RELS 110: Literature of The New Testament

Wheaton College, Spring 2013

Robyn Faith Walsh, visiting instructor MW, 12:30-1:50 p.m. Course Description What do we know about the beginnings of Christianity and how do we know it? This course is designed to introduce you to the historical circumstances that gave rise to the religious movement we now call Christianity. Through the close and careful reading of both New Testament literature, and a variety of relevant ancient sources from outside of the Christian canon, we will work together to understand the world of the first through third centuries C.E. Beyond literary evidence, we will also use tools from other disciplines such as archaeology, art history, anthropology, the social sciences, gender studies and cognitive science to help us understand how the Jesus movement took root and flourished in the Roman world. This course does not presuppose any prior knowledge of Christian, Roman or Jewish history. All texts will be read in translation. This course will meet for 80 mins., twice a week (MW), for lecture and discussion. There will also be an onCourse site and discussion board for this class. Course Goals and Objectives The purpose of this course is for you to gain an enduring understanding of New Testament literature, its historical context and the multi-faceted evolution of the early Christian movement. As such, one of our central goals will be for you to learn to read historical texts critically and to engage these ancient sources with a variety of scholarly tools, including secondary sources as well as comparanda from a variety of other disciplines. Through our work together, you will also have the opportunity in this course to learn to:

improve your research, academic writing and communication skills through various course assignments and class discussion apply the subject matter of this course, and the critical thinking skills you will learn throughout the semester, to your broader academic interests

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Instructor information Robyn Faith Walsh walsh_robyn@wheatoncollege.edu Office: Knapton 215 508-286-3699 Course Requirements Attendance and Participation (20%): Our class will meet for lecture and discussion twice a week for 80 mins. You are expected to come to all class meetings prepared to discuss the assigned readings and to participate actively in discussion with your questions and ideas. We will also have a discussion board on onCourse. I will check this forum frequently, so please feel free to post questions, concerns and to talk to one another. Extra credit will be assessed for those who are active participants online (as well as in the classroom). Quizzes (25%): Throughout the semester there will be 5 brief short answer quizzes based on lecture and your readings (each worth 5%). These quizzes are not intended to be burdensome, but are designed as an assessment tool to make sure that you comprehend the material and are keeping up with the assignments. The quiz dates are preannounced in the syllabus. Midterm (25%): The midterm will be March 6th in class. It will be a combination of short answer questions, one short essay and a map identification. Final Project (30%): There are 4 options for your final. You are free to choose whichever option best caters to your learning style and strengths: 1) Final Exam: A traditional final, held during finals week. It will consist of short answers, matching and/or multiple choice and two short essays. 2) Book Review: A 10 pp. (aprox. 3000 words) book review of Chapter 7 (pp. 282-338) of Rodney Starks Discovering God (HarperCollins, 2008). The expectation for this assignment is for you to critically engage his argument(s) and evaluate the evidence he provides in light of our work in the course. 3) Research Paper: A 10-15 pp. (aprox. 3000-4500 words) research paper on a subject of your design, in consultation with me. This option will also require approval in advance via a research proposal. This option is strongly recommended for Religious Studies majors. 4) Special Project: If you have a creative idea for a relevant project related to your major, come see me. Similar to the research paper, this will require a proposal in advance and close consultation with me along the way. Some examples of an appropriate final project might include an art study, creative writing, interviewing notable scholars or religious leaders, epigraphic translation and interpretation, statistical analyses and so on. More detailed information on each of these assignments will follow. Office hours: Monday and Wednesday 2-3:30pm and by appointment or Skype I strongly encourage you to come visit during my office hours if you have any questions or concerns.

