RELG 411/482 RELG 411 / 482 NEW TESTAMENT EXEGESIS / EXEGESIS OF THE GREEK NEW TESTAMENT MCGILL UNIVERSITY Faculty of Religious Studies Winter 2015 I. COURSE DETAILS Instructor Email Office Office Hours Frederick S. Tappenden, Ph.D. frederick.tappenden@mcgill.ca Birks 016 Monday, 10.30 AM – 12.30 PM, or by appointment Course Webpage myCourses Course Weight Location Time 411 and 482 411 482 3 Credit Hours Birks 104 Prerequisites 411 482 Language Monday, 8.55–10.25 PM Monday, 2.35–3.25 PM Wednesday, 4.35–5.25 PM RELG 311 and RELG 312 RELG 311, RELG 312, and RELG 381 or equivalent Lectures will be in English. In accord with McGill University’s Charter of Students’ Rights, students in this course have the right to submit in English or in French any written work that is to be graded. II. COURSE DESCRIPTION AND GOALS According to the McGill University course descriptions, RELG 411—New Testament Exegesis and RELG 482—Exegesis of the Greek New Testament are described as follows: RELG 411: A seminar in exegesis on the basis of representative passages chosen from different parts of the New Testament in English. RELG 482: An intensive seminar in exegesis on the basis of representative passages chosen from different parts of the New Testament. -1- Winter 2015 RELG 411/482 Both RELG 411 and 482 focus on the same selection of representative New Testament texts, the chief difference being that students in RELG 482 explore these texts in Greek. To fulfil the above descriptions, the Winter 2015 offering of RELG 411/482 will meet the following goals: 1. Students will be acquainted with the history of biblical interpretation, including major changes and movements in interpretive strategies from antiquity through the postmodern period; 2. Students will gain deeper and better exegetical skills by working with a selection of biblical texts that are representative of the literary breadth of the New Testament canon; special emphasis is placed on reading these texts carefully so as to wed exegetical and theoretically interpretive sensibilities; 3. Students will be thoroughly acquainted with a variety of reading strategies and theoretical perspectives within the modern academic study of the New Testament; students will gain understanding of such theoretical stances, as well as cultivate the abilities to engage and critically assess such critical methods and interpretive strategies; 4. Students will be able to assess the potential of various reading strategies and theoretical perspectives for contemporary biblical interpretation, particularly with an eye toward theological integration within societal and ecclesial contexts; 5. Students will develop critical thinking skills through written assignments, class discussions, and presentations. III. REQUIRED, RESERVED, AND RECOMMENDED TEXTS The following textbook is required for this course. It can be purchased at the McGill University Bookstore. Green, Joel B., ed. Hearing the New Testament: Strategies for Interpretation. Second Edition. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2010. Students are required to possess at least two (preferably more!!) modern Bible translations. This is especially the case for students who do not possess knowledge of Greek, for whom careful reading of the biblical passages will include comparative analysis across translations. In English, I recommend any of the following: New Revised Standard Version, the Revised English Bible, the New International Version, the North American Standard Version, the English Standard Version, and the New Jerusalem Bible. Dynamic translations (e.g. New Living Translation), idiomatic or periphrastic translations (e.g. The Message), and classical translations (e.g. King James Version) are not acceptable for class use. Students should also be aware that websites such as www.biblegateway.com or biblia.com allow several translations to be viewed side-by-side. Other helpful sites are www.ntgateway.com, www.earlychristianwritings.com, and www.sbl-site.org/educational/ sitesofinterest.aspx, all of which can direct you to all kinds of online resources. However, be careful! Though online access is convenient, such sites should always be used cautiously and critically. Students of RELG 482 are required to possess a copy of the Greek New Testament. This can be the NA28, the NA27, the UBS5, or the UBS4. -2- Winter 2015 RELG 411/482 Students are required to