Pauline Literature RS 111

Course Description

Catalog: Literary form, historical occasions, and theological contents. 4 credits.
Comment: It is hard to imagine the rise of Christianity without the towering and often controversial figure of Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles. This course shall explore the life, teachings and significance of St. Paul through the lens of three of his epistles. 1 Thessalonians comes from Paul's early period, in which he is concerned about the church's survival in a hostile world; 1 Corinthians gives us an embattled Paul who is straining to reshape pagan imaginations in the image of Christ; and Philippians unveils an imprisoned yet joyful Paul whose own life has taken the cruciform shape of Christ's. We shall consider the rest of Paul's literary corpus and the 2nd half of the book of Acts as time permits. Class time will include lecture, discussion, student presentations and periodic quizzes.

Texts (top of page)

Required Texts
Banks	Banks, Robert. Paul's Idea of Community. Rev. ed.; Hendrickson, 1994.
Cousar	Cousar, Charles B. The Letters of Paul. IBT; Abingdon, 1996.
Additional Required / Recommended Readings
Donfried '85	Donfried, Karl P. "The Cults of Thessalonica and the Thessalonian Correspondence" NTS 31 (1985) 336-356.
Donfried '84	Donfried, Karl P. "Paul and Judaism: 1 Thessalonians 2:13-16 as a Test Case" Int 38 (1984) 242-253.
Dunn	Dunn, J. D. G. "The New Perspective on Paul" (1983) in Dunn, Jesus, Paul and the Law: Studies in Mark and Galatians. Westminster/JKP, 1990. Pp.183-214.
Fisk '03a	Fisk, Bruce N. "Paul: Life and Letters" in S. McKnight and G. Osborne, The Face of New Testament Studies. Baker, forthcoming.
Fisk '03b	Fisk, Bruce N. "The Odyssey of Christ: A Novel Context for Philippians 2:6-11." Forthcoming.
Green	"Paul's Theology of the Cross" in J. T. Carroll and J. B. Green, eds., The Death of Jesus in Early Christianity. Hendrickson, 1995. Pp. 113-132.
Gundry	Gundry, Robert H. "The Hellenization of Dominical Tradition and Christianization of Jewish Tradition in the Eschatology of 1-2 Thessalonians" NTS 33 (1987) 161-187.
Hays '91	Hays, Richard B. "Crucified with Christ: A Synthesis of the Theology of 1 and 2 Thessalonians, Philemon, Philippians, and Galatians" in Bassler, Jouette M., ed. Pauline Theology Volume I: Thessalonians, Philippians, Galatians, Philemon. Fortress, 1991. Pp. 227-246.
Hurd	Hurd, John C. "Paul Ahead of His Time: 1 Thess. 2:13-16." In P. Richardson, ed., Anti-Judaism in Early Christianity: Volume 1, Paul and the Gospels. SCJ 2; Waterloo: Wilfred Laurier University, 1986. Pp. 21-36.
Kim	Kim, Seyoon. Paul and the New Perspective (Eerdmans, 2002) 259-290 (also available in G. Hawthorne, R. Martin, D. Reid, eds., "Jesus, Sayings of" in Dictionary of Paul and His Letters. Downers Grove: IVP, 1993.
Klijn	Klijn, A. F. J. "1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and its Background in Apocalyptic Literature." In M. D. Hooker & S. G. WIlson, edd. Paul and Paulinism: Essays in Honour of C. K. Barrett. London: SPCK, 1982. Pp. 67-73.
Malherbe	Malherbe, Abraham. "Paul's Self-sufficiency (Philippians 4:11)" in J. T. Fitzgerald, ed. Friendship, Flattery, and Frankness of Speech: Studies on Friendship in the New Testament World. NovTSup; Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1996. Pp. 125-139.
Mattison	Mattison, Mark. A Summary of the New Perspective on Paul.
Stendahl	Stendahl, Krister, "The Apostle Paul and the Introspective Conscience of the West" in W. A. Meeks, ed. The Writings of St. Paul (Norton, 1972) 422-434.
Wright '00	Wright, N. T. "Paul's Gospel and Caesar's Empire" in R. A. Horsley, ed., Paul and Politics (Trinity, 2000) 160-183.
Wright '92	Wright, N. T. The New Testament and the People of God. Fortress, 1992.

