RLST 213 Ethics in the New Testament

REQUIRED READINGS:

--Ethics of Biblical Interpretation: A Reevaluation by Daniel Patte

--Dirt, Greed, and Sex: Sexual Ethics in the New Testament and Their Implications for Today by L. William Countryman

--The Challenge of Discipleship: A Critical Study of the Sermon on the Mount As Scripture by Daniel Patte

--Knowing Truth Doing Good Engaging New Testament Ethics by Russell Pregeant

--Then the Whisper Put on Flesh: New Testament Ethics in an African American Context by Brian K. Blount

--The Politics of Jesus by John Howard Yoder

RECOMMENDED BOOKS

- A Bible: One of the following versions: The Peoples' Bible: New Revised Standard Version, with the Apocrypha (Fortress Press (2008) (recommended if you do not have a "study bible") or Oxford Annotated Bible; Harper Collins Annotated Bible; New Interpreter's Study Bible; Catholic Study Bible;

Also acceptable: New Revised Standard Version; New American Bible; Jerusalem Bible; New English Bible; New International Version, or King James Version.

BUT NOT a "paraphrased" versions, e.g., The Living Bible.

 - Cambridge Dictionary of Christianity, D. Patte, Editor. (paperback; $33). (will be out early September; articles provided before this) Reading for each week on all kinds of topics will be suggested throughout the semester; to be used for you paper as well.

SUGGESTED BOOKS
Strongly suggested resources (for understanding of "ethics"); Divinity and Graduate students will prepare and present a report on each of these 7 books:

- Rhetoric and Ethic: The Politics of Biblical Studies. Elisabeth Schüssler Fiorenza, (1999)

- The Responsible Self: An Essay in Christian Moral Philosophy by H. Richard Niebuhr (1963)

- Liberation Ethics. Sources, Models, and Norms. Thomas L. Schubeck (1993)

- A Feminist Ethic of Risk. Sharon Welch (2000)

- Womanist Ethics and the Cultural Production of Evil. Emilie M. Townes (2008)

- Appealing to Scripture in Moral Debate: Five Hermeneutical Rules. Charles H. Cosgrove (2002)

- Ethics and Infinity. Emmanuel Levinas (1985)

(Levinas made simple through conversation with Nemo on phenomenology [Husserl], fundamental ontology [Heidegger], and the Bible, love, freedom, responsibility for the Other; and religion)

Each student will use ONE of these four books among the resources for her/his research paper.

 - The Moral Vision of the New Testament: Community, Cross, New Creation: A Contemporary Introduction to New Testament Ethics Richard B. Hay
- Property and Riches in the Early Church: Aspects of a Social History of Early Christianity Martin Hengel
- Economy of the Kingdom: Social Conflict and Economic Relations in Luke's Gospel Havor Moxnes
- The Moral World of the First Christians. Wayne A. Meeks