possess a gospel Synopsis. The recommended synopsis is: Aland, Kurt. Synopsis of the Four Gospels. New York: American Bible Society, 2010. Students with knowledge of Greek may wish instead to purchase the following edition, which has facing Greek and English pages: Aland, Kurt. Synopsis of the Four Gospels: Greek–English Edition (15th ed.; German Bible Society: Stuttgart, 2013). A Brief Note on Gospel Synopses: There are several Gospel synopses currently published, many of which are quite good. In addition to Aland, students may wish to consult Burton H. Throckmorton, Jr., ed., Gospel Parallels: A Comparison of the Synoptic Gospels (5th ed.; Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson, 1992) or Zeba A. Crook, Parallel Gospels: A Synopsis of Early Christian Writings (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012). Some synopsis tools can be accessed online, but these must always be used critically and with full awareness of the English translation and/or Greek text being compared. Of the web options available, John Marshall’s The Five Gospels Parallels (sites.utoronto.ca/religion/synopsis/) is the best (though even this can be quite awkward to use). Though online access is convenient, it is not a substitute for the physical manuscript—students are expected to possess a print synopsis and bring it to each class period. Readings from the following materials are required throughout the semester. All print materials are all on reserve at the Birks Reading Room; all digital materials are linked here and on the MyCourses website. Please see the course outline below for the reading schedule. Because these readings (a) will inform your exegetical reports and (b) will form the basis of class discussion, it is strongly recommended that students photocopy the relevant portions well in advance. Aune, David E. Apocalypticism, Prophecy, and Magic in Early Christianity: Collected Essays (Backer Academic, 2006), pp. 39–65. Barton, John, ed. The Cambridge Companion to Biblical Interpretation (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998), pp. 95–113. Engberg-Pedersen, Troels, ed. Paul in his Hellenistic Context (Fortress Press, 1995), pp. 180– 202. Grondin, Jean. Introduction to Philosophical Hermeneutics (Yale University Press, 1994), pp. 17–75. Hanson, K. C. “How Honorable! How Shameful! A Cultural Analysis of Matthew’s Makarisms and Reproaches.” Semeia 68 (1994): 81–111. Online only (VPN required for off-campus access): search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rfh&AN=ATLA0001013794. Metzger, Bruce, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (2d ed. United Bible Society, 1994), pp. 148–50. -3- Winter 2015 RELG 411/482 Osiek, Carolyn, and Margaret Y. MacDonald, with Janet H. Tulloch, A Woman’s Place: House Churches in Earliest Christianity (Fortress Press, 2006), pp. 118–43. Scalise, Charles J. From Scripture to Theology: A Canonical Journey into Hermeneutics (InterVarsity Press, 1996), pp. 42–66. Scott, Bernard Brandon, Hear then the Parable: A Commentary on the Parables of Jesus (Augsburg Fortress, 1989), pp. 343–62. Tappenden, Frederick S. “Embodiment, Folk Dualism, and the Convergence of Cosmology and Anthropology.” Biblical Interpretation (forthcoming 2015). Online only: posted to the MyCourses site. Wiarda, Timothy. “Peter as Peter in the Gospel of Mark” New Testament Studies 45 (1999): 19– 37. Online only: http://journals.cambridge.org/abstract_S0028688598000198 (VPN required for off-campus access). In addition to the foregoing, students are encouraged to explore and use the full exegetical resources available at the Birks Reading Room and the McLennan Library. You should also be aware of the valuable collections of the Presbyterian College Library, which includes a rather extensive collection of exegetical resources available for short-term loan. A research guide will be handed out in class, to help assist the exegetical process. Additionally, I have put the following resources on reserve at the Birks Reading Room; they will prove exegetically helpful. Green, Jay P., ed. The Interlinear Hebrew–Greek–English Bible: Volume 4, Interlinear Greek– English New Testament. Peabody, Mass.: Hendricks Publishers, 2005. Mounce, William D. and Robert H. Mounce, eds. The Zondervan Greek and English Interlinear New Testament (NASB–NIV). Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2008. IV. COURSE REQUIREMENTS Students will be graded on the following requirements: 1. Participation and Reading Reports (10%): Given this course is a seminar, students are expected to regularly attend all class sessions and participate in class discussions. Each week, students are to prepare the assigned readings in advance of the joint Monday gathering. The assigned readings serve as the foundation upon which weekly class discussions are built in the joint session. As evidence of reading, each week students are to prepare a short (1 page, point-form is fine) reading report that (a) identifies two elements in the readings that stand out to the student—perhaps something compelling, something erroneous, something confounding—and (b) elaborates a few notes of critical reflection and/or argumentation which can be shared with the class. 2. Exegetical Reflections (45%): Throughout the semester, students will complete a series of short (2–3 page) exegetical reflections; there will be a total of eleven (11) assignments, of which the best nine (9) will be counted for marks (note: on the weeks when students -4- Winter 2015 RELG 411/482 do the Exegetical Presentation, no Exegetical Reflection is required of them). These short papers will each be worth 5% of your final grade (5% x 9 = 45%). These exercises are designed to help you build exegetical skills in the reading and interpretation of New Testament texts. Students should pay particular attention to the assigned readings, as these will help in the exegetical process. Students should also plan to do a small amount of targeted research in preparing these papers (e.g. commentaries, concordances, etc.). For those in RELG 482, translation of the Greek original is required. These assignments serve as the foundation upon which weekly class discussions are built. We will discuss these assignments in detail in the class workshops, and at a more general level in the joint gathering. 3. Exegetical Presentation (20%): In Part 3 of the course outline (see below), students are required to work together in small groups of two or three to present on both a critical method and a selection of texts. The presentations must comprise at least the following three elements: (a) a group presentation on the method itself (20–25 mins), (b) individual presentations on a selection of texts whereby that method is demonstrated (one text/student, 15–20 mins each), and (c) facilitation of classroom discussion (15 mins). Students’ work will be graded both collectively and individually. More information will be handed out in class. All topics and passages must be approved by the instructor by 26 January 2015; due dates vary according to the Course Outline below. 4. Final Paper (25%): Students are required to complete one exegetical paper of 3000– 3500 words (approx. 10–12 page). This paper provides students the opportunity to examine a specific New Testament text in greater, more precise detail. It is expected that the methodological tools AND at least one theoretical perspective be brought to bear on the student’s reading of the passage in question. More information will be handed out in class. The final paper will be due on 24 April 2015. Grade Breakdown: Reading Reports Exegetical Reflections (x9) Exegetical Presentations Final Paper Total 10% 45% 20% 25% —— 100% V. RESEARCH QUALITY, ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSION, AND GRADING Paper Format and Style: All papers are to be double-spaced, paginated, and typewritten in 12 pt. Times New Roman font; margins set at 1-inch (sides) and 1½ (top and bottom). All sources should be cited as in-line citations. An excellent guide to the preparation of essays, including citation styles, may be found at www.mcgill.ca/religiousstudies/current/papers. This guide also reviews standards of academic integrity; if you have questions on how to avoid plagiarism please see the instructor. -5- Winter 2015 RELG 411/482 Assignment Submission and Due Dates: All assignments are to be submitted on the day they are due as indicated in the Course Outline below. All Reading Reports and Exegetical Reflections are due in class on their respective due dates; the Exegetical Presentation schedule will be determined in class; the Final Paper is due 24 April 2015. Any extensions of these deadlines must be arranged beforehand (baring unforeseen circumstances). All assignments can be submitted