SC-531 New Testament Survey Fall 2017 Shanell T. Smith, Ph.D. Associate Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins Meeting Dates and Times: Mondays 7:00-9:45pm Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 9:00-11:30am Best Form of Contact: ssmith@hartsem.edu Email Policy: The instructor will use the official Hartsem student email addresses for all communications. Please check your Hartsem email account regularly. I. Course Description What is the New Testament? Who are its authors? Why these texts? What was going on when they were written? And for whom? How are these texts read today? What happens during the process of interpretation? Does one s context really matter? This course, which explores the New Testament texts in a broad, survey fashion, will tackle these questions (and many more!). We will read the biblical texts closely, critically, and constructively, while simultaneously doing a close reading of ourselves. We will also incorporate several types of biblical methods and lenses that are used in New Testament scholarship such as literary, rhetorical, feminist, womanist, and postcolonial criticisms (to name a few). II. Objectives To help students: Gain familiarity with the New Testament (NT) texts Examine biblical texts in their ancient contexts Examine one s role in biblical interpretation and the factors that influence one s reading To enhance and practice dialogue about biblical texts Critically engage and evaluate secondary scholarship (monographs, articles, essays, commentaries, etc.) by asking questions and challenging arguments based on the student s own biblical analysis Discover that context matters, and in the process, learn how to read NT texts with theological and ethical sensitivity III. Identified Seminary Learning Outcomes: To demonstrate foundational and critical knowledge of one s own religion. To demonstrate knowledge and skills for dialogical and constructive engagement with diversity. IV. Required Texts 1. Harold W. Attridge, ed. The Harper Collins Study Bible. New Revised Standard Version (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2006). [ISBN: 978-0060786847] Other acceptable NRS translations
that provide study notes developed for the academic study of the Bible are the Oxford Annotated Study Bible or the New Interpreter s Study Bible. Be sure to bring a Bible to every class. 2. Stephen L. Harris, The New Testament: A Student s Introduction (7th ed.; McGraw-Hill, 2012). [ISBN: 978-0073535821] 3. Free Online Synopses on NT Gateway: The Five Gospel Parallels The Three Synoptics http://www.ntgateway.com/gospel-and-acts/general-resources/texts-and-synopses/ V. Recommended Texts The following books, all of which feed into different parts of the course, are recommended. Students may wish to purchase them for their personal libraries. These are also on reserve in the library. 1. Brian K. Blount et al., eds. True to Our Native Land: An African American New Testament Commentary (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2007). [ISBN: 978-0800634216] 2. Cain Hope Felder, ed. Stony the Road We Trod: African American Biblical Interpretation (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1991). [ISBN: 978-0800625016] 3. Frank J. Matera, New Testament Christology (Westminster John Knox Press, 1999). [ISBN: 978-0664256944] 4. Amy-Jill Levine and Marc Zvi Brettler, eds., The Jewish Annotated New Testament (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011). [ISBN: 978-0195297706] 5. Carol A. Newsom, Sharon H. Ringe, and Jacqueline E. Lapsley eds. Women s Bible Commentary: Revised and Updated (Louisville, Kentucky: Westminster John Knox Press, 2012). [ISBN: 978-0664237073] 6. Daniel Patte, ed. Global Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2004). [ISBN: 978-0687064038] 7. Fernando F. Segovia and R. S. Sugirtharajah, eds. A Postcolonial Commentary on the New Testament Writings (New York: T & T Clark, 2007). [ISBN: 978-0567637079] 8. Shanell T. Smith, The Woman Babylon and the Marks of Empire: Reading Revelation with a Postcolonial Womanist Hermeneutics of Ambiveilence (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2014). [ISBN: 978-1451470154] VI. Course Requirements and Assessments A. Presence, Participation, and Preparation (10% of Final Grade) Smith, SC-531 p.2
