Summer 2008/Pasadena
Two-week Intensive: July 7–18
NS501
Evans
NS501: NEW TESTAMENT 2: ACTS–REVELATION. Craig A. Evans.
DESCRIPTION: This course provides an introduction to the study of the book of Acts, the letters of the
New Testament, and the book of Revelation. Questions such as the authorship, purpose, structure, date, and occasion of each of these documents are considered insofar as they aid our understanding of the New Testament and contribute to our grasp of the theology of each of these documents. These writings, which proclaim the good news of Messiah Jesus, will be studied in historical context, beginning with important figures and developments in the “intertestamental” period.
COURSE OBJECTIVES/LEARNING OUTCOMES: Students completing this course will have demonstrated (1) a fundamental knowledge of the content of the NT documents studied in this part of the course; (2) an acquaintance with a range of cultural and historical matters that may inform our understanding of them; (3) an understanding of some of the factors contributing to the growth and development of the early church, the various struggles it faced, and the theological positions that emerged as a result; and (4) an appreciation of how these documents bear witness to the Risen Lord.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: An understanding of these documents is foundational for developing a biblically informed theology that equips one for preaching and teaching, for thinking carefully and creatively about Christian faith in today’s world, and for faithful Christian discipleship.
COURSE FORMAT: Lectures and discussion of the assigned primary and secondary readings. The class meets for four hours daily over a period of two weeks (i.e., in the intensive format).
REQUIRED READING:
Those portions of the NT studied in this course (Acts, the letters, Revelation).
Achtemeier, Paul, Joel Green, and Marianne Meye Thompson. Introducing the New Testament. Grand
Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001.
Skarsaune, Oskar. In the Shadow of the Temple: Jewish Influences on Early Christianity. Downers Grove:
InterVarsity Press, 2002.
Wright, N. T. Paul: In Fresh Perspective. Minneapolis: Fortress, 2005.
RECOMMENDED READING:
Evans, Craig A. Ancient Texts for New Testament Studies. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson, 2005.
Hawthorne, Gerald F., and Ralph P. Martin, eds. Dictionary of Paul and His Letters. Downers Grove:
InterVarsity Press, 1993.
Martin, Ralph P. and Peter H. Davids, eds. Dictionary of the Later New Testament and Its Developments.
Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1997.
ASSIGNMENTS:
1.
A midterm examination; 20% of the grade (first hour of Monday of second week).
2.
A final examination; 30% of the grade (in class, last two hours of last day of class).
3.
One exegetical essay on a chosen passage; 50% of the grade. There are two deadlines for turning in the exegesis paper. For Professor Evans to read and grade it the deadline is August 11, 2008
(postmarked no later than this date); for the TA it is September 12, 2008 (dropped off at or mailed to the Academic Programs Office).
PREREQUISITES: None.
RELATIONSHIP TO CURRICULUM: Meets MDiv Core requirement in New Testament 2 (NT2).
FINAL EXAMINATION: Yes.
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F ULLER T HEOLOGICAL S EMINARY —S CHOOL OF T HEOLOGY
Summer, 2008
NS501: NT2 Acts–Revelation
Craig A. Evans, Ph.D.
Acadia Divinity College, 902-585-2221, craig.evans@acadiau.ca
Summer residence: Fuller Seminary Guest House
I.
Course Description This course provides an introduction to the study of the book of
Acts, the letters of the New Testament, and the book of Revelation. Questions such as the authorship, purpose, structure, date, and occasion of each of these documents are considered insofar as they aid our understanding of the New Testament and contribute to our grasp of the theology of each of these documents. These writings, which proclaim the good news of Messiah Jesus, will be studied in historical context, beginning with important figures and developments in the “intertestamental” period.
II.
Course Objectives/Learning Outcomes Students completing this course will have demonstrated (1) a fundamental knowledge of the content of the NT documents studied in this part of the course; (2) an acquaintance with a range of cultural and historical matters that may inform our understanding of them; (3) an understanding of some of the factors contributing to the growth and development of the early church, the various struggles it faced, and the theological positions that emerged as a result; and (4) an appreciation of how these documents bear witness to the Risen Lord.
