Assessment

Online fixed time exam quiz 10% + 2500 word essay 90%

Module Aims

This module will (1) situate the theology of the Gospel of Mark within that of the New Testament, (2) explore the place of Mark within the New Testament and within the sociohistorical context of the first century, including the relationship to Rome, to Judaism, to Gentiles, to women, to the sick and marginalised, (3) unfold the artful construction of the Gospel through a narrative analysis of the whole and of ten selected passages, where the narrative theology of the Gospel comes to light, especially the Christology and the theology of discipleship.

Indicative Syllabus:

1. Opening the Story of Mark’s Gospel (face to face)
2. Mark in its Roman Imperial Context (face to face)
3. Gathering the Household (online)
4. Sowing the Gospel: Parables (online)
5. Crossing Boundaries (online)
6. Allegiance and Misunderstanding (online)
7. Mark’s Strong Women (face to face)
8. Jesus, Prayer, and God (face to face)
9. Death and Annihilation (face to face)
10. Mark Among the Gospels (online)

Learning Outcomes

• — L01 (Knowledge): Explain some of the main events and characters (God, Jesus, disciples) narrated in the Gospel of Mark.
• — L02 (Comprehension): Communicate the significance of certain key passages in the Gospel and show how these passages have been read in Christian tradition.
• — L03 (Application): Apply basic literary, narrative, and theological approaches to selected passages in the Gospel of Mark.
• — L04 (Analysis): Through a careful reading of selected Gospel passages with appropriate use of secondary sources, develop some personal perspectives on the passages.
• — L05 (Synthesis): Provide a succinct summary of a few major theological themes in the Gospel of Mark (e.g., God, Christology, Discipleship, Death & Resurrection), and present the results clearly in writing.
• — L06 (Evaluation): Demonstrate some discernment regarding problematic issues of interpretation within the biblical text.

Bibliography

• — Rhoads, David M., Joanna Dewey, and Donald Michie. Mark as Story: An Introduction to the Narrative of a Gospel. Third ed. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2012. [226.3066 RHO] [and Kindle]
• — Byrne, Brendan. A Costly Freedom: A Theological Reading of Mark's Gospel. Collegeville, Minn: Liturgical Press, 2008. [226.306 BYR]
• — Harrington, Wilfrid J. Reading Mark for the First Time. New York: Paulist Press, 2013. [226.306 HAR]
• — Struthers Malbon, Elizabeth. In the Company of Jesus. Characters in Mark’s Gospel. London; Leiden: Westminster John Knox, 2000. [226.3066 MAL]
• — Telford, William. The Theology of the Gospel of Mark. Cambridge, UK; New York: Cambridge University Press, 1999. [226.306 TEL] [and ebook]
• — Powell, Mark Allan. Introducing the New Testament: A Historical, Literary, and Theological Survey. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2018, [225.61 POW] [and ebook]