Undergraduate Course: The Apostle Paul in and beyond the New Testament (DIVI10013)
Course Outline
| School | School of Divinity |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 10 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | A study of one or more of Paul's epistles involving close attention to exegesis, literary criticism, religious/theological themes and historical questions. |
| Course description |
Academic Description:
The course is a study of one or more of Paul's epistles involving close attention to exegesis, literary criticism, religious/theological themes, and historical questions. In any given semester, it will focus either on a particular letter (e.g., Romans, 1 Corinthians, Galatians) or on a particular theme (e.g., the law of Moses, the figure of Jesus, moral improvement). The primary focus of the course is the letters of Paul themselves, but other relevant ancient texts and also modern critical treatments will be brought in where relevant.
Syllabus/Outline Content:
The course will focus on one or more certainly authentic letters of Paul (Romans, 1-2 Corinthians, Galatians, Philippians, Philemon, and 1 Thessalonians) and may also consider letters of disputed authenticity (2 Thessalonians, Colossians, Ephesians, 1-2 Timothy, Titus) and certainly spurious letters (3 Corinthians, Laodiceans, Paul and Seneca). Secondary sources on Paul from antiquity (e.g., Acts of the Apostles, Acts of Paul and Thecla) will also be consulted where relevant. Select readings from key modern critics of Paul will be assigned relative to the particular letter or theme for that semester.
Student Learning Experience Information:
The course meets once each week for a two-hour block, with a schedule of readings to be carried out before each meeting. On any given week, the first hour is an interactive lecture, and the second hour is a seminar-style discussion of primary texts. Student numbers permitting, over the course of the semester each student will give one short presentation on one of the texts for his or her assigned day. Through participation in lecture and seminar discussions, as well as through the written work and the examination included in the assessment schedule, students will demonstrate their achievement of the intended learning outcomes.
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Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | Visiting students should have at least three Divinity/Religious Studies courses at grade B or above (or be predicted to obtain this). We will only consider University/College level courses. |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
| Not being delivered |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of critical issues in the study of Paul and his letters.
- Articulate independent, well-reasoned positions on these interpretive issues.
- Criticise important secondary literature on the apostle Paul and his letters.
- Undertake independent exegetical research on Pauline and other early Christian texts.
- Present the results of research in coherent, structured written form.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
- Capacity to modify, suspend or otherwise change position when warranted
- Analytical ability and the capacity to formulate questions and solve problems
- Writing skills, including clear expression and citing relevant evidence
- Ability to engage critically with the meaning of documents and recognise that meanings may be multiple |
| Keywords | Christianity,New Testament |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Matthew Novenson
Tel: (0131 6)50 8942
Email: matthew.novenson@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | |
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