III.
Assignments and Evaluation
1.
A midterm examination; 20% of the grade (first hour of Monday of second week).
2.
A final examination; 30% of the grade (in class, last two hours of last day of class).
3.
One exegetical essay on a chosen passage; 50% of the grade. There are two deadlines for turning in the exegesis paper. For Professor Evans to read and grade it the deadline is
August 11, 2008 (postmarked no later than this date); for the TA it is September 12, 2008
(dropped off at or mailed to the Academic Programs Office).
Grading Distribution: A = 90–100%; B = 80–89%; C = 65–79%
Policy on Incompletes: Fuller Seminary’s normal process will be followed.
IV. Policies
Attendance Fuller Seminary’s normal policy, as stated in the Student Handbook, will be followed:
Academic credit for a course requires regular class attendance, whether or not this is stated in the syllabus, and is not just a matter of completing the assignments. Attendance means being present in the class for the entire scheduled class meeting, not just some part of it.
In the event of absence for any reason, you are responsible for any information or class content missed. The professor may require additional work to make up for an absence. If you are absent from a significant portion of the course or if you are frequently late for class meetings, even due to extenuating circumstances, this may result in a lower grade or even a failing grade for the course.
Academic Integrity Commitment Fuller Seminary’s policy will be followed:
At the beginning of this course we, as faculty and students, reaffirm our commitment to be beyond reproach in our academic work as a reflection of Christian character. We commit to honesty in all aspects of our work. We seek to establish a community which values serious intellectual engagement and personal faithfulness more highly than grades, degrees, or publications.
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Students are expected to review and understand the commitments to academic integrity as printed in the Student Handbook and the Seminary catalog. Some infractions can be addressed by personal confrontation and corrective counsel. The following violations of these commitments will be firmly addressed formally:
 Submitting the same work in whole or in part in more than one course without the permission of the professor(s);


Submitting as one’s own work paper(s) obtained from another source;
Plagiarism: unattributed quotations or paraphrases of ideas from published,

 unpublished or electronic sources;
Unpermitted collaboration in preparing assignments;
Cheating on exams by any means;
 Aiding another student on papers and tests in violation of these commitments.
Any of these violations will result in a failing grade on the assignment and possibly in the course, and will be reported to the Academic Integrity Group which may impose further sanctions in accordance with the Academic Integrity Policy. Evidence of repeated violations will result in a formal disciplinary process. For the full statement on Academic
Integrity see the Official Statements of Fuller section of the 2005–06 online Student
Handbook at http://www.fuller.edu/registrar/handbooks/sthb_200506/contents.asp
Academic Integrity Group: This group, comprised of three faculty members, one from each of the three schools, administers the implementation of the Academic Integrity policy. Contact: AIG <aig-chair@dept.fuller.edu>
V. Course Schedule and Activities
Required Reading : Paul Achtemeier, Joel Green, and Marianne Meye Thompson, Introducing the New Testament: Its Literature and Theology (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001) = AGM ;
Oskar Skarsaune, In the Shadow of the Temple: Jewish Influences on Early Christianity
(Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2002) = S ; N. T. Wright, Paul: In Fresh Perspective
(Minneapolis: Fortress, 2005) = W .
Monday 7 July — Historical background ( AGM chaps. 1–2; S 13–163)
Tuesday 8 July — No class ( AGM chap. 9; S 165–224)
Wednesday 9 July — ( S 225–258)
Thursday 10 July — ( AGM chaps. 10–11; W 3–39)
Friday 11 July — ( AGM chaps. 12–18; W 40–79)
Monday 14 July — ( AGM chaps. 19–20; S 259–318; W 83–129)
Tuesday 15 July — ( AGM chaps. 21–22; S 319–51; W 130–174)
Wednesday 16 July — ( AGM chaps. 23–24; S 353–444)
Thursday 17 July — ( AGM chap. 25)
Friday 18 July — Lecture wrap-up; study break and final exam
Prof. Craig A. Evans
Acadia Divinity College
31 Horton Avenue
Wolfville, Nova Scotia B4P 2R6
Canada
TA:
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