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

Syllabus

Faculty Contact Information

E-mail: mhinkle@luthersem.edu
Phone: 651-641-3248
Campus office: 107 Bockman Hall
LutherNet IM address: mhinkle@luthersem.edu (What's this?)

Course Description

A study of the Corinthian letters in the context of the Pauline corpus. The course moves from a brief introduction to Paul’s life and letters to its primary focus, that is, a close reading of 1 and 2 Corinthians. Participants will practice exegesis whose aim is proclamation of these texts in 21st century contexts. Throughout the course, attention is paid to matters of theological and pastoral concern that arise from a discussion of the letters.

Course Objectives

Enduring Understandings

Six weeks or six months after the coursework is done, what will you remember about the class? I’m hoping that these three observations are among your enduring understandings:

  1. Paul’s letters are occasional, historically-conditioned writings, yet they are capable of bearing the Word of God to the church today.
  2. "We are those upon whom the ends of the ages have met" (1 Cor. 10:11).
  3. Paul understands the Christian life to be lived in community and guided by the Holy Spirit.

Key Knowledge

By the end of the course, I hope you know:

  1. General background on the social situation of the first urban Christians.
  2. Contents of Paul’s Corinthian correspondence.

Key Skills

By the end of the course, I hope you can:

  1. Outline a Pauline argument and/or text.
  2. Analyze what Paul means by key words and recurring theological concepts in his letters.
  3. Move with increasing agility between a Pauline text and a present-day use or hearing of that text.

Schedule

NT2213 is divided into three modules. Here's a quick look at the topics we will be focusing on in each:

Module One | Sept. 7-Oct. 1 (weeks 1-4)

Paul: His Life, Letters and World

During the first four weeks of the course, we will concentrate on Paul: His Life, Letters and World. This is an overview of the shape and content of the letters attributed to Paul in the New Testament, as well as a look at the Greco-Roman world in which Paul, a Jew, grew up and received his education and his calling to be an apostle of the Lord Jesus.

At the end of this module, you will complete an online examination. You may take the exam anytime from Oct. 1-8.

Module Two | Oct. 4-Nov. 12 (weeks 5-10)

Reading 1 & 2 Corinthians

In this section of the course, we will read through the letters of Paul to the Corinthians. We will try to hold together the goals of (1) getting an idea of the "big picture" or topics and themes that recur in the letters, and (2) looking closely at what Paul has to say on individual topics or in a portion of text short enough to be read in Sunday worship.

Module Three | Nov. 15-Dec. 10 (weeks 11-13)

Paul and Today's Church

Throughout the semester, we will be discussing the relevance of Paul's letters for today and their application in contemporary churches. As the semester draws to a close, this topic will come to the forefront of our work together. We will focus on how Paul's letters should or shouldn't (1) offer an ethical center as we seek to bear witness to the hope that is in us as Christians, (2) inform our sense of church and church order, and (3) provide resources for our own identity as leaders in mission.

We have the week of November 22 off for Thanksgiving Break.

Assignments

Here is an overview of assignments for the course. All written assignments must be turned in for a passing grade to be earned.

Reading & Posting on Reading | To be completed weekly throughout the course.

The Bible is our primary textbook in this class, yet as we read the Bible together we will be joined by a number of conversation partners offering their ideas and opinions in print. Each course topic will have accompanying web materials, course book chapters and/or e-reserves to add background to the biblical study you are doing. You need to read and write about what you are reading as assigned.

I'm not planning to have round-robin discussions in this class (like those you may be used to from Pentateuch or other online courses). Instead, you will all be contributing twice weekly to a course weblog. For details, see the weblog information page.

A Contribution of Paul (short paper) | 4-5 pages. | Due Sept. 20 or earlier.

This paper is due at the end of Week Two. (You may turn it in as late as Monday of Week Three if you like, that is, Sept. 20.) In 4-5 double-spaced pages, describe one contribution made to Christian thought by Paul. Describe something Paul (or the letters of Paul) offered to Christianity. Do these things in the paper:

  • Use Paul's letters to show how the topic you have chosen is really a Pauline contribution. Other New Testament writers may have talked about it, of course, but you task here is to show how Paul talks about it distinctively.
  • Comment on whether the contribution you are writing about is/was a good thing, or a bad thing, or a mixed bag. Why do you think so?

Criteria for grading: (1) clarity of your writing and argument including use of appropriate footnote style, (2) clarity of connection between the paper and the content of Paul's letters. (Your paper does not have to be connected to the Corinthian correspondence specifically.) Link to stylesheet for writing assignments here.

Mid-term Exam | To be completed anytime from Oct. 1-8.

At the end of Module One, you will have an online exam that covers material from the first four weeks of the course. All questions will be related to the web activities and readings assigned during those weeks. I will post a study guide during Week Four. (It's going to take me that long to figure out how to work the test engine in MyLutherNet.)

Exegetical Activities | To be completed weekly throughout Module Two.

Exegesis is a big word for interpretation or a close reading of a text. If you have taken the Synoptic Gospels with me, you may remember our Exegetical Workshop assignments. While on sabbatical in 2003-04, I developed web resources to teach ten exegetical skills. The sabbatical project, "Into the New Testament," is an outgrowth of the exegetical workshops. In this course, you will do one project a week for six weeks from Into the New Testament. These will start in Week Five of the class.

Debates | To be completed weekly during Module Three.

During the last three weeks of the course, we will explore three topics related to the use of Paul's letters in the church today. To do this, you will be assigned to debate teams in which you will argue pro or con these propositions:

Love is the center of Pauline ethics.
The Pauline letters support the full participation of women in ministry.
Paul is a good role model for missional leaders.

Readings on these topics will be available as e-reserves as well as on desk reserve in the Luther Seminary library. You will participate in and judge debates using the Discussion Forum tools that are part of MyLutherNet.

Final Project | To be completed by the end of the course.

Your final project is to prepare a sermon, Bible study, devotional booklet, or other resource that will proclaim a Pauline text in a parish or specialized ministry setting. Your resource, along with accompanying exegetical notes, is due on Dec. 15. Whatever you choose to do, I expect that you will spend about the same time on it that you would spend researching and writing a 12-15 page paper. I would like to consult with you before you make a final decision on a project.