Aug 21 |
Exordium
Welcome to the serious study of the Apostle Paul!
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Aug 23 |
Why Study
Paul and in What
Terms
Reading: Taylor, 3-9
NB: Reading assignments are to be read by the
time class meets on the day they are listed
Supplemental Reading (NB: Supplemental
readings are not required.): Elliott,
"No Acolyte of Rome: A New Look at the Apostle
Paul" (See Course Documents); Meeks, The Writings of St. Paul; Peter and
Paul and the Christian Revolution;
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Preparation for
Interpreting
Paul
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INET |
Methods for
Studying Paul
Reading: Taylor, 11-19
Assignment 1 (20 pts.): Methodological Reflections (See Assignments on Blackboard)
Supplemental Reading: Historiography;
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Aug 28 |
Sources for
Studying Paul
Reading: Taylor, 21-34
Supplemental Reading:
Grant, "The Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts"
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Aug 30
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Paul's Life
and Cultural
Context
Reading: Taylor, 35-50
Supplemental Reading: Dr. Mark's Annotated Chronology of Paul
(9 B.C.E–50 C.E.); Carter, "Paul and Empire," in Paul Unbound
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Paul:
Cultural Hybrid
Reading: Taylor, 51-63, 81-89
Assignment 2 (20 pts.): Reflections on Paul's Identities and Our Own (See Assignments on Blackboard)
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Sep 4 |
Labor
Day Holiday |
Sep 6 |
Greco-Roman
Philosophy and
Religion
Reading: Taylor, 64-81
Supplemental Reading:
Cleanthes' "Hymn to Zeus";
The Golden
Sayings of Epictetus;
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The Planting
and Nurturing of Assemblies
Reading: Taylor, 91-106
Assignment 3 (20 pts.): Reflections on Paul's Networking and Nurturing (See Assignments on Blackboard)
Supplemental Reading:
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Sep 11 |
The Rhetoric and
Reciprocity of
Paul
Reading: Taylor, 106-123
Supplemental Reading: The "Trees" in Silva
Rhetoricae; Given, "Paul and Rhetoric: A
Sophos in
the Kingdom of God," 175–200, in Paul Unbound (Course Documents); Trobisch, "The
Oldest Extant Editions of the Letters of Paul"; de Villiers, "Paul as a Letter Writer: A New Publication on Pauline Letters in Their Literary Setting"; A Polite Bribe
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Sep 13
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The
Task of
Exegesis
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The
Elements of Exegesis and a Sample Exegesis
Paper
Reading: Gorman, 24-33, 199-203; 297-309
Assignment 4 (20 pts.): Envisioning and Evaluating Exegesis (See Assignments on Blackboard)
Supplemental Reading: Exegesis Resources (see Course Content)
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Sep 18 |
Exegesis Text
Selection and
Translations
Reading: Gorman, 37-65
Supplemental Reading: Wallace,
History of the English Bible; Wallace, Why So Many Versions?;
Tom Wright on the NIV; Southern Baptist Resolutions Concerning the NIV
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The Early and Secondary Source Paul
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Sep 20 |
Converted and/or Called:
Understanding
the Issue in
Light of "The
New Perspective"
on Paul and
Judaism
Reading: Acts 9:1–25 (cf. Gal 1:11–24; Phil 3:1–11);
Dr. Mark's Annotated Chronology of Paul
(9 B.C.E–50 C.E.); Mattison, "A Summary of the New Perspective on Paul"
Outline: The
Church(es) Before Paul; Acts 9:3–8 and Parallels
Supplemental Reading: Byrne, et al., Re-Reading Paul: A fresh
look at his attitude to Torah and to Judaism (also in Course Content); Jewish-Christian Relations; Acts 1:1 - 8:40 with HSB Intro and footnotes.;
Grant,
"The
Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts"; McRay,
"Paul in Recent Research"; Segal, "Paul and the Modern Study of Conversion," in Paul the Convert: The
Apostolate and Apostasy of Saul the Pharisee, 20–30 (See Course
Content); Segal, "Paul and
Luke, " in Paul the
Convert: The Apostolate and Apostasy of Saul the Pharisee, 3-33
(See Course Content); Stendahl,
"The
Apostle Paul and the Introspective Conscience of the West"; N.T. Wright, "New Perspectives on Paul";
Supplemental Resources: Martin Luther and Antisemitism; The Paul within Judaism Perspective with Sara Parks and Matthew Anderson;
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Text
Selection Due |
Exegesis Text
Selection
Assignment 5 (20 pts.): Exegesis Text Selection (See Assignments on Blackboard)
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Sep 25 |
The 1st, 2nd,
and 7th Elements
of Exegesis:
Survey, Contextual
Analysis,
and
Expansion
and
Refinement
Reading: Gorman, 69-87; 189-94
Supplemental Reading:
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Sep 27 |
To the Judean First, and then the Hellene: A Crisis in the
Making (ca. 37–48 C.E.; First Journey ca. 47–48 C.E.)
