Syllabus for Religion 4080/6080

New Testament Literature

Dr. Wayne Coppins

1. General Observations

Honesty Policy:  All academic work must meet the standards contained in “A Culture of Honesty.”  All students are responsible to inform themselves about those standards before performing any academic work.
 
This Syllabus:  The course syllabus is a general plan for the course; deviations announced to the class by the instructor may be necessary.
 
Expectations: You are expected to come to class. You are expected to be on time. You are expected to turn off your cell phones etc. during class. You are expected to complete the assigned readings in preparation for class. You are expected to participate in class, to be respectful of others and to refrain from unduly dominating class discussion.

2. Course Description

This course will address the nature, content, and problems of New Testament literature

3. Objectives

To study the New Testament and some related literature, to become familiar with the content of the New Testament and some of the main issues in New Testament scholarship

4. Texts and Resources

Required:

a) A translation of the Bible. I recommend The New Revised Standard Version.

b) Raymond Brown, An Introduction to the New Testament (New York: Doubleday, 1997)

Recommended:

c) Bart D. Ehrman, The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings (3^rd ed; Oxford: OUP, 2004).

5. Format: The course will be based around a mixture of brief lectures, class discussions and small group discussions. The lectures will take their basic structure from Raymond Brown’s book An Introduction to the New Testament. For each class, you will be expected to read the relevant section(s) from Brown and from the New Testament. Moreover, I also encourage you to read the relevant material from Bart Ehrman’s introduction.

Class will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays:

8.00 - 9.15 Religion Department (Peabody), Room 219a (= 8am Class)

11.00- 12.15 Religion Department (Peabody), Room 201 (= 11am Class)

Office Hours (Religion Department, Room 216b): Wednesdays 9-10am and 4-6pm.

Email: wcoppins@uga.edu.

6. Course Requirements

There will be three exams during the course of the semester: 1) The Gospels and Related Works;

2) The Pauline Letters; 3) The Other New Testament Writings. Each exam will consist of three sections. Section 1 will contain multiple choice questions that are solely concerned with the content of the relevant New Testament books. In section 2 you will be given a number of short answer questions based on the New Testament, Brown (and Ehrman). In section 3 you will be asked to answer select essay questions based on the New Testament, Brown (and Ehrman). In addition to your exams, your grade will also depend upon your attendance and participation.

10% Attendance and participation

40% Exam 1: The Gospels and Related Works

30% Exam 2: The Pauline Letters

20% Exam 3: The Other New Testament Writings

A 94-100

A- 90-93

B+ 87-89

B 84-86

B- 80-83

C+ 77-79

C 74-76

C- 70-73

D 65-69

F 64 and below

7. Key Dates

Aug 16-21 DROP ADD for undergraduate level courses

Aug 16-23 DROP ADD for graduate level courses

Oct 9 Exam 1: The Gospels and Related Works

Oct 12 Withdraw deadline: Note difference between W and WF.

Oct 25-26 Fall Break

Nov 15 Exam 2: The Pauline Letters

Nov 21-23 Thanksgiving

Dec 4 No class / Friday Schedule

Dec 6 Last Class

Dec 11 Final Exam: The Other New Testament Writings

Class Schedule

1. Aug 16 (Th) Introduction: Expectations/Objectives/Format

Aug 16-21 DROP ADD for undergraduate level courses

2. Aug 21 (Tu) Approaching the New Testament

Brown: vii-xlii; Brown: 1-54;

Ehrman: xxi-xxxiii; Ehrman: 1-17; Ehrmann: 479-489

Aug 16-23 DROP ADD for graduate level courses

3. Aug 23 (Th) The World of New Testament Times

Brown: 55-96

Ehrman: 18-60; material between pages 156 and 157

4. Aug 28 (Tu) Introduction to the Study of the Gospels

Brown: 99-125

Ehrman: 61-66; 83-91; material between 316 and 317

5. Aug 30 (Th) The Gospel According to Mark (1)

NT: Mark 1-16

Brown: 126-149

6. Sept 4 (Tu) The Gospel According to Mark (2)

NT: Mark 1-16

Brown: 149-170 [126-170]