Regular attendance at all class sessions and active participation in discussion groups are expected. If you are unable to attend a class session, please notify the professor in advance or at the earliest opportunity via email. Please plan to arrive promptly to class, and stay for its duration. It is also important that students return promptly after class breaks. Missing two sessions without a legitimate excuse will result in an automatic lowering of your final grade by 10%. Missing three or more sessions without explanation or permission will result in automatic failure of the course. Your presence is necessary and important for maximal learning for everyone. Be ready to ask questions and participate in discussions in a positive and constructive way. Rich, critical dialogue occurs when we discuss, debate, and consider the texts and various issues as a collective. Care should be taken when speaking; however, to make sure that everyone (including the less talkative ones) gets an opportunity to engage. B. Reading Ambiveilently Writing Assignments (40% of Final Grade) Students will write a total of 7 short papers. First paper: Reflecting on the Questionnaire (10 points) o Answer the questionnaire in full with sincerity and honesty. Some questions can remain blank if further reflection or clarification of its meaning is needed. (For subsequent writing assignments [after the questionnaire has already been completed], revisit your answers making changes if necessary.) o Respond to the questions prompted on the Reading Ambiveilently Questionnaire handout. Remaining Papers: The weight of these papers will gradually increase over the course of the semester. Paper 2 (3 points), Paper 3 (4 points), Paper 4 (5 points), Paper 5 (5 points), Paper 6 (6 points), Paper 7 (7 points) o Re-read and reflect on your responses to the Questionnaire, updating your responses as needed. o Reflect and take notes on the factors that emerge as you engage the biblical text. How do they influence the way you read the text and why? What are your thoughts about this engagement? (If the biblical passage is not pre-selected by the professor, the student will choose a passage from the assigned text of the day. Tip: Choose a passage that has the most effect on you.) o What is your interpretation of the text? Were you surprised at the meaning surmised? (How) might you rectify any lingering tensions within yourself, and between you and the text? Paper specifications: Times New Roman, 12 point font, double-spaced, 2-3 pages (475-word minimum and 750-word maximum). I will not read beyond the maximum word limit. Smith, SC-531 p.3
C. Major Presentation and Handout (30% of Final Grade) Students will do a 15-20 minute thesis-driven presentation on either a history of interpretation of a particular passage, or a major theme of a text (such as Paul s View of Women or The Gospel of Matthew and Anti-Judaism ). All presentations should be relevant to the topic of the day, and must be approved by the professor. A sign-up sheet will be distributed at the start of the semester. Each presentation is to be accompanied by a one-page handout. The handout and presentation should facilitate the discussion of the class as a whole. The best presentations encourage discussion, and the most helpful handouts offer resources for further study. In other words, an effective presentation does not involve reading a lengthy handout to the class. Be creative, and have fun! **See handout: Major Presentation Guidelines for additional instruction.** D. Final Reflective Essay and Presentation (20% of Final Grade) This reflection, which will be read on the last day of class, should include critical theories used to engage diversity and biblical interpretation in a given context (including but not limited to: race, sex, class, sexual orientation, and faith tradition). Students will be critically reflexive about their own social location, considering how various social indicators (as per the self-inventory) affect their encounter with biblical texts and with others. Students will also discuss the knowledge and skills they believe are required for this honest and respectful engagement to occur. Students will write a critical reflection on the following prompt: At Hartford Seminary, an intentionally multi-faith school, many students in the classroom fixate on