December 4, 2022

contrast, or go beyond information presented in the series. (Look at a segment from Part I: segments 3, 4, 5, 11, or Part II segment 1 of the online version, or a segment from Part I : Jesus and Judaism, The Dead Sea Scrolls, John the Baptist and The Passion of Jesus, Part II: The First Revolt, or Part III: The Rock of Masada and the Rabbis in the video version.) 3. Why do you think scholars have often suggested that St. Paul does more to influence the direction and theology of Christianity than Christ himself? Who is Paul’s ministry aimed at? How and why did he write these Epistles? What were the early communities that Paul addressed in his letters like? How does Paul’s Roman citizenship aid in his spread of the faith? (one of the Part I segments: 6, 7, 8, 9 of the online version or one of the Part II segments: The Apostle Paul, The Spread of Christianity, Jews and Gentiles, Peter & Paul in the video version.) 4. Select one of the Gospel segments (Mark, Matthew, Luke or John) and answer the following questions. When was it written? Who wrote it? To whom (what group of Christians) was it written? How is it like or unlike the other Gospels? What are some of the major points that are emphasized in the Gospel and what does it tell us about Jesus? Why do these Gospels survive in their use today while other early Christian scripture do not? (one of the Part II segments: 2,3,4,5 of the online version or one segment in Part III : The Gospel According to Mark, The Gospel According to Matthew, The Gospel According to Luke, The Gospel According to John in the video version.) 5. Address the issue of the great variety of Christian scriptures that do not make it into the Bible we use today. Who were the Gnostics? Why is our understanding of this group important to the larger understanding of the development of Christianity? What were some of the scriptures that did not survive the test of time (you may need to do a bit of outside research on this), why were they not included in the canon, and what type of pictures did they paint of Jesus? (one of the Part II segments: 7, 8, 10 of the online version or one of the Part IV segments: Paganism and Ancient Rome, Discovery at Nag Hamadi, Bishop Irenaeus and the Canonical Gospels in the video version.) 6. Write about the shape, direction and diversity of Christianity in the first three centuries. How does it migrate away from Judaism, yet preserve much of its tradition and theology? How do the Persecutions impact the development of Christianity? How big were the early communities, where were they located, and how did they practice their faith? What does the Roman Empire do to eventually change the direction of Christianity? (one of the Part II segments 8,9,10,11,12 of the online version or one from Part II of the video version: The First Followers and Building the Church also Part IV Pliny the Younger, Crime to be a Christian, Defining Christianity, Rule of the Emperor Decius, The Cross.) 7. Choose one of the following movies or videos, view it and comment upon it using some of the historical and critical methods applied in the From Jesus to Christ series. Jesus & Paul (Documentary) The Robe (Early Christian, old classic) The Passion of the Christ The Last Temptation of Christ Quo Vadis (early Christian, old, classic) Ben Hur (2016) In Search of Paul Life of Bryan (Monty Python’s parody) Don’t forget to include your sources or bibliography.

38804Primitive Christian Church
The Historical Jesus
Christian Scriptures
Critical Scholarship

for week 7 read: Chapter 12 in Invitation to World Religions pp. 411 – 436 second edition and pp. 420-444 third edition

Chapter 12 Selected Readings from the World’s Religious Traditions pp. 129 -156

In Sacred Readings:

Infancy Gospel of Thomas
http://www.gnosis.org/library/inftoma.htm

Didache
http://www.thedidache.com/

Obviously, you will not have to do all of these readings to answer the required questions and certain questions may require additional outside research. However, make sure to watch at least a segment of the From Jesus to Christ series. If I do not see you have used it I will take off points.

Learners will be required to watch various segments of: From Jesus to Christ (a PBS documentary on early Christianity). You may watch the online version by going to: www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion or you may borrow or rent the video. Since this is a four-hour series, students will obviously not be required to watch the entire video. Choose a segment or two that relate to the essays you will write. To get full credit for week 8 you will need to respond to the prompts in light of the information in the video or in Embarking Upon the Study of Religion ( see pp. 46- 54) addressing elements of historical/critical methods of scholarship.

