NT2213 The Pauline Tradition: 1 & 2 Corinthians
 Mary E. Hinkle
Associate Professor of New Testament
Luther Seminary
Fall 2004

Module Two

For the next six weeks, we will be reading through the letters of 1 & 2 Corinthians. Each week, you will have these assignments:

Extensive Bible Reading | You will read through a larger block of the letters, enough so that we get through all of both of them in six weeks.

Intensive Bible Reading | You will read a small block (or pericope, pronounced in four syllables: puh-RIK-o-pee) of text slowly and carefully. For those of you who work with Greek, we will practice using it as we read these small portions of Paul's letters each week.

Exegetical Workshop | You will practice a few exegetical skills with the help of worksheets, availble in the Coursework section of our MyLutherNet site.

Expanding the Conversation | You will read the Richard Hays commentary on 1 Corinthians as well as some other secondary (non-biblical) sources on these letters.

Talking to Each Other | We will continue to blog on the work we are doing each week in class. The purpose of this again is to have some live conversation partners as we work online.

As in Module One, you will be able to find links to all the materials for Module Two weeks on this page. You can also find the same links on each week's page.

Date

Topic

To Do List

Week 5

Oct 4-10

  1. Read the Week 5 web page and 1 Cor 1-4 in at least one English translation.
  2. Read 1 Cor 1:26-2:5 meditatively (more…).
  3. Read Hays commentary on passages in 1 Cor 1-4 that you're most interested in (pp 1-79).
  4. Blog on a Week 5 topic or another related issue. See "Conversion of the Imagination" and "Praying Scripture" for blogging ideas.

Week 6

Oct 11-17

  1. Read the Week 6 web page and 1 Cor. 5-7 in at least one English translation.
  2. Read "Exegesis for Textual Preaching," my Word & World article, on desk and e-reserve.
  3. Review the handout, "Learning to Read: Exegesis for Human Beings."
  4. Complete "Comparing Translations." (This is due Friday, Oct. 29, because I am out of town next week and cannot grade it until then. You may turn in any exegetical workshop ahead of time.) Available in the Coursework section of MyLutherNet.
  5. Read selections in the Hays commentary pp 80-134 (as you have time and interest, but read 133-34 for sure).
  6. Blog on a Week 6 topic or another related issue.

Week 7

Oct 18-31

  1. Read the Week 7 web page and 1 Cor 8-14 in at least one English translation.
  2. Complete the "Hunt for Christian Community" (print-friendly version here).
  3. Read "Babette's Feast and Shaming the Poor in Corinth," by Robert Jewett. (I will arrange for this to be on e-reserve and library desk reserve.)
  4. If you have not finished "Comparing Translations," do so by Oct. 29. It's in the Coursework section of MyLutherNet.
  5. Blog on the topic of Christian community. Respond to the Jewett article or questions of mine in this week's Hunt.

Week 8

Oct 25-31
  1. Read the Week 8 web page and 1 Cor. 15.
  2. Read Hays's 1 Corinthians commentary, 252-282.
  3. If you have not finished "Comparing Translations," do so by Oct. 29. It's in the Coursework section of MyLutherNet.
  4. The next exegetical workshop is "Tracing Movement," due Nov. 5. It's also in the Coursework section of MyLutherNet.
  5. Blog on a topic listed on the Week 8 page. Two postings each week are required. Either replying to a classmate or composing your own post counts as a posting.

newBlogging May Be Optional for You

Because you will be writing posts and replies to each other in activities for each of the next 5 weeks, blogging for the rest of the semester is optional. If you have kept up with the blog so far, you have "fulfilled all righteousness." Any further postings you make will be because you want to write about something. If you have not written at least 16 weblog entries, you still need to work during the next five weeks of class to fulfill that number.

Week 9

Nov 1-7

Paul's School of Hard Knocks

2 Cor 1-2; 10-12
  1. Read Paul's School of Hard Knocks and 2 Corinthians (the whole letter) in at least one English translation.
  2. Read "Yes and No?" a sermon by Prof. Richard Lischer of Duke Divinity School.
  3. In your role as a partner in the firm, "Conflict Consultants R Us," compose Memo #1 and reply to the memos of your group members.
  4. Complete "Following Paul's Argument," exegetical workshop #2. It's in the Coursework section of MyLutherNet.
  5. Blog on a topic that occurred to you as you completed the work above. Remember to interact with course materials, including the Bible, as you blog. Suggestions for topics include:
    • The pros and cons of using personal pain as the occasion for theologizing.
    • A story about effective conflict mediation in a congregation or among a group of Christians.
    • A topic you thought of as you read 2 Corinithians in its entirety.
    • Examples of Paul doing theology from above and/or from below (See "The Role of Experience....")
  6. Reminder: The second part of the Module One exam, on famous passages in Paul's letters, is due by Nov. 12. Find details in the Coursework section of MyLutherNet.

Week 10

Nov 8-14

Clay Jars & Reconciliation

2 Cor 4-13

  1. Read this web page and 2 Cor 3:1-6:13.
  2. In your role as a partner in the firm, "Conflict Consultants R Us," compose Memo #2 and reply to the second memos of your group members.
  3. Complete "Studying Key Words," exegetical workshop #3. It's in the Coursework section of MyLutherNet.
  4. Blog on a topic that occurred to you as you completed the work above. Remember to interact with course materials, including the Bible, as you blog. Suggestions for topics include:
    • You worked last week on the exegetical workshop, "Following Paul's Argument." Review any features of 2 Cor 3:1-6:13 that make is easy or hard for you to follow.
    • Is it possible for the Corinthians to be reconciled to God and still estranged from Paul? How are the "vertical" and "horizontal" aspects of the Christian message of reconcilation related?
    • Paul refers to himself and Timothy as having been given "a ministry of reconcilation" (2 Cor 5:18). Tell us about any experience you have in the kind of ministry he is describing.
  5. Reminder: The second part of the Module One exam, on famous passages in Paul's letters, is due by Friday, Nov. 12. This is computer-generated and graded. Find details in the Coursework section of MyLutherNet.

Module Two Handouts

  A short introduction to the practice of Lectio Divina with a link to a longer article on the topic by Benedictine monk, Fr. Luke Dysinger, O.S.B.
  Learning to Read: Exegesis for Human Beings This includes a couple of short definitions of exegesis as well as a list of the worksheets you will complete to practice exegetical skills.