God in Flesh and Blood: Revolutions in Christology

Although theologians often approach “Christology” by asking how Jesus of Nazareth might be best understood in terms of certain systematic concerns or doctrinal positions—a perspective that gives rise to questions such as: How are the divine and human natures of Christ related?, What are the merits of, or alternatives to, substitutionary atonement?, and How might a virginal conception thwart the transmission of original sin?—those who are more oriented to the discipline of “biblical theology” are more likely to prioritize how the New Testament portrayal of Jesus is related to the narrative movement—or movements—of the Hebrew Bible. This leads either to a different set of questions or (just as importantly) to a different angle on the kinds of questions asked above. This course, on potential revolutions in Christological thinking, will draw on contemporary NT scholarship in order to explore this latter approach.

To what extent do the OT themes of exile and return, old age and new age, help deepen our understanding of the birth and crucifixion of the Messiah? If the NT portrays the first followers of Jesus as worshipping him (and as doing so before and not just after the Resurrection), is it implicitly or explicitly calling us to worship Jesus’s humanity as well as his divinity? Does Mary’s encounter with Gabriel, who is a named presence in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament only in the Book of Daniel, indicate that her conception of Jesus is to be read apocalyptically? Is it significant that Elizabeth initially greets Mary with words otherwise associated with Jael and Judith? These are some of the exegetical and theological questions we will consider in this engagement with issues at the edge, and at the heart, of contemporary Christology. Conversation partners will include: James Dunn (Did the First Christians Worship Jesus?), Jane Schaberg (The Illegitimacy of Jesus), and N.T. Wright (The Day the Revolution Began).

Dr. Nik Ansell

ICS 240811 W25

ICT3201H / ICT6201 L6201*

Remote (Online Synchronous)

Tuesdays, 10am - 1pm ET

(MA, PhD)

Syllabus

Required Books:

1. *N.T. Wright, The Day the Revolution Began: Reconsidering the Meaning of Jesus’s Crucifixion (San  Francisco: HarperOne, 2016).
Students can also buy the book directly from the publisher, HarperCollins.

As well, our US-based students can buy the book from Barnes & Noble.

2.  "Students must purchase one of the following books but do not need to purchase both." 

OPTION A: **James Dunn, Did the First Christians Worship Jesus? The New Testament Evidence (Louisville, NJ:  Westminster John Knox Press, 2010).

They can also buy the eBook for $10 from Google Books.

Chapters/Indigo sells both the print book and eBook ($15.99, Kobo).

Barnes and Noble also sells both the print and eBook versions.

OPTION B: **Jane Schaberg, The Illegitimacy of Jesus: A Feminist Theological Interpretation of the Infancy Narratives. Expanded Twentieth Anniversary Edition (Sheffield: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2006). 

Thriftbooks is another option.

Abebooks is another option. 

Barnes and Noble also sells the print version. 

Enrolment Notes:

*Attention TST students: if you are interested in taking this course for credit, you must petition your college of registration to count the course credit toward your degree program.

**NOTE: Completion of 1108AC or 2108AC is a prerequisite for enrolling in this course.