Answer any 3 of the following week 7 essays:

Prompts for Week 7:

1. What can we know factually about the historical Jesus? What are the limitations placed upon our knowledge? How can historical and critical study aid us in a more complete understanding of the Jesus tradition? Do you think it is possible that Christ was not a real person? If there are things about his life that are not historically true is the Jesus narrative that has been handed down to us enough? (Look at one of the Part I, segments: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 of the online version or one from Part I: Who was Jesus, Jesus’ Social Class, Jesus and Judaism, Jesus the Preacher in the video version.)

2. Address the diversity within the Jewish community of the 1st century. Write something about the social, religious and political groups (Zealots, Essenes, Pharisees, Sadducees, Herodians, Scribes, Priests, John the Baptist’s Group). You can do some additional outside research if you wish. Pick one or more, compare/contrast, or go beyond information presented in the series. (Look at a segment from Part I: segments 3, 4, 5, 11, or Part II segment 1 of the online version, or a segment from Part I : Jesus and Judaism, The Dead Sea Scrolls, John the Baptist and The Passion of Jesus, Part II: The First Revolt, or Part III: The Rock of Masada and the Rabbis in the video version.)

3. Why do you think scholars have often suggested that St. Paul does more to influence the direction and theology of Christianity than Christ himself? Who is Paul’s ministry aimed at? How and why did he write these Epistles? What were the early communities that Paul addressed in his letters like? How does Paul’s Roman citizenship aid in his spread of the faith? (one of the Part I segments: 6, 7, 8, 9 of the online version or one of the Part II segments: The Apostle Paul, The Spread of Christianity, Jews and Gentiles, Peter & Paul in the video version.)

4. Select one of the Gospel segments (Mark, Matthew, Luke or John) and answer the following questions. When was it written? Who wrote it? To whom (what group of Christians) was it written? How is it like or unlike the other Gospels? What are some of the major points that are emphasized in the Gospel and what does it tell us about Jesus? Why do these Gospels survive in their use today while other early Christian scripture do not? (one of the Part II segments: 2,3,4,5 of the online version or one segment in Part III : The Gospel According to Mark, The Gospel According to Matthew, The Gospel According to Luke, The Gospel According to John in the video version.)

5. Address the issue of the great variety of Christian scriptures that do not make it into the Bible we use today. Who were the Gnostics? Why is our understanding of this group important to the larger understanding of the development of Christianity? What were some of the scriptures that did not survive the test of time (you may need to do a bit of outside research on this), why were they not included in the canon, and what type of pictures did they paint of Jesus? (one of the Part II segments: 7, 8, 10 of the online version or one of the Part IV segments: Paganism and Ancient Rome, Discovery at Nag Hamadi, Bishop Irenaeus and the Canonical Gospels in the video version.)

6. Write about the shape, direction and diversity of Christianity in the first three centuries. How does it migrate away from Judaism, yet preserve much of its tradition and theology? How do the Persecutions impact the development of Christianity? How big were the early communities, where were they located, and how did they practice their faith? What does the Roman Empire do to eventually change the direction of Christianity? (one of the Part II segments 8,9,10,11,12 of the online version or one from Part II of the video version: The First Followers and Building the Church also Part IV Pliny the Younger, Crime to be a Christian, Defining Christianity, Rule of the Emperor Decius, The Cross.)

7. Choose one of the following movies or videos, view it and comment upon it using some of the historical and critical methods applied in the From Jesus to Christ series.

Jesus & Paul (Documentary) The Robe (Early Christian, old classic)

The Passion of the Christ The Last Temptation of Christ

Quo Vadis (early Christian, old, classic) Ben Hur (2016)

In Search of Paul Life of Bryan (Monty Python’s parody)

Don’t forget to include your sources or bibliography.

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