First Corinthians: Issues in the Christian Community BT 625

Course Description and Format (top of page)

An exegetical and pastoral study of 1 Corinthians exploring the challenges of life in the Christian community. Practical issues to be examined include unity, leadership, church discipline, marriage and divorce, accommodation, the eucharist, spiritual gifts, church order and gender

We shall combine lectures and interaction with daily readings, web-searches, small-group discussions, written reports, class presentations and an essay exam.

Course Texts (top of page)

Required Texts
Hays	Hays, Richard. First Corinthians. Interpretation. John Knox, 1997.
Fisk	Fisk, Bruce N. First Corinthians. Interpretation Bible Studies. Geneva Press, 2000.
Winter	Winter, Bruce W. After Paul Left Corinth: The Influence of Secular Ethics and Social Change. Eerdmans, 2001.
Additional (Recommended and Required)
Fee	Fee, Gordon. The First Epistle to the Corinthians. NICNT. Eerdmans, 1987.
Fisk 1989	Fisk, Bruce N. "Eating Meat Offered to Idols: Corinthian Behavior and Pauline Response in 1 Corinthians 8-10 (A Response to Gordon Fee)" Trinity Journal 10 (1989) 49-70.
Fisk 1996	Fisk, Bruce N. "PORNEYEIN as Body Violation: The Unique Nature of Sexual Sin in 1 Corinthians 6:18" New Testament Studies 42 (4, 1996) 540-558.
Hays 1996	Hays, Richard B. The Moral Vision of the New Testament: A Contemporary Introduction to New Testament Ethics. HarperSanFrancisco, 1996.
Keener	Keener, Craig S. Paul, Women and Wives: Marriage and Women's Ministry in the Letters of Paul. Hendrickson, 1992.
Schussler Fiorenza	Schussler Fiorenza, E. In Memory of Her: A Feminist Theological Reconstruction of Christian Origins. Crossroad, 1994.
Theissen	Theissen, Gerd. The Social Setting of Pauline Christianity: Essays on Corinth. Fortress, 1982
Witherington	Witherington, Ben. Conflict & Community in Corinth: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians. Eerdmans, 1995.

Daily readings in 1 Corinthians, Hays, Fisk and Winter are spelled out below in the Schedule.

Evaluation (top of page)

1. Reading and Class Discussion

• Ethos and Praxis: Central to this course are the readings in the New Testament, the class texts and several supplementary readings. Follow the Schedule carefully, taking concise notes on what you read. This is all the more important for readings completed in advance of term. In addition, develop the habit of writing out one or more questions based on each reading. These questions may be:
  • descriptive -- about the meaning of a passage in the NT or the secondary literature
  • synthetic -- about how one passage relates to another
  • hermeneutical -- about the links (or gaps) between the NT world and our own
  • pragmatic -- about the implications of NT teaching for specific, concrete moral/ethical questions

  Bring your notes to class each day, and plan to share your written question(s) with the class. For tips and strategies for successful reading, see the Excursus on Reading.

• Evaluation Criteria: Class preparation is always reflected in the nature and quality of oral comments. Reading notes will be collected on the last day of class and assessed for neatness, completeness, clarity and continuing value.
• Weight: 15%

2. Summary Handout/Annotated Bibliography

• On the final day of class, each student will distribute to the class, and briefly explain, a one-page handout plus an annotated bibliography on a selected passage or interpretive issue in First Corinthians. Since this course is designed to lay an exegetical foundation for further reflection and application of First Corinthians in the church, the report shall focus on exegetical issues and on the contributions of recent scholarship, rather than on pastoral or personal application. Choose a passage (approx. 6-15 verses) or topic that interests you, but clear your selection with the instructor before you proceed.
• The handout should fill the page (single-spaced), may be point-form (headings, bullets, summary remarks, etc.), and should strive for both density and clarity. Use 10-point font and narrow margins. Include a title (centred), the date and the words "Prepared by your name for First Corinthians: BT625."
  • The bibliography should include at least 10 well selected sources of which no more than 3 may be from the web. Each annotation should summarize the argument of the article or book as it relates to your topic/passage. Do not evaluate. Write so that the author would agree with every word.
• Evaluation Criteria: Density, clarity, quality of selected sources, long-term value for fellow-students.
• Weight: 25%

