The Early Church in the Roman World RS CL

Narratio (top of page)

The Christian movement emerged under the watchful eye, and the oppressive hand, of the Roman empire. This course shall lead students into the social world of Jesus, Paul and the early church, and shall show how various aspects of Roman society illuminate our reading of the New Testament. Course texts, museums, site visits (e.g., in Rome, Pompeii, Athens, Delphi, Corinth), and class discussions shall introduce a range of topics of interest for students of the New Testament, including the emperor cult, Greco-Roman religions, life in the city, sexuality and gender, patriarchy and family, social status and honor, work and slavery, wealth and taxes, and Roman law and punishment.

Libri (top of page)

Three texts are required for both summer reading and during our travels in Europe. To save on space and weight, form groups of three "book buddies" with each member responsible to bring one text. The recommended texts below are a few of the many resources available to explore topics for class presentations and written work.

Required Texts
HPKP	David A. deSilva, Honor, Patronage, Kinship & Purity: Unlocking New Testament Culture. IVP, 2000.
PTJ	K. C. Hanson and Douglas E. Oakman, Palestine in the Time of Jesus: Social Structures and Social Conflicts. Fortress, 1998.
GRW	James S. Jeffers, The Greco-Roman World of the New Testament Era. IVP, 1999.
New Testament: preferably one of the following: NRSV, NIV, TNIV, NASV, KJV, NKJV, NLT

Opera (top of page)

I. Disputatio: Class participation and readings (15%)

Regular class time will include lectures, readings, discussion and student presentations. Your conscious presence and enthusiastic participation in class is requested. The schedule indicates topics and relevant pre-class readings. I will assume you have read the readings in the summer and have reviewed them prior to class. Bring to class a Bible (one per student) and the textbooks (shared among three).

II. Eruditio: Class presentation on some aspect of Greco-Roman Society (30%)

Working individually or in pairs, students shall select a topic from the following lists (or propose an acceptable alternative) on which to make a class presentation. Normally, both members of a group will get the same grade, so choose your partner wisely. Topics are available on a first come, first serve basis. (Once a topic is selected and no longer available, it will appear in red on this web syllabus.) The idea is to engage the class and explain the topic in a way that is both interesting and helpful. Your job is to help us imagine what this aspect of ancient Roman culture was like. For up to 5 bonus points, show how this aspect of the Roman world provides a helpful context for reading at least one passage in the New Testament.

Guidelines

• advance work: most work can, and should, be done during the summer, including group formation, topic selection, research and reading, notetaking, organizing, creative brainstorming, writing, etc. You should have your presentation well in hand when you depart from LAX. In Europe, you'll be able to enrich your work through additional research on location or in galleries.
• due dates: after signing up for a topic and presentation date, don't even think about changing it . . . unless you are willing to pay the professor large sums of money (preferably in Euros). You might manage an exception to my "fat chance" extension policy if you can persuade me that your presentation would combine nicely with a visit to some future location or exhibit. I won't flex for procrastinators.
  Caution: presentations in public spaces must be tasteful, appropriate, not loud and, where warranted, previously approved by local authorities.
• format: reading your notes to the class won't cut it. Use your notes, certainly, but know your topic well enough that you can work off of an outline. Aim to combine creativity with content. We've flown a long way to hear you--don't be boring!
  Presentations might incorporate drama, readings, music, images, handouts, debate, discussion, comedy, costumes (keep it simple), borrowed (not stolen) props, souvenirs, stories, PowerPoint (we hope to have a laptop and data projector), interviews, on site demonstrations, walking tours, etc.
• time limit: individuals should plan on using about 20 minutes, and pairs about 30 minutes. Additional time may be available, by petition, if the subject matter or situation warrants it.
• submission: turn something in to the professor on the day of your presentation. It may be a script along with study notes (typed, not scrawled), or a handout, or research materials--give me something to demonstrate what went on behind the scenes in preparation.

