REL226A - WCH The New Testament

Professor: Richard Newton Newtonr@etown.edu Office: Wenger Center 212 Office Phone: 717-361-1277 Website: http://sowingtheseed.org

Course Description

This course introduces students to the literature known as the New Testament. It treats these texts as first-century Mediterranean artifacts, interpreting them in an attempt to understand the history, politics, anthropology, and expressions that typified the early Jesus movement. We will explore some of the methodologies used in biblical scholarship. And we will consider the New Testament’s place in the West’s cultural heritage.

Saint Peter and Saint Paul, by El Greco, c. 16th century. Hermitage Museum (Russia).

Student Learning Outcomes

By successfully completing the requirements of this course, you will be able to do the following:

(1) Describe the basic content of the New Testament.

(2) Describe the historical context out of which the New Testament emerged.

(3) Give an example of the way that a New Testament text can be subject to a variety of interpretations and methodologies.

(4) Write cogently—holding forth about a single thesis while blending assertions, evidence, and commentary to persuade a reader.

And by successfully completing the requirements of the course, you will be able to demonstrate your ability to meet the following student learning outcomes, which are outcomes for the Western Cultural Heritage Core: 

(5) Explain the importance of the New Testament as a significant aspect of Western cultural heritage.

(6) Illustrate the scriptural afterlives of a first-century text, charting its reception in historical and contemporary moments.

(7) Give an example of the way that a New Testament text can be subject to a variety of interpretations.

(8) Analyze primary and secondary sources in the field of biblical studies.