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L. Gregory Bloomquist

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THO 3161 Mark (2012)

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THO 3161 Mark (2012)

Overview of the Course


CODE: THO 3161	Title: Gospel Interpretation: Mark
CREDITS: 3 cr.	Room: GUI 101
SESSION: Fall, 2011	Professor: L. Gregory Bloomquist (contact)
DESCRIPTION	This course presents students with an introduction to the New Testament in its social, cultural, and historical milieu, an opportunity to explore ways of reading New Testament texts, and a closer reading of one particular New Testament text, the Gospel of Mark.
OBJECTIVES	This course is intended to develop skills in careful, attentive reading of sacred Christian texts for theological understanding and being able to discuss the same with others. In order to develop these skills of analysis and communication, the course proposes to provide an opportunity to identify, discern and discuss issues in the study of a New Testament text (Mark), as well as an opportunity to explore contrasting approaches to the same issues (from scholars and members of the class).
WORKLOAD	The course will employ active learning technologies geared to the above objectives (rather than lectures geared to content retention). This will mean that most of the work will be done in preparing for the class and in class. Accordingly, the workload will be predominately student involvement and will include: participation in class readings (geared to class discussion) in-class exams and/or homework assignments brief exegetical paper (5-10 pages, double-spaced, properly formatted) that evidences your ability to understand a passage in the Gospel of Mark exegetically mid-term written exam: Subject: Who, what, when, where, why of the New Testament world and Introductory issues regarding the Gospel of Mark final written exam
EVALUATION / REVIEW	Homework assignments and/or In-class Exams 30% Brief, exegetical paper 20% (NB: For any written submissions, please use the guidelines found in SBL HANDBOOK OF STYLE: FOR ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN, BIBLICAL, AND EARLY CHRISTIAN STUDIES (eds. P. H. Alexander and et al.; Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 1999). NB: The Handbook is based on the Chicago Manual of Style. The latest edition of the Chicago Manual of Style (16th edition) is now accessible to all SPU students HERE. ) Mid-Term Exam (written) 20% Final exam (written) 30% Please see GRADING SCALE for an interpretation of what a given grade means.
REQUIRED READING:	Bible (any Bible that is not a paraphrase is acceptable) One of the following Gospel synopses: K. Aland, Synopsis of the Four Gospels: Greek-English Edition of the Synopsis Quattuor Evangeliorum (Revised edition; United Bible Societies, 1976) or B. H. Throckmorton ed., Gospel Parallels, NRSV Edition: A Comparison of the Synoptic Gospels (Nashville: T. Nelson, 1992). C. K. Barrett, New Testament Background (San Francisco: Harper, 1995) B. J. Malina, The New Testament World: Insights From Cultural Anthropology (3rd rev and expanded ed; Louisville, Ky.: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001). F. J. Moloney, Mark: Storyteller, Interpreter, Evangelist (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson, 2004). Pontifical Biblical Commission, Interpretation of the Bible in the Church (Presented by the Pontifical Biblical Commission to Pope John Paul II on April 23, 1993, as published in Origins, January 6, 1994) A commentary on the Gospel of Mark from among the following (for purchase or in the Library) that you intend to use throughout the course: Collins, Adela Yarbro. Mark: A commentary (Hermeneia; Minneapolis: Fortress, 2007). Evans, Craig A. Mark 8:27–16:20. Word Biblical Commentary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2001. Guelich, Robert A. Mark 1:-8:26. Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas: Word, 1989. Hooker, Morna D. The Gospel according to Saint Mark. London: Black and Peabody, 1991. Marcus, Joel. Mark 1-8 (The Anchor Yale Bible 27a; New Haven: Yale University Press, 2002) and Mark 8-16 (The Anchor Yale Bible 27b; New Haven: Yale University Press, 2009). Nineham, D. E. Saint Mark. Pelican New Testament Commentaries. Harmondsworth, UK: Penguin, 1963.
SUGGESTED BIBLIOGRAPHY AND/OR WWW SITES:	Raymond E. Brown, An Introduction to the New Testament (New Haven, Yale University Press, 1997). Elliott, J. K. Gospel of Mark. Oxford Bibliographies Online. Dale Martin, New Testament History and Interpretation (Yale University course, available via Academic Earth), especially lectures 3, 4, and 6. New Testament Gateway Always consult RESEARCH LINKS.
SPECIAL NOTES	Please see CLASS PROTOCOL for an overview of expectations in the class.

Calendar for the Course


DATE	SUBJECT (Notes are available here after the class)	READINGS (All readings must be completed BEFORE the class, except for readings for January 11)	OTHER ASSIGNMENTS
January 11	Introduction and Overview Who, what, when, where? The historical background of the New Testament (notes)	Barrett, Introductions to sections 1-13 Scan the material in each of the sections for an overview of what is included (You may also wish to consult R. E. Brown, see above, chapters 4-5) Biblical Chronology
January 18	Who, what when, where? The historical background of the New Testament (cont) Why? The cultural world of the New Testament	Barrett, Introductions to sections 1-13 Malina, introduction and chapters 1-4 You may also wish to consult David deSilva, Honor, Patronage, Kinship and Purity: Unlocking New Testament Culture. Available in the SPU Library BS 2380 D48H65
January 25	Why? The cultural world of the New Testament (cont) (notes)	Malina, chapters 5-7 and conclusion NB: By January 25, you must have chosen a commentary that you will use for the study of Mark, in addition to the Required Reading from Moloney
February 1	Introduction to Mark & Mark 1:1-13 (notes)	Moloney, 3-58 & 59-63 (Over the next weeks, you will need to be reading Moloney, 123-199 along the way and to have completed reading these pages earlier and certainly no later than February 29) You may also wish to consult Textual research on the Bible (Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 2008)
February 8	Mark 1:14 - 3:6 (notes) Overview of Mid-Term Exam Presentation of possible topics for the assigned paper	Moloney, 63-69 (NB: Please see also the note for February 1)	Hand in Synoptic Exercise on Mark 1:40-45
February 15	Mid-Term Exam:
February 22	No class: SPU Winter Break
February 29	Mark 3:7 - 8:26	Moloney, 69-77 (NB: Please see also the note for February 1)
March 7	Mark 8:27 - 10:52	Moloney, 82-87
March 14	Mark 11:1 - 13:37	Moloney, 87-96	Brief Exegetical Paper due
March 21	No class: Professor absent for Association of Theological Schools assessment
March 28	Mark 14:1 - 15:47	Moloney, 96-111
April 4	Mark 16:1-8 & The Other Conclusions of Mark Concluding Discussion: How should we use the Gospel of Mark?	Moloney, 111-113 Pontifical Biblical Commission, Interpretation of the Bible in the Church
Thursday April 19 9- 12 Noon	FINAL EXAM

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