either as a hardcopy to the instructor during class periods, during office hours to Birks 016, or as a softcopy via the myCourses website. When submitting a hardcopy, please be sure the time, date, and signature of the receiver are noted on the submission. When submitting electronically, be sure that you receive confirmation of your submission via the myCourses system (myCourses will automatically note the date and time of submission). For a helpful overview of electronic submission via myCourses, see the video at the following web address: https://training.desire2learn.com/shared/StudentHelp/Dropbox/ Dropbox.htm. Please note that, baring unforeseen circumstances, appeals to technical difficulties experienced while trying to submit an assignment electronically is not a valid excuse for handing something in late. Late Policy: Assignments are considered late if they are submitted after the prescribed times outlined in the Assignment Submission and Due Dates section above. Late assignments will be penalised one grade point per day (e.g., from B to B- for one late day; from B to C+ for two late days, etc.) up to a maximum of 3 grade points in accordance with the McGill University Grading Scale (e.g., from B to C; or B- to D). Exceptions will only be made for unusual circumstances such as illness or by prior arrangement (or at the discretion of the instructor). Grading Scale: In keeping with McGill University’s grading system, RELG 311 will be graded on the following scale. Grade GPA A 4.0 % Grade Interpretation Guidelines 85–100 Very Good A- 3.7 80–84 B+ 3.3 75–79 B 3.0 70–74 B- 2.7 65–69 C+ 2.3 60–64 Good Satisfactory C 2.0 55–59 D 1.0 50–54 Conditional Pass F 0 1–49 Fail -6- Winter 2015 RELG 411/482 Academic Integrity: McGill University values academic integrity. Therefore all students must understand the meaning and consequences of cheating, plagiarism and other academic offences under the Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures (see www.mcgill.ca/students/srr/honest for more information). L'université McGill attache une haute importance à l’honnêteté académique. Il incombe par conséquent à tous les étudiants de comprendre ce que l'on entend par tricherie, plagiat et autres infractions académiques, ainsi que les conséquences que peuvent avoir de telles actions, selon le Code de conduite de l'étudiant et des procédures disciplinaires (pour de plus amples renseignements, veuillez consulter le site www.mcgill.ca/students/srr/honest). VI. RELATED COURSE INFORMATION Electronic Devices in the Classroom: Mobile computing and communications devices are permitted in class insofar as their use does not disrupt the teaching and learning process. Students are permitted to record lectures only with the instructor’s permission. Disabilities: If you have a disability and feel the instructor should be alerted, please contact the instructor to arrange a time to discuss your situation. It would be helpful if you contact the Office for Students with Disabilities at (514) 398–6009 before you do this. We will make every effort to accommodate your needs and to help ensure successful learning. Such matters will be treated with appropriate confidentiality. Course Evaluations: End-of-course evaluations are one of the ways that McGill works towards maintaining and improving the quality of courses and the student’s learning experience. You will be notified by e-mail when the evaluations are available on Mercury, the online course evaluation system. Please note that a minimum number of responses must be received for results to be available to students. General Policy: My intent and desire is to assist and guide you in the learning of the material of this course, as well as to stimulate your own thinking. Should you have any questions and/or concerns with the course content, readings, assignments, etc., please do not hesitate to contact me by email or in person during office hours. I am also happy to listen to suggestions about how we use class time, the texts, and the assignments. If you need help at any point in the course, please ask. During office hours I hold an open-door policy and look forward to hearing any questions and/or concerns that you may have. Your responsibility is to come to class prepared, especially in terms of familiarity with primary sources for discussion, and to be willing to explore ideas. I ask that you be willing to take risks, venture new ideas, ask questions, critique your preconceptions, and respect the perspectives, questions, and statements of your colleagues. -7- Winter 2015 RELG 411/482 VII. COURSE OUTLINE Jan. 5/7 Course Introduction Topics: General Introduction and Overview of Syllabus; The Exegetical Study of the New Testament; The Theoretical Study of the New Testament; “There’s No such thing as a View from Nowhere!”