Looking at Jesus Christ in the Context of The Modern World (Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30 pm)

Transcription

1 Looking at Jesus Christ in the Context of The Modern World (Wednesdays, 6:30-9:30 pm) Instructor: Associate Professor of Christian Theology Hartford Theological Seminary (Cell: ) - Course Description: This is an attempt to learn about the person and work of Jesus Christ in the theological literature and within the context of the modern age. The course begins with a brief introduction into the classical/patristic confessions on Jesus Christ (Nicene & Chalcedonian Christologies), setting up the foundational and principal components of the Christian belief in Christ. The rest of the course looks at the basic presumptions and claims behind various modernist biblical and theological interpretations of Jesus Christ in the last two hundred years or so. The course will analyze these various trends and assess their theological value for the Christian church. - Course s Objectives: At the end of the course the students would: 1- acquire a systematic and historical understanding of the roots of the contemporary thinking about Jesus Christ in Christianity 2- would have a chance to link this modern view of Christ to some contemporary issues that are pertinent to today s world. 3- will learn how to discuss carefully and argue critically some primary theological texts on Christology and to reflect their implications for today. - Office Hours: I shall be available from Monday to Thursday between 1:00 and 4:00 pm. Students are welcomed to drop by my place in 98 Girard Avenue after making an appointment. Asking for an appointment can be done via my , or via my cell phone:

2 -Suggested Primary Readings: there is no single textbook for this course and there are no required texts to be read before the beginning of the class. Students are required to read the assigned texts for every session during the semester (you will find them recorded underneath the title of every session in the course s outline section). In addition to these assigned texts, the students are encouraged to read at least one of the following basic texts either before the beginning of the semester or during its progress. These texts offer general overview on major aspects and questions related to Christology. The texts are placed here in alphabetical order, not in importance: Bock, Darrell L. Studying the Historical Jesus: A Guide to Sources and Methods, Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Academic, 2005 Daley, Brian E, SJ. Christ and Christologies, in The Oxford Handbook of Early Christian Studies, Susan Ashbrook Harvey and David G. Hunter (ed.), Oxford & New York: Oxford University Press, Hengel, Martin. Studies in Early Christology, Edinburgh & New York: T&T Clark, 2001 Kelly, J.N.D. Early Christian Doctrines, London: A&C Black, 1993 Macquarrie, John. Jesus Christ in Modern Thought, London: SCM Press/Philadelphia: Trinity Press International, 1993 Pelikan, Jaroslav. The Spirit of Eastern Christendom ( ), Chicago & London: University of Chicago Press, 1977 Theissen, Gerd and Annette Merz. The Historical Jesus: A Comprehensive Guide, Minneapolis: Fortress Press, Course s Outline and Reading Assignments I- Week One (Jan ): 1-6:30-8:00 pm: Introducing the course I- Setting the Contextual and Historical Scene 2-8:15-9:30 pm: The Context (1): Christology in the Life of Today s Church II- Week Two (Jan ): 3-6:30-8:00 pm: The Context (2): the Intellectual Framework Called Modernity [R.A: A. McGrath, Historical Theology, Ch.4, pp ] 4-8:15-9:30 pm: the Early Background (1): Christ in Scripture and early Christianity [R.A: M. Hengel, Studies in Early Christology, pp ] 2

3 III- Week Three (Fab ): 5-6:30-8:00 pm: the Early Background (2): The Beginnings of Christology [R.A: J.N.D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines, Ch. VI, pp ] 6-8:15-9:30 pm: the Early Background (3): Fourth-Century Christology [R.A: J.N.D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines, Ch. XI, pp ] IV- Week Four (Fab ): 7-6:30-8:00 pm: the Early Background (4): an Attempt at Settling the Christological Debates [R.A: J.N.D. Kelly, Early Christian Doctrines, Ch. XII, pp ] II- Christ in 20 th Century Historical-Critical and Theological Research 8-8:15-9:30 pm: Modern Historical-Critical Research (1): the First Quest of the Historical Jesus [R.A: D.F. Strauss, The Life of Jesus Critically Examined,. 1, 11, 13, 15] V- Week Five (Fab ): 9-6:30-8:00 pm: Modern Historical-Critical Research (2): Elaborating on the First Quest of the Historical Jesus [R.A: A. Schweitzer, The Quest of the Historical Jesus, Ch. XV, XX] 10-8:15-9:30 pm: Modern Historical-Critical Research (3): Questioning the First Quest of the Historical Jesus [R.A: R. Bultmann. Jesus and the Word, intro; and Bultmann, The Task and the Problems of New Testament Theology, in Theology of the New Testament, Vol. 2, Epilogue] VI- Week Six (Feb ): 11-6:30-8:00 pm: Modern Historical-Critical Research (4): The Second Quest of the Historical Jesus and Jesus Seminar [R.A: E. Käsemann, The Problem of the Historical Jesus, in Essays on New Testament Themes, pp ; J.M. Robinson, A New Quest of the Historical Jesus, Ch. IV] 12-8:15-9:30 pm: Modern Historical-Critical Research (5): How about a Third Quest? [R.A: N.T. Wright, The New Testament and the People of God, Ch. 4, Sec. 1-5] 3