Reading: Acts 9:32–14:28 (cf. Rom 1:16)
Outline:
Preparing "The Way" for Paul
Supplemental Reading: Wengst, "When did Christianity Originate?"
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The Apostolic
Council
and the Antioch
Incident (ca. 49–50
C.E.)
Reading: Acts 15:1-35; Gal 2:1-21
Assignment 6 (30 pts.): The Rhetorical Purposes of Luke and Paul (See Assignments on Blackboard)
Supplemental Reading: Patton,
"Was James Being Legalistic in Acts 15? or 'Can I Eat a Rare Steak?'
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Oct 2 |
The New Socrates in Athens
(Second Journey from ca. 50–54 C.E.
begins)
Reading: Acts 15:36-17:34 (cf.
Acts 17:22-31 with 1 Thess 2:1-2; 3:1 and Rom 1:18-2:16);
Supplemental Reading: Given, "Not Either/Or but Both/And in Paul's Areopagus Speech," Biblical Interpretation 3,3 (1995) (See Course Contents)
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The Later and Primary Source Paul
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Oct 4 |
The End is
Near--but Not
Yet
(1
Thessalonians, ca. 52 C.E.)
Reading: Acts 18:1-11; 1 Thessalonians (review Acts 17:1-9); Taylor, 127-41
Dr. Mark's Annotated Chronology of Paul
(50–58 C.E.)Supplemental Reading: Charles Wanamaker, “‘Like a Father Treats His Own Children': Paul and the Conversion/Resocialization of the Thessalonians.” Journal of Theology for Southern Africa , 92 (1995), 46-55.
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Apocalypticism
Now and Then
Assignment 7 (20 pts.): Understanding the Historical and Exegetical Problems with Dispensationalism and Preterism (See Assignments on Blackboard)
Supplemental Reading:
The following links offer explanations from conservative biblical scholars of the problems with the doctrine of "the Rapture"
Ben Witherington III: Where Did Rapture Theology Come From?; Is the Rapture Doctrine Biblical?; Revelation and Apocalypticism
Jesus is a Failed Apocalyptic Prophet (An interview with Paula Fredriksen)
N. T. Wright on the Rapture; Middleton, "Does Tom Wright Believe in the Second Coming?" (The answer is yes; he just doesn't believe in "the rapture" version of it.)
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Oct 9 |
Free to Be
Children of God
I (Third
Journey ca. 54–58
C.E.; Galatians
ca. 55 C.E.)
Reading: Acts 16:6; Galatians; Taylor, 153-55; 143-47
Supplemental Reading: Das, "Paul and the Law: Pressure Points in the Debate," in Paul Unbound; Sumney, "Paul and His Opponents: The Search," in Paul Unbound
Keener, "Jesus Followers in Step With the Spirit: A closer look at Paul’s letter to the Galatians." Craig Keener's new Galatians commentary attempts to combine important insights from both "Old Perspective(s)" and "New Perspective(s)" on Paul's theology. He talks about his work in this article.
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Oct 11
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Free to Be
Children of God
II (Galatians
ca. 55 C.E.)
Reading: Galatians; Taylor, 147-53, 155-59
Supplemental Reading; Cosgrove, "Paul and Ethnicity: A Selective History of Interpretation" (In Paul Unbound); East, "Enter Paul: On Paula Fredriksen’s 'Paul: The Pagans’ Apostle' and 'When Christians Were Jews'"
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Oct 12-13 |
Fall Break |
Oct 16
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3rd Element of Exegesis:
Formal Analysis
Reading: Gorman, 89-107; 232-33
Supplemental Reading:
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Oct 18 |
Life in the Body
I (Third
Journey ca. 54–58 C.E.; 1 Corinthians 1-7, ca. 56
C.E.)
