptional insight, and/or relatively extensive research.

The school’s grade scale is as follows: A = 100-95; A- = 94-90; B+ = 89-87; B = 86-83; B- = 82-80; C+ = 79-77; C = 76-73; C- = 72-70; D = below 70; F = below 60.

Course Schedule

Class 1 (September 3): “How the Gospels Mean”  Reading assignment: the four canonical gospels

Class 2 (September 10): The Quest for the  Reading assignment: chapters 1-5 of Powell; chapters 1-4 of Pennington

Class 3 (September 17): Tools for Interpreting the Gospels  Reading assignment: chapters 6-8 of Powell; chapters 9-11 of Pennington

NO CLASS SEPTEMBER 24 – CAMPUS QUIET DAY

Class 4 (October 1): Birth Narratives  Synopsis work: Matthew 1 and 2 with Luke 1 and 2  Reading assignment: chapters 1-3 of Stanton; chapters 5-8 of Pennington

Class 5 (October 8): Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain  Synopsis work: Matthew 5-7 with Luke 6  Reading assignment: chapters 4-7 of Stanton

NO CLASS OCTOBER 15 – READING WEEK

Class 6 (October 22): “Stories with Intent”  Synopsis work: Matthew 13; Luke 15  Reading assignment: chapters 8-9, 12-14 of Stanton

Class 7 (October 29): The “High” Christology of the Gospels?  Synopsis work: Various Synoptic texts and John 1  Reading assignment: chapters 10-11, 14-15 of Stanton

Class 8 (November 5): Preaching the Gospels  Reading assignment: chapters 11-12 of Pennington

Class 9 (November 12): The Last Supper  Synopsis work: Mark 14, Matthew 26, Luke 22, and John 6  PAPER PROPOSAL DUE

Class 10 (November 19): Did Jesus Expect the End of the World?  Synopsis work: Mark 13 and Matthew 24  Reading assignment: chapters 9-10 of Powell

Class 11 (November 26): The Crucifixion  Synopsis work: Mark 15 and Luke 23  Reading assignment: chapters 16-17 of Stanton

Class 12 (December 3): The Resurrection  Synopsis work: Matthew 28, Luke 24, and John 20  DRAFT OF PAPER DUE

Class 13 (December 10): “How the Gospels Mean”—Again

FINAL EXAM – DATE TBD

FINAL PAPER DUE – 12:00AM DECEMBER 23