Preparation Presumed

RL pre-requisites for undergraduates: RL 101 & 205 (or equivalent)
note that there are additional EN pre-requisites for undergraduate "W" core credit
RL pre-requisites for graduate students: RL 400 & equivalent of RL 205

Since the New Testament survey is a pre-requisite for this course, lectures and seminar discussions will assume that:

1. Students are conversant with the basic methods of critical biblical analysis
2. Students have enough habitual knowledge of the key historical events of first century CE Palestine to carry on a discussion of the historical issues pertinent to the Pauline corpus.

A basic understanding of where Paul fits within the context of first-century Christianity is essential to a scholarly investigation of his letters. The first session will provide a rapid review of these events to refresh your memory, but it is unlikely to give enough background for students with no prior exposure to the New Testament. If you think you need more background or updated information, I think you will find it helpful to consult the NT surveys indicated in the list of recommended texts.

It will be extremely helpful to have two further skills:

1. Facility with the standard bibliographical and reference tools for theological study
2. Experience in producing a critical research paper characterized by appropriate format, rigorous argumentation of the thesis, and thorough documentation of sources.

If are unsure about any of these points, please see me as soon as possible so we can work out a strategy to help you acquire the necessary skills.