3. Exegetical Paper

• A fully developed paper, focusing on the passage or interpretive issue selected above, will be due on _____. Form and style must conform to BBS standards. Include a title page and a (non-annotated) bibliography. This project is intended to build upon the work accomplished during the term (#2 above), but it should move beyond a description of the exegetical issues and the state of current scholarship, to offer a thoughtful and defensible reading of the the chosen passage, or a careful analysis of the chosen interpretive issue.
• Weight: 40%

4. Final Exam

• Format: I will provide a list of essay questions in advance, from which I will select the final three exam questions. There will also be an objective section, requiring a basic knowledge of the location of key passages, central teaching of principal texts, etc.
• Weight: 20%

Grading Scale (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	.

Excursus On Reading (top of page)

Many students take reading assignments seriously, but find themselves struggling to keep up with a heavy schedule. Others devote plenty of time to reading but seem to retain very little. Still others blissfully ignore readings until the night before the exam. The following suggestions may be of use to the first two groups; I leave the third group to fend for itself.

Schedule (top of page)

Date	Texts and Topics	Readings and Links (Optional Readings in Red)
June 11	1 Cor 1-3 (1:10-25; 3:5-17): The Cross, Unity, Leadership	Hays, 1-64 Fisk, 1-22 1 Cor.3:5-17 Winter, 1-43 Witherington 1-35
June 12	1 Cor 4-7 (5:1-13; 7:1-40): Discipline, Marriage and Divorce, Eschatology	Hays, 64-134 Fisk, 23-43 Winter, 44-120, 215-268 1 Cor. 6:9a; 1 Cor 6:9b 1 Cor.7:1-16; 7:25-35; Eschatology & Ethics Schussler Fiorenza, 220-26 Fisk 1996 Hays 1996, 347-378
June 13	1 Cor 8-10 (8:1-13; 9:14-27): Knowledge and Weakness, Accommodation, Idolatry	Hays, 134-181 Fisk, 44-62 Winter, 269-301 Theissen, 121-140 Fisk 1989
June 14	1 Cor 11-12 (11:17-34; 12:1-31): Eucharist, Spiritual Gifts, the Church	Hays, 181-221 Fisk, 63-83 Winter, 121-183 Keener, 17-69 Witherington, 191-195 Schussler Fiorenza, 226-33 Tour a Roman house Mealtime in a Roman house Theissen, 145-168
June 15	1 Cor 13-16 (13:1-13; 14:26-40): Love, Gifts, Church Order, the Resurrection TAKE-HOME EXAM	Hays, 221-296 Fisk, 84-102 1 Cor. 14:34-35 Winter, 184-211, Keener, 70-100

Selected Bibliography (top of page)

The following list does not include the standard commentaries on First Corinthians, e.g., by R. B. Hays (Interpretation), G. D. Fee (NICNT), H. Conzelmann (Hermeneia), F. F. Bruce (NCB), C. K. Barrett (Harper's), C. L. Blomberg (NIVAC) M. Thrall (Cambridge), Robertson and Plummer (ICC) and C. Hodge.

Carson, D. A. Showing the Spirit: A Theological Exposition of 1 Corinthians 12-14. Baker, 1987.

Clarke, Andrew D. Secular and Christian Leadership in Corinth: A Socio-Historical and Exegetical Study of 1 Corinthians 1-6. Arbeiten Zur Geschichte Des Antiken, 18; Brill Academic Publishers, 1993. ISBN: 9004098623.

This volume traces the influences of first century Corinthian secular leadership on local church leadership as reflected in 1 Corinthians 1-6. It then shows how Paul modifies the Corinthian understanding of church leadership. By comparing secular leadership in first century Corinthian society with leadership in the Corinthian church, it has been argued that one of Paul's major concerns with the church in Corinth is the extent to which significant members in the church were employing secular categories and perceptions of leadership in the Christian community. This volume has adopted the method of assessing the New Testament evidence in the light of its social and historical background. Both literary and non-literary sources, rather than modern sociological models, were employed in making the comparison.

de Vos, Craig Steven. Church and Community Conflicts: The Relationships of the Thessalonian, Corinthian and Philippian Churches with Their Wider Civic Communities. Society of Biblical Literature, 1999. ISBN: 0-7885-0563-7.