Reading: Acts 18:12-19:41; 1 Cor 1-7; Taylor, 161-76
Supplemental Reading
Supplemental Reading: Dale B. Martin,
review of Richard B. Hays, The Moral Vision of the New Testament: A
Contemporary Introduction to New Testament Ethics, Review of Biblical
Literature [http://www.bookreviews.org] (1998); Spohn, "Is There
Such a Thing as New Testament Ethics?"; Given,
"All things to all
people all at once: Paul's ambiguous rhetorical strategy in 1 Cor 8:1 - 11:1" (In Course Content)
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Exegesis
1st and
2nd Elements Due
Assignment 8: Exegesis 1st and 2nd Elements (See Assignments on Blackboard)
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Oct 23 |
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Oct 25 |
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Treasure in Clay
Jars II: (2
Corinthians 7-9)
Reading: 2 Cor 7:2-9:15; Taylor, 212-15; Friesen, "Paul and Economics: The Jerusalem Collection as an Alternative to Patronage," in Paul Unbound (Course Content)
Assignment 9 (20 pts.): The Economic Policy of the Kingdom of God (See Assignments on Blackboard)
Supplemental Reading: Abrahams, "A Plea for Purity: 2 Cor 6:14–7:1 as Integral to 2 Corinthians" (Course Content); 2 Cor 8-9;
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Oct 30 |
Treasure in
Clay Jars III: The "End" of
Suffering/Weakness
(2 Corinthians
10-13)
Reading: 2 Cor 10-13; Taylor, 215-21
Supplemental Reading: Gorman, 252-64 (The Long Sample Exegesis Paper); Sumney, "Who
are those 'Servants of Satan'?"; Sumney, "Paul and His Opponents: The Search," in Paul Unbound
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Nov 1 |
God
Justifies the
Ungodly
I: Humanity
under Sin (Romans 1-3, ca. 58 C.E.)
Reading: Acts 20:2; Rom 1:1-3:20; Taylor, 223-37
Supplemental Reading: Hester, "The
Rhetoric of Persona in Romans: Re-reading Romans 1:1-12";
Talbert, Romans (excerpt); Penna, Paul the Apostle (Reviewed by Given)
Supplemental Reading: Dabourne, Purpose
and Cause in Pauline Exegesis: Romans 1:16 - 4:25 and a New Approach to the Letters (Reviewed by Given); The
Testament of Asher Concerning Two Faces of Vice and Virtue; Zorn,
"The
Messianic Use of Habakkuk 2:4a in Romans" (Read up to "Habakkuk and Its
Context"); Homosexuality and the Bible; Martin, "Heterosexism and the Interpretation of Romans 1:18-32." Biblical Interpretation 3 (1995) 332-355 (Course Content)
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4th Element of Exegesis: Detailed
Analysis of the Text
Reading: Gorman, 109-137; 234-50
Assignment 10: "Detailed Analysis and Your Exegesis Passage: Initial Reflections"
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Nov 6 |
Discussion of
4th Element of Exegesis: Detailed
Analysis of the Text
Reading: Gorman, 109-136; 234-50
Exegesis Texts:
Madi: Eph 4:7-16
Carista: Gal 3:1-14
Mason: 1 Thess 4:1-12
Aubrey: Phil 1:12-26
Evan: Titus 3:1-11
Josiah: 2 Cor 3
Caitlin: 1 Cor 7:1-17
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Nov 8 |
God Justifies
the Ungodly II: The
Righteousness of
God Revealed
and Fulfillment
through Union
with Christ (Romans 3-8)
Reading: Rom
3:21-8:39; Taylor, 238-44
Supplemental Reading:
Mattison, "The
Meaning of the Law for Paul"; "Original Sin"; Hebrews 1:1-4; 8:1-10:39;
Byrne, On ReReading Paul; Gager,
"Paul's
Contradictions – Can They Be Resolved?";
"Calvinism"
(Center for Reformed Theology and Apologetics); Harink, "Apocalypsis
and Polis: Pauline Reflections on the Theological Politics of
Yoder, Hauerwas, and Milbank";
Meyer, "The Worm at the Core of the Apple"; Tabor, The Jewish-Roman
World of Jesus; Tabor, "The
Message and Mission of Paul"
(Read "The Message" which is part one of the article. Stop where the "Apostolic Authority and Mission" section
begins.)
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God Justifies
the Ungodly III: Salvation for
All (Romans
9-11)
Reading: Rom 9-11; Taylor, 244-46
Assignment 11 (20 pts.): Paul and Predestination (See Assignments on Blackboard)
Supplemental Reading: Cosgrove, "Paul and Ethnicity: A Selective History of Interpretation" (In Paul Unbound); Cosgrove, Elusive
Israel: The Puzzle of Election in Romans (reviewed by Nanos); Given, "Restoring the
Inheritance in Rom 11:1." Journal of Biblical Literature 118,1
(1999); Thomas, "The
Return of the Jewish Church"; Mouw, The
Chosen People Puzzle; Wagner, Heralds of
the Good News: Isaiah and Paul in Concert in the Letter to the Romans
(reviewed by Stanley); Young,
Paul
the Jewish Theologian (description and sample chapter)
The Mouw article is a very intriguing piece by an evangelical
theologian who failed a class because of Rom 11.
