10544 - Philology and New Testament Exegesis (1)

Learning outcomes

The students will get basis knowledge of the structures and formation of the New Testament, and of its historical, philological, and literary place. In the second part of the course, they will learn the use of exegetical instruments (critical editions, lexica, concordances, commentaries; electronic data-bases) through researches applied to New Testament texts.

Course contents

The course aims to provide students with basic knowledge about the formation of the New Testament and its historical, philological and cultural place in the context of Jewish-Hellenistic and Graeco-Roman literature.

The course will focus upon:

i) The formation of New Testament as a collection of Jewish-Hellenistic writings (re-assessment of the notion of ‘New Testament’; sketch of the development from the oral teaching of Jesus and his first disciples to the progressive constitution, and later ‘canonization’, of a literary corpus of ‘apostolic’, authoritative writings; language, style, and literary forms characteristic of New Testament writings: 15 hours).

ii) Overview of the New Testament writings (real or supposed authors; dating; contents); selected, analytical case studies in New Testament exegesis (15 hours).

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is suggested that they get in touch as soon as possible with the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en ) and with the lecturer in order to seek together the most effective strategies for following the lessons and/or preparing for the examination.

Readings/Bibliography

a) Anthology of Texts

A. ANNESE-F. BERNO-M. FALLICA-M. MANTOVANI, Le origini cristiane. Testi e autori (secoli I-II), Carocci, Roma 2021, only pp. 21-353.

b) Literary Outline

B.D. EHRMAN, Il Nuovo Testamento: un'introduzione, Carocci, Roma 2023.

c) Essays

R.E. DeMARIS, The New Testament in Its Ritual World, Routledge, Abingdon 2008.

S.R. HUEBNER, Papyri and the Social World of the New Testament, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2019.

H.O. MAIER, New Testament Christianity in the Roman World, Oxford University Press, New York, NY 2018.

R. MAISANO, Filologia del Nuovo Testamento. La tradizione e la trasmissione dei testi, Carocci, Roma 2014.

B.M. METZGER - B.D. EHRMAN, Il testo del Nuovo Testamento. Trasmissione, corruzione e restituzione, Paideia - Claudiana, Brescia - Torino 2013 [or. ed.: Text of the New Testament: Its Transmission, Corruption, and Restoration (4th ed.), Oxford University Press 2005].

R. PENNA, Le prime comunità cristiane. Persone, tempi, luoghi, forme, credenze, Carocci, Roma 2017.

R.F. WALSH, The Origins of Early Christian Literature. Contextualizing the New Testament within Greco-Roman Literary Culture, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2021.

Teaching methods

Lectures; use of bibliographic and electronic databases; Virtuale.

Assessment methods

Students with SLD or temporary or permanent disabilities. It is necessary to contact the relevant University office (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en ) with ample time in advance: the office will propose some adjustments, which must in any case be submitted 15 days in advance to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of these in relation to the teaching objectives.

In the current academic year, exam sessions are scheduled in March, April, May, July and September.

Oral exam. Students will have to prove

• to have read and be able to interpret the New Testament within the framework of the earliest Christian literary production, supplementing and integrating class notes with the anthology of texts quoted supra in Bibliography, point a);
• to be able to discuss the main exegetical problems arising from a critical reading of the writings included in the New Testament as complex literary, historical, and cultural products of 1st-2nd century CE Hellenistic Judaism, with the help of the critical introduction quoted supra in Bibliography, point b);

Additionally, students who cannot attend the lessons will substitute class notes with two chapters of their choice from the books listed supra in Bibliography, point c).

More to the point, skills will be assessed according to the following guidelines:
- failing grade (< 18): lack of knowledge of the New Testament corpus; inability to provide a correct interpretation of texts; lacking notions of literary history and the exegetical approaches relevant for the understanding and contextualization of the New Testament corpus and its formation.
- passing grade (between 18 and 24): elementary knowledge of the New Testament corpus; interpretation of texts is partially correct, but lacks accuracy and autonomy; schematic knowledge of the notions of literary history and the exegetical approaches relevant for the understanding and contextualization of the New Testament corpus and its formation.
- positive grade (between 24 and 30): good knowledge of the New Testament corpus; interpretation of texts is correct, but mostly superficial and not entirely autonomous; good knowledge of the notions of literary history and the exegetical approaches relevant for the understanding and contextualization of the New Testament corpus and its formation.
- excellent grade (30L): in-depth knowledge of the New Testament corpus; ability to interpret, contextualize and critically compare texts in detail and in full autonomy; full acquaintance with the notions of literary history and the exegetical approaches relevant for the understanding and contextualization of the New Testament corpus and its formation.

Teaching tools

Computer and projector; bibliographic and electronic databases; fotocopies; texts and segments of texts in PDF format uploaded by the teacher as teaching materials on Virtuale.

Students who require specific services and adaptations to teaching activities due to a disability or specific learning disorders (SLD), must first contact the appropriate office: https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students.

Office hours

See the website of Andrea Villani