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Grading Policies & Other matters v If you submit work after set deadlines, without having made (and confirmed) prior arrangements with me, you should expect points deducted from that assignments final grade. Missed exams will only be allowed to be made up in exceptional circumstances. v If you are unable to attend class for some reason, please contact me as soon as possible. Absences for which an official deans letter or health services note is provided will not count against your final grade. v If a quiz is missed due to unavoidable and/or excused absence (e.g., athletic obligations), you will be given an opportunity to make up the quiz; however, you will be given a different quiz than the one taken by the rest of the class (although on related subjects). You will need to make special arrangements for this make-up. v You are expected to adhere to the Wheaton Honor Code. Violations of this policy will be subject to disciplinary action. v Student with any disabilities of which I should be aware, please contact me as soon as possible in order to make the appropriate arrangements. v Cell phones are to remain off at all times while class is in session. Laptops are permitted so long as it does not become clear that you are doing something other than our course work during class time. Additional Considerations Even if you know very little about Christianity, this course will challenge your assumptions and beliefs about this religious tradition and the meanings of its foundational texts. We will be thinking about this material historically as a human phenomenon, which some may find is not an easy task. Be prepared for a challenge! Be aware that the intention of this course is to introduce you to the literature of the New Testament, as well as sources that did not make it into the cannon, but were written during the same periods by early Christians. This means that, even though this is a 100-level course, it requires a good deal of reading of both primary and secondary sources. Also, please be cautious if referring to translations or information online about any of the materials we will cover. In the case of translations in particular, many can be quite outdated or affiliated with particular religious institutions with their own translation conventions. While some of these resources might be or seem useful, there is no guarantee of their reliability. Beyond the texts explicitly assigned in this course, if you are looking for a translation source, I would recommend the HarperCollins Study Bible (available in the bookstore)although even this translation is not without issue (which we will discuss)! Required Books & Other Course Materials Available at the bookstore: *Bart Ehrman, The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings, 5th ed. (New York: Oxford University Press, 2012). . *Bart Ehrman, The New Testament and Other Early Christian Writings: A Reader (New York: Oxford University Press, 1997). *HarperCollins Study Bible

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Further readings will be available on onCourse, or will be circulated in class. Weekly readings and assignments Assigned readings and written assignments should be completed before class. Please bring all readings and assignments with you to our sessions. Recommended Readings are not required, but you may find them helpful. This syllabus is subject to fine-tuning and modification, but expect no major shocks. Week 1, What do we mean by religion? Wed., Jan 23rd course introduction, review of syllabus Recommended reading: Ehrman, The New Testament: A Historical Introduction, pp. 1-16 (Chapter 1: What is the New Testament? The Early Christians and Their Literature) & pp. 17-28 (Chapter 2: Do We Have the Original New Testament?) W. Braun, Religion, pp. 3-34; W. Arnal, Definition, pp. 21-34; B. Mack, Social Formation, pp. 283-296 in Braun & R.T. McCutcheon, eds., Guide to the Study of Religion (Continuum, 2000). (PDF on OnCourse) assignment: Write one paragraph on your definition of religion. Be prepared to discuss your answer in class next time. Week 2, the First Century Roman world Mon., jan 28th roman Religion in the ancient Mediterranean

Primary Sources: Inscription from Asklepios at Epidauros; Vergil, Fourth Eclogue; Birth Narratives of: Plato, Alexander the Great, Pythagoras, Herakles; Aesops Fables; Iamblichus, Life of Pythagoras [selections] (onCourse) Ehrman, The New Testament: A Historical Introduction, pp. 29-48 (Chapter 3: The World of Early Christian Traditions) Wed., jan 30th Religion in Ancient Israel & The Galilee in the 1st century Primary Sources: Josephus, War 2:119-166, 3.29-58; Antiquities 18:18-22; Pliny the Elder, Natural History 5.73; Philo of Alexandria, On the Contemplative Life (onCourse) Ehrman, The New Testament: A Historical Introduction (hereafter, NTHI), pp. 49-68 (Chapter 4: The Jewish Context of Jesus and His Followers); pp. 259-274 (Chapter 17: Jesus in Context) Recommended reading: S. Cohen, Part I: Who was a Jew? in The Beginnings of Jewishness: Boundaries, Varieties, Uncertainties (UCP, 1999), pp. 13-106. (OnCourse)

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Week 3, Introduction to Paul the Apostle Mon., feb 4th Introducing Paul

Pauls letter to the Romans (in the HarperCollins Study Bible) Ehrman, NTHI, pp. 306-323 (Chapter 20: Paul the Apostle: The Man and His Mission); pp. 372-385 (Chapter 23: The Gospel According to Paul: The Letter to the Romans) Wed., feb 6th paul and his gentile project

Pauls letter to the Galatians (the HarperCollins Study Bible) Ehrman, NTHI, pp. 339-371 (Chapter 22: Paul and the Crises of His Churches: 1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, and Philemon) Week 4, the question of Pauline communities Mon., feb 11th the question of Pauline communities: Are there any?