Ehrman: 67-82

7. Sept 6 (Th) The Gospel According to Matthew (1)

NT: Matthew 1-28

Brown: 171-203

8. Sept 11 (Tu) The Gospel According to Matthew (2)

NT: Matthew 1-28

Brown: 203-224 [171-224]

Ehrman: 92-111

9. Sept 13 (Th) The Gospel According to Luke (1)

NT: Luke 1-24

Brown: 225-262

10. Sept 18 (Tu) The Gospel According to Luke (2)

NT: Luke 1-24

Brown: 262-278 [225-278]

Ehrman: 112-131

11. Sept 20 (Th) The Acts of the Apostles (1)

NT: Acts 1-28

Brown: 279-316

12. Sept 25 (Tu) The Acts of the Apostles (2)

NT: Acts 1-28

Brown: 316-332 [279-332]

Ehrman: 132-153

13. Sept 27 (Th) The Gospel According to John (1)

NT: John 1-21

Brown: 333-361

14. Oct 2 (Tu) The Gospel According to John (2)

NT: John 1-21

Brown: 362-382 [333-382]

Ehrman: 154-175

15. Oct 4 (Th) The Letters of John

NT: 1 John; 2 John; 3 John

Brown: 383-405

Ehrman: 176-194

16. Oct 9 (Tu) Exam 1: The Gospels and Related Works

17. Oct 11 (Th) Introduction to Paul and his Letters

Brown: 409-455

Ehrman: 285-301

Oct 12 Withdraw deadline

18. Oct 16 (Tu) 1 Thessalonians and Galatians

NT: 1 Thessalonians and Galatians

Brown: 456-466; 467-482

Ehrman: 302-315; 331-340

19. Oct 18 (Th) Philippians and Philemon

NT: Philippians and Philemon

Brown: 483-501; 502-510

Ehrman: 340-344; 344-347

20. Oct 23 (Tu) 1 Corinthians

NT: 1 Corinthians

Brown: 511-540

Ehrman: 316-326

Oct 25-26 Fall Break

21. Oct 30 (Tu) 2 Corinthians

NT: 2 Corinthians

Brown: 541-558

Ehrman: 326-331

22. Nov 1 (Th) Romans

NT: Romans

Brown: 559-584

Ehrman: 348-361

23. Nov 6 (Tu) Pseudonymity; 2 Thessalonians

NT: 2 Thessalonians

Brown 585-589; 590-598

Ehrman: 372-378

24. Nov 8 (Th) Colossians and Ephesians

NT: Colossians and Ephesians

Brown: 599-619; 620-637

Ehrman: 378-381; 381-385

25. Nov 13 (Tu) The Pastoral Letters

NT: Titus; 1 Timothy; 2 Timothy

Brown: 638-652; 653-671; 672-680

Ehrman: 385-393; [395-407]

26. Nov 15 (Th) Exam 2: The Pauline Letters

27. Nov 20 (Tu) Hebrews

NT: Hebrews

Brown: 683-704

Ehrman: 408-425

Nov 21-23 Thanksgiving

28. Nov 27 (Tu) 1 Peter

NT: 1 Peter

Brown: 705-724

Ehrman: 426-444

29. Nov 29 (Th) James, Jude and 2 Peter

NT: James; Jude; 2 Peter

Brown: 725-747; 748-760; 761-772

Ehrman: 445-460

Dec 4 (Tu) No class / Friday Schedule

30. Dec 6 (Th: Last Class) The Book of Revelation

NT: Revelation

Brown: 773-813

Ehrman: 461-478

Dec 7 Reading Day

31. Dec 11 (Tu) Final Exam: The Other New Testament Writings

8am Class = 8-11;

11am Class = 12-3

Dec 15 Commencement

Dec 18 Grades Due