The New Testament Foundations of Ignatian Spirituality

Class Description

Online Class

This unit is designed to develop in the students an ability to engage in an informed critical reading of New Testament texts as sacred scripture. It aims to enable students to broaden and deepen their engagement with the New Testament in a spirit of open and critical inquiry by drawing on a wide range of exegetical tools of interpretation. Students will also learn to evaluate and relate the literature of the New Testament, its literary forms and historical setting, as well as its representation of God, to the literature, literary forms and representation of God in the Spiritual Exercises.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of this unit, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Describe, explain and apply a variety of contemporary interpretative methods to Biblical texts.
2. Interpret and appreciate the literature of the New Testament, its literary forms and historical setting, as well its representation(s) of Jesus Christ, Son of God.
3. Use a variety of interpretive techniques (such as the historical critical and literary readings of the texts) to evaluate ways they can optimise the use of scriptural texts when reflecting on and interpreting contemporary spiritual experience.
4. Analyse and evaluate (through scholarly engagement with some of the key texts in the New Testament), the uses of key scriptural texts when giving or receiving the Spiritual Exercises.
5. Identify, interpret, and offer scholarly commentary on, the ways in which Ignatius adopted and applied sacred scripture in the Spiritual Exercises.

 LECTURER

Dr Sarah Cook

VENUE

Jesuit College of Spirituality, 175 Royal Parade, Parkville VIC 3052

Nadal Classroom

FEES

Students enrolled for academic credit | $2,266 Domestic Students | $2,925 International Students

Audit students (not for academic credit) | $1,133

RECOMMENDED READING

Borg, M. Reading the Bible Again for the First Time: Taking the Bible Seriously But Not Literally. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1999.

Boring, M. E. An Introduction to the New Testament: History, Literature, Theology. Louisville: John Knox Press, 2012.

Brown, R E. An Introduction to the New Testament. Garden City: Doubleday, 1997.

Brown, S., and Moloney, F. J. Interpreting the Gospel and the Letters of John: An Introduction. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2017.

Byrne, B. Freedom in the Spirit: An Ignatian Retreat with Saint Paul. New York: Paulist Press, 2016.

Byrne, B. Lifting the Burden: Reading Matthew’s Gospel in the Church Today. Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2004.

Byrne, B. A Costly Freedom: A Theological Reading of Mark’s Gospel. Strathfield: St Pauls Publications, 2008.

Dunn, J. D. G. The Theology of Paul the Apostle. London: T&T Clark, 1998.

Johnson, L. T. The New Testament: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2010.

Levine, A. J. The Misunderstood Jew: The Church and the Scandal of the Jewish Jesus. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 2006.

Moloney, F. J. The Living Voice of the Gospels. Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 2006.bor

Perkins, P. Reading the New Testament: An Introduction. New York: Paulist Press, 2012.

Sanders, E. P. Paul: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991.