Pauls First Letter to the Corinthians R. Brubaker, Ethnicity Without Groups (Harvard University Press, 2004), pp. 7-27. (onCourse) Recommended reading: C.J. Hodge, Jews and Non-Jews Pauls Ethnic Map & Reconstructing Gentile Origins: Adoption by Spirit in If Sons, then Heirs: A Study of Kinship and Ethnicity in the Letters of Paul (Oxford, 2007), pp. 43-77. (onCourse) Wed., feb 13th Paul: Success or Failure? quiz #1

S. Stowers, Paul the Apostle, pp. 1-29 (onCourse) Week 5, Other Epistles & situating the gospels Mon., feb 18th 1 Timothy

Women & The Deutero-Pauline and Pastoral Epistles (Guest Speaker: Laura Dingeldein)

Ehrman, NTHI, pp. 397-419 (Chapter 25: In the Wake of the Apostle) Wed., Feb 20th q and Thomas

The Gospel of Thomas (onCourse)

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Ehrman, NTHI, pp. 69-81 (Chapter 5: The Traditions of Jesus in Their Greco-Roman Context); pp. 105-113 (Chapter 8: The Synoptic Problem and Its Significance for Interpretation); pp. 221-227 The Gospel of Thomas (in Chapter 14: Jesus from Different Perspectives) Recommended reading: Primary Source: Q (onCourse) Week 6, The Gospels of Mark & Matthew Mon., Feb 25th The Gospel of mark

The Gospel of Mark Ehrman, NTHI, pp. 88-104 (Chapter 7: Jesus, the Suffering God Son of God: The Gospel according to Mark) Wed., Feb 27th matthews Gospel: the emerging church quiz #2

The Gospel of Matthew, Chapters 1-13

Ehrman, NTHI, pp. 114-133 (Chapter 9: Jesus the Jewish Messiah: The Gospel according to Matthew) Recommended reading: S. Stowers, Jesus the Teacher and Stoic Ethics in the Gospel of Matthew, in Dudenberg, et al., eds., Stoicism in Early Christianity (Hendrickson, 2011). (OnCourse) Week 7, The Gospel of Luke (& Midterm)

Mon., Mar 4th

The Gospel of Luke

The Gospel of Luke Ehrman, NTHI, pp.134-153 (Chapter 10: Jesus, Savior of the World: The Gospel according to Luke) Wed., Mar 6th ***Midterm in class***

Spring Break!!!

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Week 8, Acts, Ancient Epic & The Search for the Historical Jesus Mon., Mar 18th Acts of the Apostles Acts of the Apostles Ehrman, NTHI, pp.154-175 (Chapter 11: Lukes Second Volume: The Acts of the Apostles) M. Palmer-Bonz, The Past as Legacy (Fortress Press, 2000), pp. 15-25 (OnCourse) Recommended reading: The Alexander Romance & Apollonius King of Tyre (OnCourse) Wed., Mar 20th The Jesus Seminar & Re-describing Christian ORigins

Ehrman, NTHI, pp. 237-252 (Chapter 15: The Historical Jesus: Source, Problems, and Methods) Check out the Jesus Seminar homepage (onCourse) Recommended reading: K. Hopkins, The Christian Number and its Implications, Journal of Early Christian Studies 1.1 (1998), 185226. (OnCourse) week 9, The Gospel of John & Revelation Mon., Mar 25th The Gospel of John The Gospel of John Ehrman, NTHI, pp. 176-197 (Chapter 12: Jesus, the Man Sent from Heaven: The Gospel according to John) Wed., Mar 27th revelation

