Testament Tensions and Contemporary Ministry
SC-665-1/III-AM Fall 2002
New Testament writings reflect a variety of tensions which
developed within the Christian communities of the first
century and which also arise in the Church today. Using
insights and paradigms from biblical and congregational
studies as angles of vision, this course seeks to analyze the
dynamics of these tensions then and now. Reading the New
Testament from social scientific perspectives will provide a
bridge between the problems and strategies of the early church
and those of congregations in our time.
Day, Time and Dates:
from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on 9/10, 10/1, 10/22, 11/12, 12/10
Location: Room 206
Class web site
To gain a greater understanding of various New Testament documents
as products of communities of faith with different cultures and
To use both the academic tools of biblical analysis and the lenses
of contemporary congregational studies in listening and responding
to selective New Testament writings.
To explore similarities and differences between settings and
strategies of the early church and present day congregations.
To show reflective practice of this approach in a variety
of congregational ministries.
we recognize that New Testament documents were written by
individuals in the context of their faith communities, in this
course we will emphasize the influence of communities in the
development of these materials.
Although we also realize that each document has many layers
of meaning, in this course we seek to identify dominant themes
that reflect the communities from /to which they were written. As the themes and perspectives of each book is introduced
students are expected to incorporate those themes into each
will sign up to introduce a New Testament book in team
introductions should include an historical-critical orientation to
the book, an exploration of the primary issue we have suggested
for the book, and a contemporary congregational situation that
might be comparable to the book. Presentations should be about 15 minutes, maximum, and
accompanied by a single page outline for all students. These presentations provide the basis for one of two
student papers, in addition to weekly reading reports. In presentations and papers students are encouraged to
include creativity in communication, such as pictures, drawings,
dialogues, role playing, music, video, and the like.
New Testament in a modern translation (e.g., New Revised Standard
Brown, The Churches the Apostles Left Behind (New York/Ramsey: Paulist
S. Dudley & Earle Hilgert, New
Testament Tensions & the Contemporary Church
(Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1987).
Howard-Brook and Sharon H. Ringe, eds., The
New Testament – Introducing the Way of Discipleship (Maryknoll,
NY: Orbis Press, 2002).
Meeks, First Urban Christians: The Social World of the Apostle Paul (New
Haven: Yale University Press, 1983).
David Rhoads, The Challenge of Diversity: The Witness of Paul & the Gospels
(Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress Press, 1989).
Ringe, “A Gentile Woman’s Story” in Letty Russell, ed., Feminist
Interpretation of the Bible (Philadelphia: Westminster Press,
1985), 65-72 [on reserve].
Max Weber, “The Sociology of Charismatic Authority” in Gerth and
Mills, From Max Weber:
Essays in Sociology (Oxford, 1946), 242-252 [on reserve].
B. Recommended (on reserve)
T. Ammerman, et.al., Studying
Congregations (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998).
Bartlett, Ministry in the
New Testament (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1993).
Brown, The Community of the Beloved Disciple: The Life, Loves and Hates of An
Individual Church in New Testament Times (New York: Paulist
Cassidy, Jesus, Politics and
Society: A Study of Luke’s Gospel (Maryknoll, Orbis Books,
H. Elliot, A Home for the
Homeless: A Social-Scientific Criticism of I Peter, Its Situation
and Strategy (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1990).
Jewett, The Thessalonian Correspondence: Pauline Rhetoric and Millenarian Piety
(Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1986).
Tamez, The Amnesty of Grace: Justification by Faith from a Latin American
Perspective (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1993).
Theissen, Social Setting of Pauline Christianity: Essays on Corinth
(Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1982).
of Early Palestinian Christianity (Philadelphia: Fortress Press,
H. Throckmorton, Jr., Gospel
Parallels: A Synopsis of the First Three Gospels (Nashville:
Thomas Nelson, 1979).
2. Class presentation:
will work in teams to introduce in class a New Testament book as a
reflection of a community
of believers, including the theological beliefs and social
dynamics. Students must provide a one-page outline of their
presentation with copies for all class members.
A) Single page (paragraph-form, outline or list of comments and
issues) each session (morning and afternoon of each class
constitute one session each) discussing the theme of the session
based in the biblical documents and using assigned reading as
resource for your comments (i.e, two one-page papers for each day
of class, starting with the second class for a total of 8 one-page
reading reports will facilitate class discussions, and professors
will also react to content of the reports with e-mail comments
after each class.
B) Brief written introduction to a New Testament book engaging a
course theme based on your presentation in class session, length
about 7-10 pages, due no later than November 14.
C) Longer paper of two parts, about equal length, total 20-25 pages,
due December 17.