III. Animadversio: Top Ten List of Roman Remains (30%)

Each student will create a top ten list of significant items (e.g., manuscript, art piece, artifact, building, road, civic project, statute, inscription, coin) dating from the early Roman empire: between Augustus (27 BCE to 14 CE) and Marcus Aurelius (161-180 CE)--roughly the first two centuries of the Common Era. Choose items because they represent, to you, an important aspect of Roman society, and because they enrich your reading of the New Testament.
Items may date from earlier eras (say, from classical Greece or Egypt) only if they were known (not buried or lost or ignored) during our period. More recent works (e.g., a Renaissance painting) depicting New Testament or Roman scenes are not acceptable for this assignment.
In a workbook (preferably a coil notebook) fashion a report on each item, including where appropriate:

• a sketch or photograph(s)
• a full description of the item: date, physical appearance (observe carefully) and condition, provenance (= place of origin), historical background / context (e.g., builder, reason for construction), present location, date observed
• any official brochure or literature if available, attached securely to the workbook (I'm not expecting you to buy anything)
• brief comments on the item's significance for understanding the world (social, cultural, political, religious) of the New Testament
• consideration of at least one N.T. passage that seems illuminated in some way by this object. For help on this point, sit beside me on the bus.

After compiling your workbook, number your items from one to ten, with one indicating the item you deem to be most valuable or significant for New Testament interpretation. Offer a brief (up to two page) written defense of your choice of the top three.

Pre-work (using guide books, museum web sites, text books, recommended readings) can, and should, be done during the summer, but a significant component of this assignment is on-site observation and reflection. Wise students will begin research during the summer on items (say, a famous monument, Roman road, aquaeduct, temple, etc.) they are likely to encounter in Europe.

Grading will consider:

• variety and quality of choices--don't choose all from same museum or city; include a variety of types of artifacts
• effort and quality of work--neatness, evidence of research, completeness
• value for illuminating the N.T. and its world.

Remember: sometimes the value may not be immediately obvious. Perhaps a second century manuscript will illustrate something about Paul's habit of writing letters, or a road something about the challenge of travel in the Roman provinces, or the lines on the face of a statue will say something about the character traits valued by the Roman elite. Use your imagination!

IV. Inquisitio: Final Exam (20%)

The exam will be based upon class discussion and readings, and will include short answer and longer essay questions. You will be allowed to use a (non-Study) Bible during at least part of the exam. Any cheating--inappropriately giving or receiving information, etc.--will almost certainly receive an F for the course.

Scalae (top of page)

.		B+	87-89	C+	77-79	D+	67-69	.
A	95-100	B	84-86	C	74-76	D	64-66	F	0-59
A-	90-94	B-	80-83	C-	70-73	D-	60-63	.

Fasti (top of page)

Recommended Texts and Useful Web Links (top of page)

For Further Study and Summer Reading
David Aune, Prophecy in Early Christianity and the Ancient Mediterranean World. Eerdmans, 1983.
John Dominic Crossan & Jonathan L. Reed, Excavating Jesus: Beneath the Stones, Behind the Texts. HarperSanFrancisco, 2001.
Everett Ferguson, E. Backgrounds of Early Christianity. Eerdmans, 1987.
Robin Lane Fox, Pagans and Christians. Harper & Row, 1986.
D. Hellholm, ed. Apocalypticism in the Mediterranean World and the Near East. J. C. B. Mohr, 1983.
M. Hengel, Jews, Greeks and Barbarians: aspects of the hellenization of Judaism in the pre-Christian period. trans., John Bowden. Fortress, 1980.
Richard A. Horsley, ed. Paul and Politics: Ekklesia, Israel, Imperium, Interpretation. Trinity, 2000.
Richard A. Horsley, ed. Paul and Empire: Religion and Power in Roman Imperial Society. Trinity, 1997.
Howard C. Kee, The Origins of Christianity: Sources and Documents. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: 1973.
Hans-Josef Klauck, The Religious Context of Early Christianity. B. McNeil, trans. T. & T. Clark, 2000.
Ramsay MacMullen, Paganism in the Roman Empire. Yale, 1981.
John McRay, Archaeology and the New Testament. Baker, 1991.
Wayne Meeks, The First Urban Christians: The Social World of the Apostle Paul. Yale, 1983.
Frederick J. Murphy, The Religious World of Jesus: An Introduction to Second Temple Judaism. Abingdon, 1991.
E. P. Sanders, Judaism: Practice and Belief 63BCE-66 CE. Trinity, 1992.
Gerd Theissen, The Social Setting of Pauline Christianity: Essays on Corinth. Fortress, 1982.
Antonia Tripolitis, Religions of the Hellenistic Roman Age. Eerdmans, 2002.
Useful Links for Summer Browsing
Hadrian's wall	http://www.aboutscotland.com/hadrian/index.html
The Illustrated History of the Roman Empire	http://www.roman-empire.net/index.html
Roman Army	http://www.roman-empire.net/army/army.html