Regent Classes

New Testament 2

This course examines the major documents of the New Testament from Acts to Revelation. Emphasis is placed on the challenges posed by the coming of the Spirit in Acts, Paul’s major letters, and the development of Christianity in light of the historical background, especially towards the end of the first century. The purpose of this course is to help students (a) increase their knowledge of the literature of the New Testament (b) understand the message of the writers in their historical context and (c) face issues related to the coming of the Spirit in Acts, pseudonymity, the formation of the New Testament canon and the diversity of literature and perspectives it contains.

Through this course students will become familiar with the background of New Testament Literature. They will also understand the theological distinctives and message of the various writers, in the context of their time. This course will encourage students to think critically through the issues related to authorship (for example, pseudonymity), the formation of the New Testament canon, and the diversity of perspectives it contains. They will learn to give consideration to the historical and literary context of the texts and to identify various important primary and secondary sources which bear upon the study of the New Testament books in question. This course should inspire in students prayerful and thoughtful consideration of some of the ways the messages of the New Testament writers can be applied to the twenty first century.

Upon completion of this course students will be able to discuss the historicity and theological purpose of Acts and analyze the theological significance of Pentecost for the early first century church; describe the history of the study of Paul, including the recent “new perspective” on Paul; identify problems that arose in predominantly Gentile congregations and describe the possible cause(s), especially in relation to 1 and 2 Corinthians; explain likely reasons for Paul writing to the church at Rome; and state the outline, content, and message of the New Testament books covered in this course. Most importantly students should be able maintain a personally and pastorally effective view of the Bible that is able to take into account scholarly issues such as pseudonymity, canon, and diversity in the canon.

Related Reading

BROWN, Raymond E., An Introduction to the New Testament (New York: Doubleday, 1997).
CAIRD, G. B. The Apostolic Age (London: Duckworth, 1975).
CONZELMANN, H. History of Primitive Christianity (London: DLT, 1973).
GOPPELT, L. Apostolic and Post-Apostolic Times (London: Black, 1970).
METZGER, Bruce M. The New Testament: Its Background, Growth, and Content 2nd edition (Nashville: Abingdon, 1983), (ISBN 0687279143).
BRUCE, F. F. New Testament History (Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1972).
BECKER, Jürgen, ed., Christian Beginnings: Word and Community from Jesus to Post-Apostolic Times (Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 1993).
BROWN, Raymond E. and John P. Meier, Antioch & Rome: New Testament Cradles of Catholic Christianity (New York: Paulist, 1983).
CWIEKOWSKI, Frederick J. The Beginnings of the Church (New York: Paulist, 1988).
HULTGREN, Arland J. The Rise of Normative Christianity. (Minneapolis: Fortress, 1994).
HYLDAHL, Niels, The History of Early Christianity (Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 1997).
JEFFERS, James S. The Greco-Roman World of the New Testament Era (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1999).
MOULE, C. F. D. The Birth of the New Testament 3rd edition (London: Black, 1981),
ROUSSEAU, Philip The Early Christian Centuries. (London: Longman, 2002).
HAYES, J. and S. Mandell. The Jewish People in Classical Antiquity: From Alexander to Bar Kochba (Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1998).
WEDDERBURN, Alexander J. M. History of the First Christians (Edinburgh: T & T CLark, 2004).
Conzelmann, H. History of Primitive Christianity (London: DLT, 1973).
DAVIES, W. D. Invitation to the New Testament: A Guide to its Main Witnesses London: DLT, 1967).
FILSON, F. V. A New Testament History (London: SCM, 1965).
GOPPELT, L. Apostolic and Post-Apostolic times (London: Black, 1970).
JOHNSON, L. T. The Writings of the New Testament (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1999)
KUMMEL, W. G. Introduction to the New Testament (London: SCM, 1975).
McDONALD, Lee Martin and Stanley E. Porter, Early Christianity and its Sacred Literature (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2000).
MARTIN, R. P. New Testament Foundations: A Guide for Christian Students, 2 vols. (Exeter, UK: Paternoster, 1975, 1978).
MARXSEN, W. Introduction to the New Testament (Oxford: Blackwell, 1968).
PERRIN, N. The New Testament: An Introduction (New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1974)
REICKE, B. The New Testament Era: The Word of the Bible from 500 B.C. to A.D. 100 (London: Black, 1969).
SCHNELLE, U. The History and Theology of the New Testament Writings (Minneapolis, MN: Fortress, 1998).
Wikenhauser, A. New Testament Introduction (New York: Herder and Herder, 1958).

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