First part: Write an analysis and integration of course material
(lectures, readings, discussions) showing the dynamic interaction
of several class themes in at least three New Testament documents
that reflect the diverse beliefs and practices of the early
Second part: Based on a contemporary ministry setting, (a)
describe the important beliefs and practices of participants and
(b) write a new New Testament document that might be written for
or from that ministry, showing your use of applicable course
themes in the practice of ministry.
participation is expected of all students. Students who
miss all or part of a class day are expected to arrange to cover
the same material in other ways (tapes, discussions with other
students, etc.). However,
given that we only have five class days in this course, missing
more than one full day could lead to withdrawal from class.
In addition, any absence may affect final grade.
I (Morning): INTRODUCTION
to the class and the course
To the social world & interpretative visions of the New
methods of Congregational
Read: Brown, ch. 1, pp. 13-30;
Howard & Ringe, ch. 1, pp. 1-15; Meeks, ch. 1, pp. 1-50;
Introduction and ch 1, pp. 1-38.
II (Afternoon): WITH
THE JESUS MOVEMENT, INTIMACY VS. ORDER
Study: Synoptic Gospels (Use Gospel Parallels, e.g., Throckmorton,
Parallels), Identify primitive passages of intimacy (Use Dudley & Hilgert).
Read: Dudley and Hilgert, ch. 1, pp.
“Gentile Woman’s Story.”
early forms of structure and order, study MATTHEW
ch. 8, pp. 124-145;
Rhodes, ch. 4, pp. 79-98.
Theissen, Sociology, ch.
I-X, pp. 1-119
Read: Howard and Ringe, ch. 2, pp. 16-39;
III (Morning): CHARISMA
AND COUNTER-CULTURAL CHRISTIANITY.
MARK, I THESSALONIANS
Dudley and Hilgert, ch. 2, pp. 38-75;
Howard-Brooke & Ringe, ch.7, 122-147.; Meeks, ch. 2, pp. 51-110;
Rhoads, ch. 3, pp. 60-78; Max
Weber, “The Sociology of Charismatic Authority.”
Thessalonian Correspondence, Ch. 7 & 9, pp. 113-132,
IV (Afternoon): DEALING WITH CONFLICT and ESTABLISHING AUTHORITY
GALATIANS; 1 CORINTHIANS (also 2 Corinthians)
Dudley and Hilgert, ch. 4, 104-134;
Meeks, ch. 4, pp. 111-139;
ch. 2, pp. 39-59.
Theissen, Social Setting, ch.
2, 3, 4, pp. 69-174;
Bartlett, ch. 2, pp. 23-57.
V (Morning): RESOLVING
COMMUNAL CONFLICT THROUGH
RITUAL AND ROUTINE
Study: COLOSSIANS & EPHESIANS; (also Philippians)
VI (Afternoon): Annual
CONTINUITY THROUGH ORGANIZATIONAL
Brown, ch. 3, pp. 47- 59;
and Hilgert, ch. 5, pp. 135-166;
& Ringe, ch.8, pp. 148-167;
ch. 5, pp. 140-163.
Study: PASTORAL EPISTLES
Read: Brown, ch. 2, pp. 31-46;
ch. 4, pp. 111-139 (re-read).
Bartlett, ch. 6, pp. 150-184.
VII (Morning): CHRISTIANS
IN CONFLICT ABOUT STATUS AND JUSTICE
VIII (Afternoon): SUSTAINING
CHRISTIAN VISION IN A HOSTILE WORLD
Read: Brown, ch. 4, pp. 61-74;
& Ringe, ch. 4, 6 & 9, pp. 62-79, 103-121; 168-169,
ch. 5, pp. 99-116.
Bartlett, ch. 5, pp. 115-149; Cassidy, Jesus,
Politics and Society.
Dudley and Hilgert, ch. 3, 76-103; Howard & Ringe, ch. 9, 179-182.
ROMANS, I PETER
Brown, ch. 5, pp. 75-83;
Recommended: Tamez, Amnesty
of Grace, selections; Elliot, A Home for
the Homeless, ch. 1, 2, pp. 21-100.
IX (Morning): DUALISTIC
VISION: WHEN INTIMATE IS UNIVERSAL
GOSPEL OF JOHN, Epistles of John
Brown, ch. 6, 7, pp. 84-123;
ch. 6, pp. 117-135.
Bartlett, ch. 4, pp. 89-114; Brown, Community of the
Beloved Disciple, 13-144.
X (Afternoon): COSMIC
VISION: THE CLASH OF POLITICS AND RELIGION
REVELATION (also Hebrews)
Dudley and Hilgert, ch. 4, 104-134;
Howard & Ringe, ch. 10, 188-206; Meeks, ch. 6, pp.
Rhoads, ch. 7, pp. 136-151.
Bartlett, ch. 7, pp 185-200.
Towards a Congregational Studies Reading of the New Testament