4 VII- Week Seven (Mar ): 13-6:30-8:00 pm: Christological Outcomes (1): the Paradox Called 'Incarnation' [R.A: S. Kierkegaard, Philosophical Fragments, Ch. II, IV] 14-8:15-9:30 pm: Christological Outcomes (2): Christology from the Seats of the Worshipers [R.A: F. Schleiermacher. The Christian Faith,. 3-4, 93, 95, 100] VIII- Week Eight (Mar ): 15-6:30-8:00 pm: Christological Outcomes (3): Christology in the Proclamation s Texts [R.A: M. Kähler. The So-Called Historical Jesus and the Historic Biblical Christ, pp ] 16-8:15-9:30 pm: Christological Outcomes (4): Christology From-above, from the Pulpit, At Least! [R.A: K. Barth, The Humanity of God, in The Humanity of God, Ess. 2] IX- Week Nine (Mar ): 17-6:30-8:00 pm: Christological Outcomes (5): Christology Armed with the Shield of History [R.A: G. Ebeling. The Nature of Faith, Ch. III, IV] 18-8:15-9:30 pm: Christological Outcomes (6): Christology as Interaction and Reciprocity: From-below [R.A: W. Pannenberg, Jesus, God and Man, pp ] Reading Week & Easter Reading Week & Easter.Reading Week & Easter X- Week Ten (Mar ): 19-6:30-8:00 pm: Christological Outcomes (7): The Logical Tenability of the Incarnation as Theological Notion [R.A: C.S. Evans. The Historical Christ and the Jesus of Faith, Ch. 6, pp ] 20-8:15-9:30 pm: Christological Outcomes (8): Epistemology and the Nature of Theological Knowledge [R.A: T.F. Torrance, God and Rationality, CH. 4, PP ] 4

5 XI- Week Eleven (Apr ): III- Contemporary Christological Questions 21-6:30-8:00 pm: Christ s Uniqueness (1): One of His Kind? Not Really [R.A: J. Hick. The Metaphor of God Incarnate, Ch. 9, 13, 14] 22-8:15-9:30 pm: Christ s Uniqueness (2): One of His Kind? Yes, But! [R.A: P. Knitter. No Other Names? Ch. 9] XII- Week Twelve (Apr ): 23-6:30-8:00 pm: Christ s Uniqueness (3): One of His Kind? Absolutely [R.A: E. Jüngel, Extra Christum Nulla Salus, in Theological Essays, E. Jüngel, Vol. 1, pp ] 24-8:15-9:30 pm: Is Jesus Sinless or Sinful? (1): His Ethical Life Proves His Sinlessness [R.A: W. Herrmann. The Communion of the Christian with God, Ch. II,. 9-11, 14; and F. Schleiermacher. The Christian Faith,. 94, 98] XIII- Week Thirteen (Apr ): 25-6:30-8:00 pm: Is Jesus Sinless or Sinful? (2): Sinless, Yet Became Sin for Us [R.A: K. Barth. Church Dogmatic, IV.1, pp ] 26-8:15-9:30 pm: Is Jesus Sinless or Sinful? (3): In the Image of Sinful Humanity [R.A: D. Bathrellos, The Sinlessness of Jesus: A Theological Exploration in the Light of Trinitarian Theology, in Trinitarian Soundings in Systematic Theology, B.L. Metzger (ed.), pp ] XIV- Week Fourteen (Apr ): 27-6:30-8:00 pm: Jesus Gender: A Male Redeemer? Give Us a Break! [R.A: R.R. Ruether. Sexism and God Talk, Ch. 5] 28-6:15-7:30 pm: conclusion and evaluation. - Course Requirements 1) Assigned readings preparation and active class participation: Students are required to read these texts as thoroughly and perceptively as they can and then to demonstrate an active class participation by coming to the sessions with questions or comments on them and the taught materials therein. 5