Evaluation (top of page)

I. Class Preparation, Participation and Reading Quizzes: 30%

Among the many ways to demonstrate your preparation and to make your contribution, pay particular attention to the following. An A-student will need strong contributions in each of the following four areas:

1. Complete all reading assignments in Banks, Cousar and elsewhere, following the schedule. Students will probably need to read the assigned portions carefully, perhaps more than once. in order to do well on quizzes (on which, see #4 below).
2. Keep a Reading Log (including date, time spent, reading, number of pages) and take notes on your readings. Use a separate notebook (spiral or binder; not a pad), or computer file (CD or e-mail attachment; not floppy). Notes should use complete clauses rather than brief phrases. Aim to trace the logical flow and / or points of interest / contention / significance. Use left margin to indicate page numbers. One or two pages of notes per reading (e.g., book chapter, article).
3. Two or more brief reports on minor topics in Pauline studies. Conduct first-hand research (approximately one hour) and present findings in a 100-200 word paragraph using WebCT. As time permits, students will be invited to share the substance of their reports in class, in a brief (2-3 minute) presentation. The following list is intended only to be suggestive, and is only for 1 Thessalonians. Additional topics will be suggested in class, but students are welcome to select their own topics.
   To go to Westmont's WebCT log-in page, click here. Log in using your Westmont e-mail user name (e.g., jsmith). Your student i.d. number is your password . Once you arrive at the RS111 WebCT HomePage, click on Discussion Groups, then choose the appropriate Reports page: either 1 Thessalonians: Reports, 1 Corinthians: Reports, or Philippians: Reports). Then click on Compose Discussion Message, provide a descriptive subject, enter your comments in the message box and click on Post.
   

   Text	Suggested Topics in 1 Thessalonians	Suggested Resource or First Step
   1:1	Silvanus' identity, role, significance	concordance
   1:1	Timothy's identity, role, significance	concordance
   1:1	Paul's co-writers and their titles	survey intros to all 13 letters
   1:5	Paul's use of "Gospel": clues to meaning from contexts	concordance: begin with Thess. letters
   1:8	Macedonia and Achaia: location, significance	Bible dictionary (e.g., Anchor Bible Dict.)
   1:10	eschatology in 1 & 2 Thessalonians	survey the 2 letters and find all eschat. refs.
   2:2	Paul's sufferings in Philippi	consult Acts
   2:6	Paul's use of "apostle"	concordance
   2:7	feminine imagery in Paul's correspondence	commentary
   2:11	paternal imagery in Paul's correspondence	commentary
   2:18	Paul's references to Satan	commentary
   2:19	see 1:10 on eschatology
   3:2, 6	see 1:1 on Timothy
   3:11-13	prayers in Paul's epistles	commentary; survey letters
   3:13	see 1:10 on eschatology
   4:3	"will of God" language in Paul	commentary
   4:4	differences in English translations	library Bible collection or Bible program
   4:12	"outsider" language: terms for nonbelievers in Paul	commentary
   4:16-17	see 1:10 on eschatology
   5:2	"the day" or "the day of the Lord" in Paul	concordance
   5:8	military imagery in Paul	commentary
   5:20	prophecy in Paul	commentary, encyclopedia/dictionary
   5:23	divisions or parts of the human (e.g., spirit, soul, body) in Paul	commentary
   5:28	concluding greetings in Paul's letters	survey the endings to all Paul's letters

4. Reading Quizzes: we'll have periodic unnannounced quizzes on daily readings. To do well on these, it may be necessary to read the assigned reading more than once, and to take notes as you do.
5. WebCT discussion: The size of the class will make it difficult for everyone to contribute to classs discussion. WebCT (see above, #3) can help us continue the discussion after class. In addition to the Report Pages (see again #3), you will find a Discussion Group for each epistle (1 Thess, 1 Cor, Phil), as well as Groups organized around various topics: Paul's ethics, Paul's churches, Paul's apostleship and authority, and Paul's mission and message. Thoughtful comments (of whatever length), posted throughout the term, in response to class session and readings, will enrich our learning (and enhance your grade).

Grades will be based on contribution (e.g., by raising questions from readings, participating actively in discussion, mini-presentations, WebCT) and disposition (by showing respect toward your peers, etc.)

