John

Description: To introduce students to the major themes of the Gospel of John and issues entailed in the critical study of it and, where possible, Johannine literature generally. To learn to recognize the distinctive vocabulary of John’s Gospel and to begin to gain an understanding of its semantic domain. To situate the theologies of the Fourth Gospel writer in the social matrix of antiquity and to identify the cultural and historical influences on Johannine theology, especially with reference to Johannine anti-Judaism and sectarianism. To assess the relevance of these theologies for Christian proclamation and ministry, and for existence in society and the critical issues entailed in their contemporary appropriation. To explore a wide breadth of non-historical-critical approaches to Johannine literature and to assess their relative strengths and weaknesses. To assess critically the place of John’s Gospel in the Christian Year and the Revised Common Lectionary and to engage in a close reading of Johannine texts from the perspective of exegetical, liturgical, and lectionary vantage points. To gain an acquaintance with a variety of exegetical commentaries on John’s Gospel from a variety of historical periods as well as differing critical vantage points.

Prerequisites: None