Paul's Letters

REL 322/522 -- Winter Term 2001 

10:00-10:50                                                       ----------------------                                               494 Allyn Hall

The earliest surviving Christian literature is a series of letters, written by a traveling teacher to his followers when he was unable to return to them in person.  Each focuses on a specific problem or crisis, giving us an intimate glimpse into the lives of some of the first followers of Jesus.  These letters are powerful works that will reward our careful literary and historical investigation.  Our goal is to hear Paul’s voice and re-imagine the story within which he lived.  We will also consider Paul’s influence on his friends and enemies.

Instructor: David L. Barr, Department of Religion

• Email: David.Barr@Wright.Edu (best way to contact me outside of class)
• My office is now located in 147 University Hall (775-2293; or 2274 to leave a message)
• Office Hours: 9-10 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday or by appointment

Textbooks:

• Calvin J. Roetzel, The Letters of Paul: Conversations in Context (fourth ed.) John Knox, 1998.
• Dennis Ronald MacDonald, The Legend and the Apostle: The Battle for Paul in Story and Canon, (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1983).
• Gager, John G, Reinventing Paul, Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press 2000
• Acts of Paul and Thecla. Here or here or here

Recommended:

• A modern scholarly study Bible, such as:
• The Access Bible: News Revised Standard Version with the Apocryphal / Deuterocanonical Books (New York: Oxford University Press, 1999)

More information on this course, and others, can be found on my web site at www.wright.edu/~david.barr

Class Procedure:  Classes will be primarily a time to examine Paul's writings together, share insights, and enter into a mutually helpful dialogue over the meanings of the various writings.

Objectives:

• To become familiar with Paul's basic writings so that one can identify their major themes, concerns, and ideas.
• To understand the basic religious and cultural ideas of the world in which the New Testament was written.
• To be able to discuss the basic literary and historical facts about each of the writings attributed to Paul.
• To become acquainted with and develop some skill in using modern critical methods of interpreting these writings.

Requirements: 

1. Reading of the daily assignments according to the schedule in the syllabus.  Many days will require some writing to be turned in.
2. Satisfactory performance on the quizzes and final exam.
3. A critical and expository review of a major book on Paul. See Bibliography.

The grade will be apportioned as follows:

• Daily Work                  30 %
• Quizzes                        20 %
• Final Exam                   30 %
• Term Project                20 %

Course Outline:

                                               Paul in Perspective

• January
• 3          Wed     Introduction to the Course: methods, concerns, issues. 
• 5          Fri        Learning to Read a Letter
  • Read Philemon with Roetzel 59-71.  Write me a short letter in ancient format, asking for something.
• 8          Mon     Behind the Letters: Culture
  • Read Roetzel 19-46.  Give an example of Greek cultural influence on Paul.
• 10        Wed     Behind the Letters: Culture and Tradition
  • Read Roetzel 46-58 & 72-82.  Define Apocalypticism.
• 12        Fri        Who Was Paul?
  • Read Roetzel 9-17 and Gager 1-19; Acts 6-9 & 13 with Galatians 1-2.  List one way Paul’s account of his life contradicts that in Acts.

Paul in the Letters

• 15        Mon     Martin Luther King Day
• 17        Wed     The First Letter: To The Thessalonians
  • Read I Thes 1-5 with Roetzel 83-87.  Why did Paul write this letter?
• 19        Fri        Did Paul Write Second Thessalonians?
  • Read 2 Thes 1-3 with Roetzel 144-48.  List one problem with the idea that Paul wrote this letter.
• 22        Mon     Paul’s Partnership with Philippi
  • Read Philippians 1-4 with Roetzel 113-17; reread Philemon.  Describe Paul’s relationship with this community.
• 24        Wed     The Corinthians Correspondence: An Overview
  • Roetzel 87-90 with 1 Corinthians 1-16.  List the problems the Corinthians ask Paul about.
• 26        Fri        The Issues at Corinth
  • Read Roetzel 90-95; study I Cor. 5, 7‑9, 11‑15.  Which of these problems turn on the use of the body?
• 29        Mon     Conflict at Corinth: Sorting out the Letters
  • Read Roetzel 95-96 with 2 Corinthians (but read 2:14-6:13; 7:2-4; 10-13; 1:1-2:13; 7:5-16; 8-9; and 6:14-7:1 in that order!) 
• 31        Wed     Paul’s Challenge in Galatia: Sarcasm and Hyperbole
  • Galatians 1-6; Roetzel 99-104.  Against whom is Paul arguing?
• February
• 2       Fri        The Shape of Paul’s Argument in Galatians
• Study Galatians 3-5 with Roetzel 104.  Who was Hagar?
• 5          Mon     The Standard Interpretation of Paul
  • Read Gager 21-42; list two key traits of the traditional interpretation of Paul.
• 7          Wed     The New View of Paul
  • Read Gager 43-76.What is the key element of the new interpretation of Paul?
• 9          Fri        Rereading Galatians: Did Paul Reject the Law?
  • Read Galatians 3-5 with Gager 77-100.  What is the religious implication of genital mutilation?
• 12 Mon A Literary Reading of Romans
  • Read all of Romans, preferably at one sitting, looking for (a) the major line of the argument, (b) the point of view from which the author writes, and (c) the rhetorical devices he employs. Where does Paul shift his point of view from "them" to "us"?
• 14 Wed An Historical Reading of Romans
  • Study Romans 12?16 with Roetzel 104-113, paying particular attention to Paul's relations with named individuals and his travel plans. When, in Paul life, was Romans written?
• 16        Fri        The Theme of Romans
• Study Roman 1-8 with Roetzel 118-30.  What is the parallel between Adam and Christ?
• 19        Mon     Rereading Romans
• Study Romans 9-11 with Gager 101-44.  What is the primary warning of these three chapters?

                       Paul for a New Day

• 21        Wed     Beyond Paul: Paul as Authority
  • Read Colossians with Roetzel 131-38.  List one reason some doubt Paul wrote this letter.
• 23        Fri        The Catholic Trajectory: Paul as Right Thinking
  • Read Ephesians with Roetzel 138-44.  List one reason some doubt Paul wrote this letter.
• 26        Mon     The Ecclesiastic Trajectory: Paul as Church Ruler
  • Read 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy and Titus with Roetzel 149-55.  What do you take to be the strongest argument against Paul actually writing these letters?
• 28        Wed     The Issues of the Pastoral Letters
  • Study 2 Timothy 3, Titus 2, and 1 Timothy 3-5.  Why were these letters written?
• March
• 12        Mon     Reviewing Paul                       
  • Read Roetzel 156-78.  Write a question about Paul.
• 17        Sat       Final Exam 8:00-10:00 am