Setting

You are a Christian in Asia Minor at the end of the first century CE. Knowing what you do about the teachings of Jesus and of Paul, what would you do when faced with the situation which gave rise to the Apocalypse? Would you respond more like "Jezebel" and "Balaam" and the Nicolaitans, who did their best to conform to the society in which they lived so as not to "rock the boat?" Or would your response be like that of the author of the Apocalypse, urging separatism and strict adherence to Christian beliefs and practice? Why?

Remember, beware the anachronism: support your stance by using as much direct reference to the primary sources as possible, but restrict yourself to whatever would have been available to the audience at that time.

Assignment

1. First introduce your character, giving a brief description of your social location (sex, class, ethnic origin, clan, etc.)
2. Then, speaking as that person, respond to the following questions:
   1. Given your own knowledge of the teachings and actions of Jesus and his earliest disciples, what will you encourage your Jesus-ecclesia to do when faced with this situation? Remember, they are coming to you for advice, so you cannot "cop out" by saying they have to make up their own minds. Besides, how they act will have consequences for you because you are known as members of the same worshipping community.
   2. Which of these three emphases do you think has more support in Paul's theology? Or, if you find none of these options desirable, what would be your response based on Paul's teachings?
3. Where are at least five specific examples of sayings or actions of Paul or Jesus and his earliest disciples that support your responses to these questions? (Give the Biblical citations in parentheses in your text.) Remember that these examples must come from sources or texts that antedate the time when you are living. You can assume that your character knows all of Paul's authentic letters, since they have had enough time to make the circuit of the Pauline churches, the deutero-Pauline letters might be known (especially 2 Thess, by oral tradition), and the Pastoral Epistles have not yet been written. Selections from The Acts of Thecla are available in oral tradition.
4. In a post-script, reflect on your character and her/his response to the situation. How does it compare to the way Paul lived and the gospel he preached? In what ways do you agree or disagree with Paul?
5. To prepare to present your paper in class, outline your responses to the following questions (on a separate sheet of paper):
   1. What was your experience writing this paper?
   2. How did this process affect your view/understanding of the NT materials?
   3. What issue(s) did the process raise that you would like to explore further?
   4. What is the most important thing you learned by doing this exercise?

Questions for Class Discussion

to see the Grading Protocol for these assignments