issues of religious difference related to Christian, Muslim, and Jewish faith traditions, but at the expense of recognizing the basic notion and reality of personhood and how that not only influences the way we read biblical texts, but also how we engage others about them. With the threat of religious tolerance or conversion ever present in the air, many students attempt to read biblical texts objectively and fail to see the impact of who they are as flesh-and-blood readers in the task of interpretation. Reading ambiveilently helps students move beyond a rote examination of religious difference by compelling them to (re)-discover her-/himself by becoming vulnerable in the interpretative task. Through a process of self-inventory, students are lead to a fuller awareness of the self, resulting in a more critically engaged biblical interpretation, and a deeper and more honest dialogue with their peers creating a greater sense of community. ***Reflections will also include examples of this process at work. For example, a student may briefly include an aha moment from an engagement with a particular text, a learning moment during class dialogue, etc. Essay specifications: Smith, SC-531 p.4
Length: between 5-6 pages (1,250 1,500 words) Please note: Once word limit is reached, I will stop reading. Double-spaced, 12 pt. font, Times New Roman, NO justification, 1 inch margins Due Date: Monday, December 18, 2017. VII. Learning Resources and Expectations Hartford Seminary Grading Scale Master s Students: A (95-100) Demonstrates excellent mastery of the subject matter, a superior ability to articulate this, and provides helpful connections to daily life or contemporary issues. Exceeds expectations of the course. A- (90-94) Demonstrates mastery of the subject matter, ability to articulate this well, and makes connections to daily life or contemporary issues. Exceeds expectations of the course. B+(87-89) B (83-86) B-(80-82) C+(77-79) C (70-76) Demonstrates a very good understanding of the subject matter, able to articulate lessons learned in the assignment well. Meets expectations of the course. Demonstrates an understanding of the subject matter and the ability to articulate lessons learned. Meets expectations of the course. Demonstrates an understanding of the material at hand, has some difficulty articulating this, and basic connection of the material to daily life or contemporary issues/life. Meets basic expectations for the course. Demonstrates a basic comprehension of the subject matter, weak articulation and connections. Does not meet expectations for the course. Demonstrates a minimal comprehension of the subject matter and has difficulty making connections. Does not meet expectations of the course. F (below 70) Unable to meet the basic requirements of the course. Grades range from A to C and F; A+ s and C- s are not part of the grading system. On a 4.0 GPA scale A (4.00), A-(3.66), B+(3.33), B(3.00), B-(2.66), C+(2.33), C(2.00) and F(0.00). A grade point average of no less than B- (2.66) is required to maintain good standing. The minimum G.P.A. required for graduation is 2.75. DMin students: High Pass (95-100), Pass (83-94), Low Pass (70-82), and Fail (below 70) Plagiarism and Academic Integrity Academic honesty and integrity are expected of all students. Plagiarism exists when: a) the work submitted was done, in whole or in part, by anyone other than the one submitting the work, b) parts of the work, whether direct quotations, ideas, or data, are taken from another source without acknowledgement, c) the whole work is copied from another source [especially a web based source], or d) significant portions of one s own previous work used in another course. See Plagiarism at http://www.hartsem.edu/current-students/policies/. Smith, SC-531 p.5
