THEO7205 New Testament Theology

2016

4.5

1 x 3-hour lecture weekly

Admission into HBTH-Bachelor of Theology (Honours)

THEO7203 has been successfully completed

New Testament study proceeds by way of various assumptions about what the New Testament is, its enduring value for the Church, and its ability to communicate coherently about key elements of the Christian faith. Such assumptions have been strongly challenged in recent times. This topic seeks to investigate these assumptions, the principles governing their formation, how they developed in relation to the New Testament corpus and the conclusions that were derived in terms of major doctrines or emphases of the New Testament. It also seeks to negotiate the challenges that have been made to each of these areas, with the intent of assessing the impact that new hermeneutical demands are making upon the New Testament. In turn, possibilities for framing theologies of the New Testament for the future will be explored.

The aims of this topic are to:

• encourage students to examine the assumptions governing the study of the New Testament
• examine the principles and influences governing the formation of these assumptions and how they developed in the New Testament corpus, and the conclusions that were derived in terms of major doctrines or emphases of the New Testament
• negotiate challenges that have been made to these areas in academic, ecclesial and popular spheres, with the intent of assessing the impact that new hermeneutical demands are making upon the New Testament
• explore possibilities for framing theologies of the New Testament for the future

• provide opportunities to refine clarity of thought and argumentation

At the conclusion of this topic students will be able to:

• summarise the assumptions governing the study of The New Testament
• identify possibilities for framing future New Testament Theologies
• criticise and defend a variety of view points