6 2) Book Review: Students are required to write 3-4 pages-long book appraisals. The appraisal must 1) present a sufficient and accurate exposition of the book s main argument and claims, 2) offer a perceptive critical assessment of these argument and claims and 3) end with a proposal on how such a book is valuable for today s readers on christology. Students must submit this book appraisal to the instructor no later than the week Fourteen (the last week) of the course s schedule. The book the students must review should be one of the following texts: - Hans W. Frei. The Identity of Jesus Christ: the Hermeneutic Bases of Dogmatic Theology, Wipf & Stock, Ernest Renan, The Life of Jesus, Prometheus Books, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Christ the Center, Harper & Row, Elizabeth Johnson, Consider Jesus: Waves of Renewal in Christology, Crossroads, Leonardo Boff, Passion of Christ, Passion of the World, Orbis Books, ) Term Papers: students are expected to write pages-long ( wordslong) papers (foot/endnotes, bibliography, outlines, are excluded). They must submit them to the instructor at the end of the teaching calendar of the semester. The students are required to pick up one of the subjects related to the christology and write a paper on it either in relation to Christian life and ministry or in relation to Christianity s interfaith relation with Islam or Judaism. - Grading Division: 1- reading s preparation and class participation (40%) 2- Book Review: (30%) 3- Term paper: (30%) - Grading Criterion Students are graded using the A, B, C, or F system, with + and markings allowed. For purposes of this course, these grades mean: A Exceptional in several or most ways; completes all tasks, is creative and even original in content, and displays mastery of expression. B Adequate in all basic ways; parts of the task are slighted, the content has minor weakness, and expression is competent yet not compelling. C Inadequate in some ways; does not address significant tasks, shows weak or erroneous content, and expression sometimes obstructs understanding. 6

7 - Additional Policies: 1) Forbidden in the Classroom: - mobile phones, unless shut down completely, are disallowed in the classroom. - while bringing laptops or electronic Tablets is allowed for the purpose of recording or writing lecture notes, surfing the net or using any other program on the internet during the session is strictly forbidden. 2) Attendance: Attendance in class is required. If you know you will be unable to attend a class session please inform the professor in advance. Missing two sessions will result in an automatic lowering of your final grade by 10%. Missing three or more sessions will result in automatic failure of the course. 3) Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the failure to give proper credit for the words or ideas of another person, whether published or unpublished, and is strictly prohibited. Credit will not be given for written work in this course containing plagiarism, and plagiarism may result in a failing grade for the entire course. Please consult the Plagiarism Policy on pp of the Hartford Seminary Catalogue , and/or contact the instructor with questions in this regard. - Selected Bibliography The books enlisted here are by no means exhaustive of all the literature on christology that is available in the field. Students are encouraged to look for other primary and secondary literature and to use every theological book they believe is helpful for their term papers writing or understanding of Christology. Astley, Jeff: David Brown and Ann Loades (eds.). Christology: Key Readings in Christian Thought, Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, Awad, Najeeb G., Is a Perichoresis between Theological Interpretation and Historical Criticism Possible? toward a Balanced Hermeneutics of Scriptural Christology, in Theological Review, 31/2, pp Barth, Karl. The Göttingen Dogmatics: Instruction in the Christian Religion, Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans, 1991 Barth, Karl. Church Dogmatic: The Doctrine of the Word of God, Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1956, Vol.I.2 Barth, Karl. Church Dogmatic: The Doctrine of Reconciliation, Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1956, Vol.III.1 Boring, Eugene M, "The 'Third Quest' and the Apostolic Faith," in Interpretation, Vol. 50(4), 1996, pp Bultmann, Rudolf. Theology of the New Testament, New York, NY: Charles Scribner, , 2 Vols Bultmann, Rudolf. Jesus and the Word, New York, NY: Charles Scribner, 1958 Conzelmann, Hans. Jesus, Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press, 1973 Dunn, James D.G. Christology in the Making: A New Testament Inquiry into the Origins of the Doctrine of the Incarnation, London: SCM Press, Ebeling, Gerhard. Theology and Proclamation: A Discussion with Rudolf Bultmann, London: Collins, 1966 Ebeling, Gerhard. The Nature of Faith, London: Collins, 1961 Evans, C. Stephen. The Historical Christ and the Jesus of Faith: the Incarnational Narrative as History, Oxford: Clarendon Press,