Appropriate Classroom Etiquette and Use of Technology: In order to respect the community within the classroom: 1) Mute all cell phones during class; 2) Utilize laptops for the sole purpose of taking class notes. Please do not surf the web, email, or other programs during class time. Such use of the computer during class is disrespectful of the class and professor, and may result in lowering your participation grade. Inclusive Language: Hartford Seminary is committed to a policy of inclusion in its academic life and mission. All members of the community are expected to communicate in language that reflects the equality of genders, openness to diverse cultural and theological perspectives, and sensitivity to one another s images of God. Extensions: Extensions for papers will be given for illnesses or family emergencies only in consultation with the instructor. Official Handbooks: For all other questions you might have regarding policies or procedures, please check the student handbook http://www.hartsem.edu/current-students/student-handbook/ and seminary policies at Academic policies are listed at http://www.hartsem.edu/current-students/policies/ CLASS SCHEDULE AND READING ASSIGNMENTS ** Please note that all readings are subject to change. Students will be notified in advance.** Week 1 Monday, September 11: Introduction to the Course and Reading Ambiveilently Students are strongly encouraged to begin reading Harris, Part Two: The Three Worlds in Which Christianity Originated (pp. 39-104) to get an overview of the ancient contexts of the biblical text in preparation for our second class. (Don t be alarmed at the page count! There are lots of charts and pictures!) Week 2 Monday, September 18: The New Testament, The New Testament World and Modern Scholarship *** Reading Ambiveilently writing assignment on the Questionnaire is due today.*** Harris, The New Testament, pp. 2-22, 109-125. Smith, SC-531 p.6
Week 3 - Monday, September 25: The Gospel of Mark *** Reading Ambiveilently writing assignment on a passage in Mark is due today.*** Read the entire Gospel of Mark (preferably in one sitting). It s the shortest gospel! As you read, pay special attention to the unfolding relationship between Jesus and his disciples how it begins, how it develops, how it ends. (Please take notes on your findings.) Harris, The New Testament, pp. 126-153. Tat-siong Benny Liew, The Gospel of Mark, in A Postcolonial Commentary on the New Testament Writings, eds. Fernando F. Segovia and R. S. Sugirtharajah (New York: T.&T. Clark International, 2007), pp. 105-132. (thoroughly skim) Richard A. Horsley, Submerged Biblical Histories and Imperial Biblical Studies, in The Postcolonial Bible, ed. R. S. Sugirtharajah (Sheffield Academic Press, 1998), pp. 152-62. Seong Hee Kim, Rupturing the Empire: Reading the Poor Widow as a Postcolonial Female Subject (Mark 12:41-44), Lectio Difficilior: European Electronic Journal for Feminist Exegesis 1 (2006). Week 4 Monday, October 2: The Gospel of Matthew and The Synoptic Problem *** Reading Ambiveilently writing assignment on Matthew 15:21-28 is due today.*** Read the entire Gospel of Matthew (preferably in one sitting) Harris, The New Testament, pp. 154-188. Anthony J. Saldarini, Reading Matthew without Anti-Semitism, in The Gospel of Matthew in Current Study (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdman s, 2001), pp. 166-185. Amy-Jill Levine, Matthew, in Women s Bible Commentary: Expanded Edition with Apocrypha, ed. Carol A. Newsom and Sharon H. Ringe (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1998), pp. 465-477. (Furthermore WBC) Student Presentation: The Gospel of Matthew and Anti-Judaism Week 5 - Monday, October 9: The Gospel of Luke and Acts Smith, SC-531 p.7
Read the Gospel of Luke and skim Acts As you read both texts, please pay attention to the following topics: The radical teaching on wealth and poverty The prominent role played by the Holy Spirit The striking emphasis on prayer Harris, The New Testament, pp. 189-217 and pp. 221-245 (thoroughly skim). René Krüger, Luke s God and Mammon, A Latin American Perspective, in Global Bible Commentary, ed. Daniel Patte (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2004), pp. 395-400. (Furthermore GBC) Jane D. Schaberg and Sharon H. Ringe, Luke, WBC, pp. 493-511. Student Presentation: The Gospel of Luke and Women Week 6 - Monday, October 16: An Introduction to Paul s Letters, and 1 and 2 Thessalonians Read both letters. Harris, The New Testament, pp. 302-318, 319-322, 370-371 ( The Problem of Pseudonymity ), 371-373. Victor Paul Furnish, The Moral Teaching of Paul: Selected Issues (Nashville: Abingdon, 2009 [3rd ed., rev.]), pp. 9-27. Abraham Smith, 1 and 2 Thessalonians, in A Postcolonial Commentary on the New Testament Writings, ed. Fernando Segovia and R. S. Sugirtharajah (Harrisburg, PA: T.&T. Clark, 2007), pp. 304-322. Week 7 - Monday, October 23: Galatians and Romans *** Reading Ambiveilently writing assignment on a passage in Galatians is due today.*** Read Paul s brief Letter to the Galatians in its entirety. If possible, also read Romans 3:21-8:39. Harris, The New Testament, pp. 338-355. Smith, SC-531 p.8
