Course Syllabus

Jesus –A Life CSRL-3190-01
Syllabus
Professor: John D. Fitzmorris, Jr.
Term: Summer 2017
Situs: Elmwood E-1
Time: First Half of Summer MW 6-8:50
 Introductory Statement: Jesus of Nazareth is arguably the most important person in world history. Undeniably, his life and the following that he attracted after his death had earth-shattering effects on human civilization and history. The world is without a doubt a very different place since his coming on the scene in the first century of the Common Era. For no other reason, his life deserves critical, discerning study. Jesus and his effect on world history are capable of being study as are the lives of other human beings. That study and critical evaluation are the objectives of this course. However, the course is not designed to elicit belief or disbelief. I will not and no one will be allowed to proselytize for either belief or disbelief. Although faith claims will be addressed and described in this course, claims of faith and disbelief are not and cannot be proved or disproved and are beyond the scope of this course.
 In the Synoptic Gospels Jesus asks his followers “Who do men say that I am and who do you say that I am.” While it is, as I said above, outside the boundaries of this course to answer that question in a faith context, we will be discussing and inquiring into the common opinions about Jesus through the history of the Christian Era. The course will delve into the historical and social context of Second Temple Judaism, in particular, into the Galilean Jewishness of Jesus. One premise of the course is that Jesus cannot be properly understood unless his essential Jewish is encountered and taken into account. The course will look at and critique the portraits painted by the Four Canonical Gospel, Paul, the Gnostics of the Second Century, the Patristic Age (the Age of the Great Ecumenical Councils), the Middle Ages, Reformation, Enlightenment and the Modern and Contemporary Eras with the Three Quests for the “Historical Jesus.” Finally, we study and critique the portraits painted by the so-called Jesus Seminar and the more bizarre characterizations found in the DaVinci Code and the works on which it was based.
Schedule of Class
Class 1.Introduction to Course and Methodology: General Introduction to hermeneutics:  The sources of Research into Jesus. The historical, cultural, political and social background of Jesus and Second Temple Judaism, Jesus’ Galilean background.  The end of Supercessionism
2.  Jesus detectable form the Gospels: Miracle Worker and Exorcist, Parable and Storyteller, “Abba” relationship with the Father God of Israel, Proclaimer of the Kingdom, Messiah, Son of Man, Son of God
3.  Mark’s Jesus the Suffering Servant
4.  Matthew’s Jesus the New Moses for a Divided Community
5. Luke’s Jesus the Compassion of God
6.  John’s Jesus the Eternal Son of God, The Word Incarnate, The Wisdom of God.
7.  Paul and Challenge in Corinth
8. Heresies, Docetists, Gnostics, the Great Councils and the Greek and Latin Fathers: Augustine and the end of the classical age. 
9. Middle Ages and Scholasticism Anselm of Canterbury and the theory of retribution and the distanciation of Jesus
10. Reformation: A Strange Truce Quarrels at the Margins
11. Enlightenment – Jesus under the Microscope Jesus as German Intellectual
12.  Modern Era, the Quests for the Historical Jesus, Albert Sweitzer, Bultman, Barth and Rene Girard,     the mimetic contagion.
13. Fantasies and Fabrications – Jesus of the Tabloids – Will the real Jesus please stand up – DaVinci Code
14. Exam
The course will not have a mid-term exam, but the students are required to write a paper on a subject to be selected after consultation between the student and the instructor. The paper will conform to the guidelines that will be provided during the first weeks of class. The paper will constitute 25 % of the grade.

Exam will consist of a ten question take home essay exam. You will be required to answer a designated question and then select four of the remaining nine. The question instructions will be included with the exam. The exam will be distributed at the last class and MUST be returned on the exam in person.
 
 
Reading list
Required Texts
Garry Wills – What Jesus Meant, Viking 2006
Daniel Harrington – Jesus: A Historical Portrait, St. Anthony Messenger Press 2007
N. T. Wright - Simply Jesus – Harper-Collins 2011 
Suggested Reading
Bernard Lee - The Galilean Jewishness of Jesus
Brian McDermott – Word Made Flesh- Dimensions in Christology Liturgical Press 1993
Richard Bauckham – Jesus and the God of Israel, Eerdmans 2008
  Jesus and the Eyewitnesses, Eerdmans 2006
John Donahue - The Gospel n Parable, Fortress 1988
Joseph Fitzmyer- The One Who is to Come, Eerdmans 2007
Paula Frederiksen - Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews, Vintage 1999
Amy-Jill Levine - The Misunderstood Jew, Harper One, 2006
Marcus, Joel - The Way of the Lord, Westminster/Knox 1992
Pagels and King – Reading Judas, Viking, 2007
Gerald O’Collins - Jesus, a Portrait, Orbis 2008
N. T. Wright -  Jesus and the Victory of God
Gerald O’Collins - Believing in the Resurrection