—Seeing Exegesis and Theory as Interlaced Part 1: Hermeneutics Jan. 12/14 Textual Interpretation and the Prehistory of Hermeneutics Topics: Scriptural Interpretation in Early Christ-believing Groups; Allegory and Typology; Scholasticism; sola scriptura and the Protestant Reformation Read: Grondin, Philosophical Hermeneutics, 17–75. Due: Exegetical Report—Galatians 4.21–27 Jan. 19/21 Philosophical Hermeneutics from the Enlightenment to Postmodernity Topics: Historical Criticism and the Enlightenment; Schleiermacher’s Generalising of the Hermeneutical Problem; Bultmann’s Demythologising; Heidegger’s Hermeneutic of Being; Gadamer’s Fusion of Horizons Read: Green, ch. 13; Barton, Biblical Interpretation, 95–113. Due: Exegetical Report—Ephesians 3.14–21 Part 2: Exegetical Tools Jan. 26/28 Textual Traditions Class Trip: Biblical Manuscripts in the McGill Rare Books and Special Collections Note: Meet at the main entrance of McLennan Library at 9.00 AM on Monday, 26 January 2015. Read: Green, chs. 2 & 10; Metzger, Textual Commentary, 148–50. Due: Exegetical Report—Luke 22.14–23; Presentation Topics Feb. 2/4 Philology and Historical Criticism (I): Word Studies and Source/Form/Redaction Criticism Topics: History and its Critical Study; Evidence of Compositional Histories in the texts of the NT; Source, Form, and Redaction Criticisms; Word Studies Read: Green, ch. 6; Scott, Hear then the Parable, 343–62. Due: Exegetical Report—Mark 4.1–9 and Mark 4.10–12 // Matt 13.10–13 // Luke 8.9–10 (note: please use your Synopsis [Aland §122 and §123]). -8- Winter 2015 RELG 411/482 Feb. 9/11 Literary Criticism Topics: Genre; Structure; Context; Literary Devices Read: Green, ch. 8; Aune, Apocalypticism, Prophecy, and Magic, 39–65. Due: Exegetical Report—Revelation 4.1–8 Feb. 16/18 Historical Criticism (II): Sitz im Leben and Cultural Contexts Topics: Reading the NT Contextually; Jewish Contexts; Greek and Roman Contexts; Oral/Aural Contexts Read: Green, chs. 4 & 5; Tappenden, “Convergence of Cosmology and Anthropology.” Due: Exegetical Report—1 Cor 15.35–45 Part 3: Interpretive Lenses Feb. 23/25 Rhetorical Readings Suggested Presentation Topics/Passages: Speech-in-Character (Rom 7.7–25); Harmony and Concord (1 Cor 1.10–17); Paul’s Fool’s Speech (2 Cor 11.21b–33); Acts and the Lector’s Performance Read: Green, ch. 9; Engberg-Pedersen, Paul in his Hellenistic Context, 180–202. Due: Exegetical Report—Romans 7.14–25; Exegetical Presentation 1 Mar. 2/4 No Class (Reading Week) Mar. 9/11 Social-Scientific Readings Suggested Presentation Topics/Passages: Ethnicity and Kinship in Galatians; Patronage Structures in Corinth; Socio-Economic Readings in the Gospels Read: Green, ch. 3; Matthews and Benjamin, Semeia 68, 81–111. Due: Exegetical Report—Luke 6.20–31; Exegetical Presentation 2 Mar. 16/18 Critical Theory and Ideological Readings Suggested Presentation Topics/Passages: Feminist Readings (Eph 5.22–33); Queer Readings (Acts 8.26–39); Postcolonial Readings (2 Cor 2.14–17); Imperial Readings (1 Thess 4.13–5.11) Read: Green, ch. 14; Osiek and MacDonald, A Woman’s Place, 118–43. Due: Exegetical Report—Eph 5.22–33; Exegetical Presentation 3 -9- Winter 2015 RELG 411/482 Mar. 23/25 Narrative Readings Suggested Presentation Topics/Passages: Disciples as Characters (Acts 10.9–16); Paul’s Self-Narrative (Gal 1.10–2.14); Jesus in a Particular Gospel Read: Green, ch. 12; Wiarda, “Peter as Peter,” 19–37. Due: Exegetical Report—Acts 10.9–16; Exegetical Presentation 4 Mar. 30 / Apr. 1 Canonical and Theological Readings Suggested Presentation Topics/Passages: Almost Anything in Hebrews; the Lukan Infancy Narrative; the Prophecy-Fulfilment Pattern in Luke-Acts Read: Green, ch. 7 & 17; Scalise, From Scripture to Theology, 42–66. Due: Exegetical Report—James 5.1–6; Exegetical Presentation 5 Apr. 6/8 No Class (Easter Break) Apr. 13 Course Conclusion Topics: Overview of Course Content and Major Themes; Final Paper Instructions Due 24 April: Final Paper - 10 - Winter 2015