The New Testament was written nearly 2000 years ago in Koine Greek to people who were religiously formed by Second Temple Judaism, culturally formed by Greco-Roman values, and active participants in an emerging community as followers of Jesus who had not yet settled on its doctrinal borders. The purpose of this subject is to introduce you to these contexts to help you read the New Testament faithfully.
This unit examines the formation, content, background, storyline, main themes, and literature of the New Testament canon to facilitate its faithful interpretation for and communication to diverse contemporary audiences. We will critically analyse the three worlds of the biblical text, developing an informed theory of interpretation and engaging with various perspectives and methodologies. Special focus is given to the cultivation of methods and skills for reading and communicating the various genres within this corpus.
This is a big task and will require more than simply listening to lectures. You will need to read the New Testament itself as well as read the textbook and research topics of interest. You will engage with fellow students in discussion about the text and have opportunities to apply what you are learning in various types of assignments.
- Teacher: Peter Downes
- Teacher: Fletcher Hulks