I am currently rewriting my module/class Jesus and the Gospels. It is a first year/freshman module that introduces students to the basic critical issues of the Gospels and provides an overview of Jesus’ life and teaching. The class textbook has been Craig L. Blomberg, Jesus and the Gospels: An Introduction and Survey. 2nd ed. Downers Grove: IVP, 2009. I’m thinking about trying something different, and I just wondered what others use. So, any suggestions?
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Wednesday, 28 September 2011 at 5:16 am
I use Mark Strauss’ book “Four Portraits, One Jesus: A Survey of Jesus and the Gospels” for a introductory NT course. Also, David Wenham and Steve Walton’s book “Exploring the New Testament: A Guide to the Gospels & Acts (volume one)’ is very helpful, especially since it includes various research questions to write long or short essays within each chapter.
Thursday, 29 September 2011 at 7:43 pm
I would second this, having picked up Wenham and Walton’s book at the BNTS conference a few weeks ago (the 2nd edn. has just come out). It’s not the most attractive volume, but is very good for a fairly standard kind of course and does exactly what you say you are covering. I’d be inclined to supplement it with something about non-canonical gospels (and their portraits of Jesus), as well as some reception studies, as I think art and film potentially bring a lot to reflection on the study of Jesus.
Ed.
Thursday, 29 September 2011 at 8:23 pm
Hi Jason,
Let me pick up on what Ed said re: non-canonical gospels. I think it’s useful to address–I like a combo of some primary texts to get a hands-on “feel” for what some of the other gospels looked like, plus something light to help orient students’ ethos and approach to such things (NTW’s book on Gospel of Judas is not serious scholarship but it’s very accessible, just a breeze to read and provides a helpful ethos for students in your context–pro-history, fearless engagement, etc).
Monday, 3 October 2011 at 6:29 pm
We use Wenham and Walton. I think it’d be good for a Jesus and Gospels class. It is a little too detailed for a freshman class in the US and doesn’t have any pictures or maps(!), so a couple of draw backs. But on the whole I’m happy with it and like their perspective on issues.
I just have them read Gospel of Thomas directly, and I discuss it and other non-cons in class.
Tuesday, 4 October 2011 at 7:47 pm
Thanks all. Your comment, Ben, about Wenham/Walton being too detailed for a freshman class is interesting since that is the year my module is for. It may point to some different expectations between the British and American systems.
I plan to include some discussions of the non-canonical gospels.
Tuesday, 4 October 2011 at 11:16 pm
I should have mentioned Graham Stanton’s ‘The Gospels and Jesus’. I had tended to think of it as a bit old, but I hadn’t realised there was a second edition which came out in 2002. It covers the canonical gospels _and_ a chapter on non-canonical gospels in 140 pages, and then the remaining 160 or thereabouts are on Jesus. You can view part of it on Amazon’s Look Inside. Might be overkill for a basic course, but I will probably get a copy. Then there’s Fisk’s ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to Jesus’…