Last modified: 24 Jul 2025 15:16
The four canonical gospels and the book of Acts are generally recognized to be our most reliable sources for historical information about Jesus and the movement that he began. Yet, they are clearly also works shaped by the beliefs of their writers or editors and the needs of the communities for which they were composed. Reading such works requires us to reflect upon the character and significance of their theology and on how this is to be related to the historical dimension of the literature, including to the figure of the historical Jesus. This course will engage in detail with the range of approaches that are taken to the historical and theological interpretation of the gospels and Acts and particularly with the ways by which beliefs about the nature of God and salvation are transformed by ‘the Christ event’.
| Study Type | Undergraduate | Level | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Term | Second Term | Credit Points | 30 credits (15 ECTS credits) |
| Campus | Aberdeen | Sustained Study | No |
| Co-ordinators |
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The four canonical gospels and the book of Acts are generally recognized to be our most reliable sources for historical information about Jesus and the movement that he began. Yet, they are clearly also works shaped by the beliefs of their writers or editors and the needs of the communities for which they were composed. Reading such works requires us to reflect upon the character and significance of their theology and on how this is to be related to the historical dimension of the literature, including to the figure of the historical Jesus. This course will engage in detail with the range of approaches that are taken to the historical and theological interpretation of the gospels and Acts and particularly with the ways by which beliefs about the nature of God and salvation are transformed by ‘the Christ event’.
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 50 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
2,000-word Evaluation of Major Debate, worth 50% of the overall grade. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Conceptual | Analyse | A detailed knowledge of the various scholarly models within which the canonical gospels and Acts are read and their interpretative implications. |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | An ability to evaluate the implications of divergent interpretations of the canonical gospels and Acts for constructive Christologies. |
| Factual | Understand | A detailed knowledge of the content of the canonical gospels and Acts and relevant elements of their ancient contexts. |
| Procedural | Apply | A high level of competency in the complex interpretative skills required for the close reading of the canonical gospels and Acts. |
| Assessment Type | Summative | Weighting | 50 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment Weeks | Feedback Weeks | |||
| Feedback |
2,000-word Comparitive Text Analysis, worth 50% of the overall grade. |
|||
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Factual | Understand | A detailed knowledge of the content of the canonical gospels and Acts and relevant elements of their ancient contexts. |
| Procedural | Apply | A high level of competency in the complex interpretative skills required for the close reading of the canonical gospels and Acts. |
There are no assessments for this course.
| Knowledge Level | Thinking Skill | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Factual | Understand | A detailed knowledge of the content of the canonical gospels and Acts and relevant elements of their ancient contexts. |
| Conceptual | Analyse | A detailed knowledge of the various scholarly models within which the canonical gospels and Acts are read and their interpretative implications. |
| Conceptual | Evaluate | An ability to evaluate the implications of divergent interpretations of the canonical gospels and Acts for constructive Christologies. |
| Procedural | Apply | A high level of competency in the complex interpretative skills required for the close reading of the canonical gospels and Acts. |
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