8 Fiorenza, Elisabeth Schüssler. Jesus, Marian s Child, Sophia s Prophet: Critical Issues in Feminist Christology, London: SCM Press, 1995 Galvin, John P., "I Believe in Jesus Christ, His Only Son, Our Lord," in Interpretation, Vol. 50(4), 1996, pp Gunton, Colin E. The Christian Faith: an Introduction to Christian Doctrine, Malden, Mass: Blackwell Publishers, 2002 Harvey, A.E (ed.). God Incarnate: Story and Belief, London: SPCK, Hengel, Martin. Studies in Early Christology, Edinburgh & New York: T&T Clark, Herrmann, Wilhelm. The Communion of the Christian with God: Described on the Basis Of Luther s Statements, 3 rd ed. New York, N.Y: Putman, 1915 Hick, John. The Metaphor of God Incarnate: Christology in a Pluralistic Age, Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 1993 Inbody, Tyron L. The Many Faces of Christology, Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2002 Jüngel, Eberhard. Theological Essays, Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1995, 2Vols Kähler, Martin. The So-Called Historical Jesus and the Historical Biblical Christ, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1964 Kӓrkkӓinen, Veli-Matti. Christology: A Global Introduction, Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007 Käsemann, Ernst. Essays on New Testament Themes, London: SCM Press, 1964 Kierkegaard, Søren. Philosophical Fragments, Princeton, N.J: Princeton University Press, 1962 Knitter, Paul. Jesus and the Other Names: Christian Mission and Global Responsibility, Oxford: Oneworld, 1996 Knitter, Paul. No Other Name? A Critical Survey of Christian Attitudes toward the World Religions, Maryknoll, N.Y: Orbis Books, 1985 Kӧstenberger, Margaret Elizabeth. Jesus and the Feminists: Who Do They Say That He Is? Wheaton: Crossroad Books, Lassalle-Klein, Robert. Jesus of Galilee: Contextual Christology for the 21 st Century, Maryknoll: Orbis Books, Longenecker, Richard N. The Christology of Early Jewish Christianity, Vancouver: Regent College Publishing, Macquarrie, John. Jesus Christ in Modern Thought, London: SCM Press/ Philadelphia: Trinity Press International, McGrath, Alister E. The Making of Modern German Christology: from the Enlightenment to Pannenberg, Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1986 McKinney, Richard, W.A (ed.), Creation, Christ & Culture, Edinburgh: T & T Clark, Meier, John P, "Dividing Lines in Jesus Research Today," in Interpretation, Vol. 50(4), 1996, pp Metzger, Paul L (ed.). Trinitarian Soundings in Systematic Theology, London: T&T Clark, 2005 Norris, Richar A, Jr. The Christological Controversy, Minneapolis: Fortress Press, O Collins, Gerald, S.J. Christology: A Biblical, Historical and Systematic Study of Jesus Christ, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009 Pannenberg, Wolfhart. Jesus-God and Man, 2 nd Ed. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1977 Pannenberg, Wolfhart. Systematic Theology, Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans, 1998, Vol. 2. Porter, Stanley. The Criteria for Authenticity in Historical-Jesus Research, Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, Powell, Mark Allan & David R. Bauer (eds.). Who Do You Say That I Am? Essays in Christology, Louisville, Ken: Westminster John Knox Press, 1999 Reimarus, Hermann S. Fragments from Reimarus, London: Williams & Norgate, 1879 Robinson, James M. A New Quest of the historical Jesus, London: SCM Press, 1959 Roukema, Reimer. Jesus, Gnosis and Dogma, New York: T&T Clark/Continuum Imprint, Ruether, R.R. Women and Redemption: A Theological History, London: SCM Press, 1998 Ruether, Rosemary R. Sexism and God-Talk: Towards a Feminist Theology, London: SCM Press, 2002 Sanders, Fred and Klaus Issler. Jesus in Trinitarian Perspective, Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, Schleiermacher, Friedrich. The Christian Faith, Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1928 Schwarz, Hans. Christology, Grand Rapids, USA/ Cambridge, UK: W.B. Eerdmans, 1998 Schweitzer, Albert. The Quest of the Historical Jesus, London: SCM Press, 2000 Spence, Alan J. Christology: A Guide for the Perplexed, London & New York: T&T Clark/ A Continuum 8

9 Imprint, Strauss, David F. The Life of Jesus Critically Examined, London: SCM Press, 1973 Sykes, S.W and J.P. Clayton (eds.), Christ, Faith and History: Cambridge Studies in Christology, London, Cambridge, New York: Cambridge University Press, Tanner, Kathryn. Christ the Key, Cambridge & New York: Cambridge University Press, Thompson, William M. The Struggle for Theology s Soul: Contesting Scripture in Christology, New York: Crossroad, 1996 Weiss, Johannes. Jesus' Proclamation of the Kingdom of God, R.H. Hiers & D.L. Holland (trans.), Philadelphia: Fortress Press, Wrede, William. The Messianic Secret, J.C.G. Creig (trans.), London: J. Clarke, Wright. N.T. The New Testament and the People of God, London: SPCK,