Early Christian Writings: Outside the Canonical Collection (Distance Learning - 20 credits).
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| THEO4057 | Philosophy | 4 | 20 | Full Year UK |
- Code
- THEO4057
- School
- Philosophy
- Level
- 4
- Credits
- 20
- Semesters
- Full Year UK
Summary
You will undertake a close reading of four or six of early documents from the followers of Jesus. These documents are of various lengths and you will read them in their entirety. The concerns of each text in the period when 'Judaism' and 'Christianity' were becoming distinct religions will be given priority rather than viewing them as sources for other thematic concerns. This will lead to an examination of how these documents bring before us the history of some early communities, and exhibit both their theological concerns and styles of theology. There will be close attention throughout the module to how these texts have been used in theology in the past and how they can be used in theological understanding today.
Target Students
Only available to postgraduate students in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies
Classes
Printed study pack with primary and secondary sources and questions for consideration;Contact with the module tutor by email, webct, Skype, or letter on points of interest and questions requiring further clarification or explanation;Recorded interviews provided through webct;Online discussion with the module tutor and fellow students;Lectures at the annual Spring Seminar.
Assessment
- 100% Coursework 1: 3000-4000 word essay
Assessed by end of designated period
Educational Aims
This module has three aims. First, to enable students to develop a thorough familiarity with documents which there will have already heard much about but which are rarely given the direct attention they need if they are to be used competently and confidently within theological investigations or historical research. Second, to provide training in the academic discipline of patristics and historical theology such that other early documents (not read as part of this module) can be used effectively by the student. Third, to introduce the student to the problematic of boundaries within early Christianity between the documents commonly known as the ‘New Testament’ and other texts, and the relationship between all these texts and the communities in which they arose.Learning Outcomes
KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
- Demonstrate knowledge of key aspects of early Christian concerns (theological and practical) of early churches through a close reading of primary texts;
- demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of using these texts in theology, and of the more general problematic concerning our use of all early Christian texts.
INTELLECTUAL SKILLS
- Ability to interpret and critically reflect upon the issues raised in the documents studied in the module, and critically relate their own research with that found in existing scholarship;
- ability to think critically, independently and contextually about theological issues;
- ability to engage in significant independent research;
- ability to present the results of research in written form, offering arguments and marshalling evidence;
- ability to think about theological issues with the critical skill of the historian and with the acumen to distinguish different types of historical evidence.
PROFESSIONAL/PRACTICAL SKILLS
- Ability to make discriminating use of a range of library and information resources in order to identify appropriate source material, compile bibliographies and inform research;
- ability to show independence of thought, and critical self-awareness about one's own beliefs.