Revelation (aka The Apocalypse of John of Patmos) Ehrman, NTHI, pp. 490-507 (Chapter 30: Christian and the Cosmos: The Revelation of John, The Shepherd of Hermas, and the Apocalypse of Peter) Recommended reading: The Shepherd of Hermas and the Apocalypse of Peter (onCourse) 4 Ezra 3-14 (HarperCollins Study Bible)

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Week 10, Other representations of Jesus: Gnosticism & The Infancy Gospels Mon., Apr 1st Gnosticism

Primary Source: The Hypostasis of the Archons (onCourse) Ehrman, NTHI, pp. 208-214 Beyond the Johannine Community: The Rise of Christian Gnosticism (in Chapter 13: From Johns Jesus to the Gnostic Christ). K. King, What is Gnosticism? (Harvard University Press, 2003), pp. 1-19 (onCourse) WED., Apr 3rd The infancy gospel of Thomas quiz #3

The Infancy Gospel of Thomas (onCourse) R. Aasgaard, Jesus as a Child, in The Childhood of Jesus (Cascade, 2009), pp. 86-102. (onCourse) Week 11, The Second-Century Invention of Christianity Mon., Apr 8th The Second-Century Invention of Christianity

W. Arnal, The Collection and Synthesis of Tradition and the Second-Century Invention of Christianity, presentation version of a paper prepared for Redescribing Early Christianity Group, SBL Meetings, San Diego. (onCourse) E. Hobsbawm, Inventing Traditions, in The Invention of Tradition (Cambridge University Press, 2010), pp. 1-14. (onCourse) Wed., Apr 10th Paul and Thecla

The Acts of Paul and Thecla (onCourse) N. Denzey, The Bone Gatherers: The Lost Worlds of Early Christian Women (Beacon, 2007), pp. 11-24. (onCourse) week 12, Early Christian Art Mon., Apr 15th martyrdom & spectacle

Primary Sources: Letters of Pliny and Trajan; Letters of Ignatius of Antioch to the Smyrneans; Martyrdom of Polycarp (onCourse) Ehrman, NTHI, pp. 454-473 (Chapter 28: Christians and Pagans: 1 Peter, the Letters of Ignatius, the Martrydom of Polycarp, and Later Apologetic Literature) M. Beard & K. Hopkins, The Killing Fields, in The Colosseum (Profile, 2005), pp. 56-72. K.M. Coleman, Fatal Charades: Roman Executions Staged as Mythological Enactments, Journal of Roman Studies 80 (1990): 73-88. (onCourse)

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Recommended Reading(s): 2 Maccabees (HarperCollins Study Bible) B. Bergmann, Introduction, in The Art of Ancient Spectacle (National Gallery of Art, 1999), pp. 11-37. (onCourse) Wed., Apr 17th iconic representations in the catacombs quiz #4

Robin Jensen, Understanding Early Christian Art (Routledge, 2000), pp. 1-93. (onCourse) Please view links to catacomb websites (onCourse) week 12, Judaism After Christ Mon., Apr 22nd Bar kokhba

P. Schfer, The Bar Kochba Revolt (132-135 CE), in The History of the Jews in the GrecoRoman World (Routledge, 2003), pp. 145-161. (onCourse) wed., Apr 24th Anti-Jewish Literature Hebrews (HarperCollins Study Bible) Ehrman, NTHI, pp. 435-453 (Chapter 27: Christians and Jews: Hebrews, Barnabas, and Later Anti-Jewish Literature) week 13, Reflections & Course Review

mon., Apr 29th

Open Lecture (Your Choice!)

quiz #5

Some suggestions: Gospel of Jesus Wife, Gospel of Judas, use of the Bible by political regimes, more on gladiators or martyrs wed., may 1st Student Presentations

** Image on front page of syllabus: nativity relief from a sarcophagus in the Vatican Museum in Rome, Italy (my own photo). We will discuss the significance of this particular representation of Jesus later in the semester.

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