Assessment

Continuous Assessment 20% + Learning Journal on Group Project 30% + Exam 50%

Module Aims

This module focuses on St Paul as an exemplary missionary disciple and key figure in the development of Christianity. It explores early Christian theology, spirituality, and ethics through the critical study of selected texts from the Acts of the Apostles and the undisputed letters of Paul. These texts are interpreted considering their Jewish and Hellenistic backgrounds and within an Imperial Roman context. The aim is to equip the learner with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively read the Pauline corpus as Christian Scripture.

Indicative Syllabus

• The Jewish, Hellenistic, and Imperial Roman world of the first century
• Paul the Pharisee: world view and religious expression
• Luke’s portrait of Paul and Paul’s portrait of himself
• Paul’s Gospel in Imperial Context: salvation; honour and shame; lordship; (non)violence
• Reading a Pauline letter: methodological considerations
• Exegesis of selected passages in proto-Pauline letters
• Key elements of Pauline theology: covenantal, cruciform, pneumatic, apocalyptic
• Pauline ethics and spirituality: participation in Christ; countercultural communal vision, the theological virtues

Learning Outcomes

• — Situate Paul and his proclamation within Jewish, Hellenistic and Imperial Roman contexts.
• — Imitate the genre of a Pauline letter
• — Discuss Paul’s fundamental theological and pastoral concerns.
• — Apply central aspects of Paul’s theological, ethical and spiritual contribution to students' own contexts.
• — apply central aspects of Paul’s theological, ethical, and spiritual contribution to learners’ own context.
• — utilise appropriate methods of textual interpretation to exegete selected texts from the Pauline corpus.
• — reflect on quality of own participation in a group.

Bibliography

• — A Bible. (Recommended NRSV Study Bible)
• — Michael J. Gorman, Reading Paul. Milton Keynes: Paternoster, 2008.
• — Additional reading material posted on Moodle, mainly consisting of chapters from the sources listed below.
• — Letters, 2nd Ed, Grand Rapids MI: Eerdmans, 2016.
• — Maria Pascuzzi, Paul: Windows on his Thought and his World. Winona MN: Anselm Academic, 2014.
• — Brant Pitre, Michael P.Barber and John A. Kincaid, Paul a New Covenant Jew. Rethinking Pauline Theology. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing, 2019.
• — Mark Allen Powell, Introducing the New Testament, 2nd Ed, Ada MI: Baker Academic, 2018