B9270A Unlocking John

⇒ Back Course Disciplines

This unit builds upon the knowledge and skills learned in the pre-requisite units. It examines the historical context, literary forms and theological content of the Gospel and Letters of John, and their application to Christian life, ministry, and worship. 

Learning Outcomes
At the end of this unit, students will be able to:

• assess how the historical, cultural, and religious background of the Johannine community influenced the development of the Johannine literature 
• identify the major themes, emphases, and principal theological ideas of the Johannine literature 
• exegete selected passages from the Johannine literature 
• integrate significant secondary literature into the critical study of the Johannine literature 
• apply insights from a critical study of the Johannine Literature to a range of life and ministry situations.

Weekly Topics

1. Introduction to course unit. Assessment tasks. ‘The Johannine literature’: historical context, authorship; the Beloved Disciple.  Background to the Johannine Literature; the Johannine Community - scholarly debate; reading the Letters of John in detail. 
2. Background to the Johannine Literature; the Johannine Community - scholarly debate; reading the Letters of John in detail. 
3. The Gospel according to John: stated purpose (Jn 20:31); structural outline; narrative shape; characters; literary devices: the Fourth Gospel and the Synoptics. 
4. John 1:1-18, the Prologue: its shape, style, imagery, origin, and relationship with the rest of the Gospel; John (the Baptist) in the Fourth Gospel. John 1:19-51: call of the first disciples. 
5. John 2-4: narrative shape; first two of Jesus’ “signs” – pointers to Jesus’ identity and the nature of Johannine faith; an exegetical approach to the Fourth Gospel; exegetical exercise. 
6. John 5-8, with special attention to the healing miracles, Jewish feasts and sacraments; the “bread of life” theology; the Ἐγώ εἰμι sayings 
7. John 9-12, especially the episodes of the man born blind, raising of Lazarus, and the hints of the coming Passion.
8. Book of Glory: overview; John 13, emphasis on interpretation of the foot-washing; writing an exegetical essay; significant Johannine critical scholarship. 
9. The ‘last discourse’, John 14-17: its key theological themes; as a resource for Christian spirituality and ecumenism. 
10. The Johannine Passion Narrative – John 18-19; its use of distinctive Johannine terms: ὥρα, δόξα, ἀλήθεια, and related theological emphases.  
11. John 20-21. Structural outline of John 20 and the role of Johannine characters in the reader’s understanding of resurrection faith. John 21: a later addition?  
12. Contribution of the Fourth Gospel to the development of the Church’s Christology; early Christian commentaries: Origen, Cyril of Alexandria, John Chrysostom and Augustine.