Course Description
A close reading and analysis of the Gospel of Luke in dialogue with contemporary New Testament scholarship.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will be required to write an academic conference paper on the Gospel of Luke that intersects with their research interests. As part of this paper, they will be required to produce an abstract of their paper that could be submitted to a conference.
Athena Title
The Gospel of Luke
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
- Students will describe, interpret, and appreciate the Gospel of Luke with attention to its historical context and interpretation in contemporary New Testament scholarship, including demonstrating familiarity with current scholarly approaches to historical and textual study.
- Students will describe and analyze characteristic textual and thematic features of the Gospel of Luke by means of comparison with similarities and differences in parallel texts in the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Matthew.
- Students will analyze the historical impact of the Gospel of Luke on our understanding of the human condition, including its special emphasis on wealth ethics.
- Students will develop increased sensitivity and nuance in moral and ethical reasoning by critically reflecting on Luke's use of polemical language in its historical context and in relation to its reception history.
- Students will foster critical thinking by engaging in scholarly close reading, classroom questions, and discussions.
Topical Outline
- 1. Introduction to the course
- 2. The Synoptic Problem
- 3. Overview of the Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke
- 4. Close reading, analysis, and interpretation of the Gospel of Luke
- (a) With reference to a scholarly commentary
- (b) By means of comparison with parallel texts in Mark and Matthew
- (c) Through engagement with scholarly articles or books
- 5. Conclusion
Institutional Competencies Learning Outcomes
Analytical Thinking
The ability to reason, interpret, analyze, and solve problems from a wide array of authentic contexts.
Communication
The ability to effectively develop, express, and exchange ideas in written, oral, interpersonal, or visual form.
Critical Thinking
The ability to pursue and comprehensively evaluate information before accepting or establishing a conclusion, decision, or action.