Whether you agree with Mouw's own position or not, his article does a good job of
illustrating the difficulties theologians face when trying to make sense of
Paul—and the rest of the NT for that matter—on the subject of Jews and
Judaism.
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Nov 13 |
God Justifies
the Ungodly V:
The End of Faith
(Romans 12-16)
Reading: Rom 12:1-16:27; Taylor, 246-53; Given, "Parenesis and Peroration: The Rhetorical Function of Romans 12:1–15:13" (Course Documents)
Supplemental Reading: Stark, "Liberating Subtext: Rereading Romans 13:1-7 after James C. Scott for Liberation Theology" (In Course Documents)
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Nov 15 |
Citizenship in
Heaven (Philippians, ca. 59 or 61 C.E.)
Reading: Acts 27:1-28:31; Philippians; Taylor, 255-76
Supplemental Reading: Acts 20:3-26:32; Dr. Mark's Annotated Chronology of Paul
(58–62 C.E.); Given, "Exegesis
of Phil 2:5-11", Lectionary Homiletics (Spring, '03); Marie-Eloise Rosenblatt, Paul the Accused- His Portrait in the Acts of the Apostles (reviewed by Given); Seeley, "The
Background of the Philippians Hymn (2:6-11)"; Wallace, "Philippians:
Introduction, Argument, and Outline"; Wright, "Paul's
Gospel and Caesar's Empire"
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Exegesis
3rd and 4th Element Due
Assignment 12: Exegesis 3rd and 4th Element (See Assignments on Blackboard)
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Nov 18-26 |
Thanksgiving
Holiday |
Nov 27
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5th and 6th Element of Exegesis:
Synthesis and Reflection -and- Errors to Avoid
Reading: Gorman, 139-58; 199-203
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Nov 29 |
Life in the
Christ-Believing
Family: The
End of Love (Philemon, ca. 59 C.E.)
Reading: Philemon; Taylor, 277-88
Supplemental Reading: Chris Frilingos, "'For My Child, Onesimus': Paul and Domestic Power in
Philemon." Journal of Biblical Literature . (See Course
Content); Grimke,
"Appeal
to the Christian Women of the South"; Raphall, "The
Bible View of Slavery"; Wallace, "Philemon:
Introduction, Argument , Outline"; Wallace, "Some
Initial Reflections on Slavery in the NT"
The nineteenth century Grimke and Raphall articles
illustrate the amazingly diverse ways the Bible was interpreted on the
subject of slavery.
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The
Probably Pseudepigraphic Paul
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The
Eschatological Paul: The Signs
of the Times (2
Thessalonians)
Reading: 2 Thessalonians (including HSB Intro); Taylor, 289-92
Assignment 13 (20 pts.): TBA (See Assignments on Blackboard)
Supplemental Reading: Boring, I and II Thessalonians: A Commentary (The New Testament Library); Given, "Review of Reicke, Re-examining
Paul's Letters: The History of the Pauline Correspondence"; Frank W. Hughes, "Pseudonymity
as Rhetoric: A Prolegomenon to the Study of Pauline Pseudepigrapha"
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Dec 4 |
The Universal
Paul: Absent
in Body, Present
in Spirit
(Colossians and
Ephesians)
Reading: Colossians and Ephesians (including HSB Intros), Taylor, 292-95
Supplemental Reading: Epistle to the Laodiceans;
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Dec 6 |
The
Ecclesiastical
Paul: Teacher of
the Logos of
Leadership (1
Timothy, 2
Timothy, Titus)
Reading: Titus, 1 Timothy, and 2 Timothy (including HSB Intros), Taylor, 295-99
Supplemental Reading: Ignatius;
Ignatius
to the Magnesians 1-8 (Hoole translation); Pervo, "Romancing an Oft-Neglected Stone: The Pastoral Epistles and the Epistolary Novel";
Polycarp; Polycarp
to the Philippians 1-6 (Lake translation); Krause, "Telling Women to Shut Up Is More Complicated That You Might Think," in Paul Unbound; Taylor, 299-309; The Acts of Paul
(Read Introduction and section
II.);
3
Corinthians; The
Prayer of the Apostle Paul;
The
Apocalypse of Paul;
The Correspondence of Paul and Seneca
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Dec 11 |
Exegesis
Papers Due |
Final Exam |
Wednesday,
December 13,
1:15 pm to 3:15
pm |