Caroline Johnson Hodge, Apostle to the Gentiles: Constructions of Paul s Identity, Biblical Interpretation 13 (2005): 270-88. Beverly Roberts Gaventa, Romans, in WBC, pp. 547-556. Student Presentation: Paul and Homosexuality Week 8 - Monday, October 30: 1 Corinthians *** Reading Ambiveilently writing assignment on 1 Cor. 11:1-16 is due today.*** Read 1 Corinthians Harris, The New Testament, pp. 323-332. Antoinette Wire, Women Prophets in the Corinthian Church in Conflict and Community in the Corinthian Church, ed. J. Shannon Clarkson (New York: United Methodist Church Women s Division, 2000), pp. 35-52. Derya Keshkin Demirer and Nicole Wilkinson Duran, 1 Corinthians 11 in Christian and Muslim Dialogue, in GBC, pp. 451-54. Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her: A Feminist Theological Reconstruction of Christian Origins (New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company, 1983), pp. 226-241. Student Presentation: Wildcard 1 Corinthians Text Week 9 Monday, November 6: Paul and (Anti-)Judaism / The New Perspective on Paul / Paul and Women Mark D. Nanos, Paul and Judaism, in The Jewish Annotated New Testament (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011), 551-54. Sandra Polaski, A Feminist Introduction to Paul (St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2005), pp. 1-11. James D. G. Dunn, The New Perspective on Paul, in Jesus, Paul, and the Law: Studies in Mark and Galatians (Louisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox, 1990), pp. 183-214, reprinted in his The New Perspective on Paul (revised ed.; Grand Rapids, MI; Eerdmans, 2007). Smith, SC-531 p.9
Margaret Y. MacDonald, Reading Real Women through the Undisputed Letters of Paul, in Women and Christian Origins, ed. Ross Shepard Kraemer and Mary Rose D Angelo (Oxford University Press, 1999), pp. 199-220. Student Presentation: Paul s View of Women Week 10 - Monday, November 13: Colossians, Ephesians, 1 and 2 Peter Read Colossians, Ephesians, and 1 and 2 Peter Harris, The New Testament, pp. 373-378, 398-401, 403-404. ***Monday, November 20 NO CLASS READING DAY! Week 11 - Monday, November 27: The Haustafeln (Household Codes) *** Reading Ambiveilently writing assignment on the household codes is due today.*** Re-read Colossians 3:18-4:1; Ephesians 5:21-6:9; and 1 Peter 2:18-3:7 Clarice J. Martin, The Haustafeln (Household Codes) in African American Biblical Interpretation: Free Slaves and Subordinate Women, in Stony the Road We Trod: African American Biblical Interpretation, ed. Cain Hope Felder (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1991), pp. 206-231. Week 12 Monday, December 4: The Gospel of John and the Letters of John Read the entire Gospel of John (preferably in one sitting), and 1, 2, and 3 John. Harris, The New Testament, pp. 249-278. Week 13 - Monday, December 11: Revelation *** Reading Ambiveilently writing assignment on Rev. 17 is due today.*** Read Revelation (paying special attention to chapters 1-7; 12-13; and 17-22). Smith, SC-531 p.10
Pay special attention to (i.e. jot down) some of Revelation s principal imagery. Harris, The New Testament, pp. 412-430, 435-437. Tina Pippin, The Heroine and the Whore: The Apocalypse of John in Feminist Perspective, in From Every People and Nation: The Book of Revelation in Intercultural Perspective, ed. David Rhoads (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2005), pp. 127-145. Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, The Power of the Word: Scripture and the Rhetoric of Empire (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2007), pp. 130-47. Shanell T. Smith, The Woman Babylon and the Marks of Empire: Reading Revelation with a Postcolonial Womanist Hermeneutics of Ambiveilence (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 2014), pp. 1-12. Student Presentation: Revelation and Ecotheology Week 14 - Monday, December 18: Final Reflection Presentations and Course Conclusion Your final reflection papers will be read and assessed today in class. Smith, SC-531 p.11