COURSE DESCRIPTION: This seminar introduces students to Saint Paul's letter to the Romans, the most influential of his entire corpus, through a simulation of the various first-century house churches in Rome and other more traditional academic approaches. after an introductory survey of the history of research on Romans and discussion of "epistolography" (including the question of how to categorize this last contribution to Paul's corpus), students will practice exegesis, interpretation, and contemporary application of this letter through methods such as form criticism, source criticism, literary and rhetorical criticism, textual criticism, redaction history, social history, feminist hermeneutics, and theological reflection. Course readings will be coordinated with role-play, discussion sessions, and lectures using various texts from Romans to illustrate how to apply these methods of biblical interpretation.

CONSULTATION: I welcome the opportunity to talk with you about your academic and research interests before or after class, during my office hours, or at other times by appointment.  I really do welcome your feedback at any time, especially any suggestions about how to make the class a more fruitful experience for you.

ASSUMPTIONS: Since this is an upper-level course, I assume that students have basic knowledge of the New Testament and of key historical events of the New Testament period (e.g., the birth and death of Jesus, first Jewish-Roman War, destruction of the Second Temple). A basic understanding of where Paul fits in first-century Christianity is essential to a scholarly investigation of this letter. 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 are concerned about your background knowledge, please consult the NT surveys indicated in the list of recommended texts below.

1. Ability to summarize the current phase of discussion of the exegesis and interpretation of Paul's letter to the Romans
2. Facility with the standard bibliographical and reference tools for biblical study.
3. Experience in producing a critical Biblical research paper characterized by appropriate format, rigorous argumentation of the thesis, and thorough documentation of sources.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: It goes without saying that students are expected to submit their own original work. This includes properly citing not only direct and indirect quotations, but any ideas you learn from other sources--including Scriptural ones. I am glad to work with anyone who needs clarification of this.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITY includes preparing the assigned readings before each class meeting, actively participating in class discussions, and submitting written work on time. It is expected that all assignments be completed in order to receive a passing grade for this course.  See the Course Schedule for further details.

ATTENDANCE: The University expects prompt and alert student presence at every class meeting. Seminar discussion comprises a substantial component of the course grade, and one must be present to participate in discussion. Hence, students who absent themselves more than two times during the semester will have their total course grade docked one letter grade, and then one additional grade level for each subsequent absence. If you are ill, a medical excuse is necessary to receive an excused absence. If you have an unavoidable conflict which will prevent you from meeting class, please present your documentation of this conflict before the class absence.
    Absences from class do not excuse the student from submitting the required course work on time, since every assignment is listed in this syllabus under the course schedule. Late assignments will be docked one letter grade for each day they are overdue.

GRADING:

• 15% APPA (Attendance, Preparation, Participation, and Attentiveness)
• 10% Critical reviews of two recent, English-language, exegetical articles (or one foreign-language article) on on a topic pertinent to your serninar research project (500-750 words). One of these reviews will provide the groundwork for the first class presentation..
• 05% Class presentation of one of your critical reviews (5-7 minutes)
• 05% Peer review of another student's second draft
• 05% Oral response (5-7 minutes) to another student's project presentation
• 10% Class presentation of your course project
• 50% Exegetical research project or Site study. See here for details on grading. The final Critique Form is available for your review.

BOOKS & RESOURCES

REQUIRED TEXTS: The Bible! Yes, it is true, we actually will read Paul's letter and other pertinent Biblical materials. The best English editions of the Bible are: The New Oxford Annotated Bible with Apocrypha (NRSV); the Oxford Study Bible (REB); and the Catholic Study Bible (NAB). See instructor for a "pre-owned" copy.
    In addition, we will read the following:

• Brendan Byrne, Romans (Sacra Pagina Series; Collegeville, Minn.: Liturgical Press, 1996); or, Daniel Harrington, Romans: the Good News According to Paul (New Ci, 1997); or, Luke Timothy Johnson, Reading Romans (Crossroad, 1997).
• Karl P. Donfried, ed., The Romans Debate, revised edition (Henderson, 1991).
• Sheila E. McGinn, ed., Celebrating Romans: Template for Pauline Theology (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 2004).
• Wayne Meeks, The First Urban Christians (New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 1983)
• Wayne Meeks, ed., The Writings of St. Paul (Norton Critical Editions; New York/London: Norton, 1972), pp. xiii-xiv, 66-94, 151-276, 422-444.

• Raymond Brown & John Meier, Antioch & Rome: New Testament Cradles of Catholic Christianity (New York/Ramsey: Paulist, 1983), 87-216.
• Francis & Sampley, Pauline Parallels (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1984).
• For Greek readers: Nestle and Aland, eds., Novum Testamentum Graece, 26th edition (Stuttgart: German Bible Society, 1987).
• Various and sundry commentaries on the letter of Paul to the Romans are available. Pick one or two and follow them along with the class discussions.

• David L. Barr, New Testament Story: An Introduction, Second Edition (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 1995).
• John H. Hayes and Carl R. Holladay, Biblical Exegesis: A Beginner's Handbook, Revised Edition (Atlanta, GA: John Knox, 1987).
• Raymond Collins, Introduction to the New Testament (New York: Doubleday/Image, 1983).
• Helmut Koester, Introduction to the New Testament (Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 1982); two volumes.
• Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, In Memory of Her (New York: Crossroad, 1984, 1994).