Engels, Donald W. Roman Corinth: An Alternative Model for the Classical City. Univ. of Chicago Press, 1990. ISBN: 0226208702.

Hawthorne, Gerald. F., R. P. Martin, D. G. Reid, ed. Dictionary of Paul and His Letters. InterVarsity, 1993.

Hay, David M. ed. Pauline Theology. Volume II: 1 & 2 Corinthians. Fortress Press, 1993.

Hurd, John C. The Origin of First Corinthians. Mercer University Press, 1983.

Jervis, L. A. and P. Richardson, ed. Gospel in Paul: Studies on Corinthians, Galatians and Romans for Richard N. Longenecker. JSNTSup 108; Sheffield, 1994.

Keener, Craig S. Paul, Women and Wives: Marriage and Women's Ministry in the Letters of Paul. Hendrickson, 1992.

Martin, Dale. The Corinthian Body. Yale, 1995.

________. Slavery as Salvation: The Metaphor of Slavery in Pauline Christianity.. Yale, 1990.

Meeks, Wayne A. The First Urban Christians: The Social World of the Apostle Paul. Yale Univ Pr; 1984. ISBN: 0300032447.

Mitchell, Margaret M. Paul and the Rhetoric of Reconciliation: An Exegetical Investigation of the Language and Composition of 1 Corinthians. Westminster/John Knox, 1991.

Murphy-O'Connor, Jerome. St' Paul's Corinth: Texts and Archaeology. T. & T. Clark, 1983.

Pogoloff, Stephen Mark. Logos and Sophia: The Rhetorical Situation of 1 Corinthians. SBL, 1992; ISBN: 1-55540-784-6.

Rosner, Brian S. Paul, Scripture, and Ethics: A Study of 1 Corinthians 5-7. Baker, 1999. ISBN: 0801022126.

Theissen, Gerd. The Social Setting of Pauline Christianity: Essays on Corinth. Fortress, 1982.

Willis, Wendell Lee. Idol Meat in Corinth: The Pauline Argument in 1 Corinthians 8 and 10. SBLDS 68; Scholars Press, 1985.

Winter, Bruce. Philo and Paul among the Sophists. SNTSMS 96; Cambridge Univ. Pr., 1997 ISBN: 0521591082.

________. Seek the Welfare of the City: Christians As Benefactors and Citizens. Eerdmans, 1994. ISBN: 0802840914.

Witherington, Ben. III. Conflict and Community in Corinth: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians. Eerdmans, 1995.

James Tabor's The Problems at Corinth: http://www.uncc.edu/jdtabor/corinth.html

James Tabor's The Corinthian Correspondence: http://www.uncc.edu/jdtabor/cccorinthians.html

New Testament Gateway: Paul the Apostle: http://www.ntgateway.com/paul/

Jenee Woodard's The Text This Week: Paul: http://www.textweek.com/pauline/paul.htm

United Methodist Women: Roman Houses and Corinthian House Churches: http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/corinthians/house.stm

Tufts University's Perseus Digital Library Classics Search Engine: http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/perscoll?collection=Greco-Roman

University of Pennsylvania's The Corinth Computer Project: http://corinth.sas.upenn.edu/land.html

University of Pennsylvania's On-line Primary Literature: http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~humm/Resources/Texts/

Introduction to First Corinthians by Daniel B. Wallace, Professor of New Testament at Dallas Theological Seminary.

Catholic Encyclopedia article on First and Second Corinthians by C. Aherne.

Internet Women's History Sourcebook (subset of the Internet History Sourcebooks Project, edited by Paul Halsall, History Professor at U. of North Florida): Ancient Rome.

New American Bible Introduction to First Corinthians.

The Bible Gateway (at Gospelcom.net): various on-line translations of First Corinthians.