2. Handout and (perhaps) Oral Presentation on Pauline Epistle or Topic in Pauline Studies: 20%

• individually, or with a partner, prepare a one-page (double-sided) handout on a selected Pauline epistle or topic, introducing two or three important issues related to your topic, major viewpoints or schools of thought on each one, and an annotated list of at least five sources used to prepare for this assignment
• distribute copies of your handout to each member of the class on the day it is due
• satisfactory completion of the handout will score 85% (B) for this assignment; marginally acceptable work will earn 75% (C) or lower
• students wishing to earn additional points should submit the handout to the professor at least two class periods early, discuss with the professor the option of a 7-10 minute oral presentation to the class designed to guide others through the topic (without simply reading the handout) and, if approved, deliver the presentation as scheduled.

3. Paul's Next Letter: 10%

Compose a 2-3 page pseudonymous "Pauline" letter to a real local church that you know well. If you don't attend church weekly, you will need to begin immediately. (Chapel and Vespers don't qualify. See the instructor if this presents a problem.) You may want to interview key leaders to get their perpsectives on church life. Use your letter to address what you take to be the church's strengths and challenges, and offer your best Pauline counsel to the church's leaders. You might pretend that your church wrote Paul for advice, or to complain. Aim to identify points of resonance and points of dissonance between Paul's vision for the Christian community and the social reality of your church. Your letter might focus on a specific issue or two (e.g., gender roles, spiritual gifts, wealth, violence, sexual ethics) or it can range more broadly. Think of it as a conversation between Paul and your congregation. Your letter will be evaluated in terms of how it reflects Paul's thought and theology (as revealed in his authentic letters), how well it adopts his literary style and voice, and how well you bring Paul's theology to bear in practical ways on real issues in the 21st century. Due April 9th, at the beginning of class.

4. Research Paper OR Final Exam: 40%

Choose either A or B.

A. Integration Paper. Choose this option if you would like to focus closely on one theme.

• write a formal research paper addressing an important topic in the church today from the standpoint of Paul's epistles
• unlike #3 above, this should not focus on the concerns of a single local church, but rather should address a broader issue of interest to you, and of relevance for many more
• the focus of this paper should not overlap with your letter
• currently lively topics include (but are not limited to):
  • the return of Jesus (Would Paul like the Left Behind Series?)
  • the ordination of homosexuals (If Paul knew what we know today, would he support it?)
  • sexual promiscuity (Would Paul preach abstinence in today's world?)
  • pluralism and evangelism (Would Paul's missionary strategies still work today? What about adherents to other religions?)
  • divorce (When would he allow it? And what about remarriage?)
  • the plight of the Jews (What did Paul expect would happen to them? Was Paul wrong? Where does modern Israel fit?)
  • Christian unity (Would Paul be adamantly opposed to denominationalism?)
  • worship wars (Would Paul call for rock-n-roll worship? Would he like CCM? What would Paul include if he designed a church service?)
  • persecution of Christians (What would Paul say to us on behalf of the persecuted church?)
  • the realm of magic and wizardry (Would Paul read Harry Potter to his kids?)
• clear your topic with the instructor
• make good use of the library's collection and of the tools (data bases, online resources, inter-library loan) available. When uncertain, seek the help of reference staff
• your goal should not be to settle the contemporary topic, but to mine the letters of Paul for texts, images and principles that might help you think more clearly about the topic
• Greek students should consult Greek references tools
• length: 2500 to 3000 words
• due March 21 at the beginning of class
• the bibliography shall include a minimum of ten sources, not counting class texts and readings, related to your topic (e.g., journal articles, monographs, essays in collections, encyclopedia / dictionary articles, commentaries)
• the essay shall incorporate insights from these sources into your argument, but be sure to carry the argument in your own words
• proof read for form, style, clarity; papers marked by spelling errors, grammatical bloopers and cluttered diction will not rise above a B
• format (margins, style, notes, biblio, etc.) should conform to standards in the RS department, or face up to 10% deduction

B. Final Exam. Choose this option if you want extra incentive to review and integrate class readings and topics.

• the exam will include both subjective (essay) and objective (matching) questions, and will be comprehensive
• it will assume familiarity with Cousar and Banks, the three Pauline epistles explored in this course, and a selection of additional readings, as announced
• go here for the Study Guide.

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

Schedule (top of page)