Good Shepherd College of Cultural Studies

(Theological Education Ministry of Good Shepherd Church of India)

August 2018 Master Residential Seminar

Course: BL 107 New Testament Survey (Credit Hours 3)

Course Instructor: Rev. S. Thangboi Hatlangh, M. Th
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I. Course Description

This course serves as an introductory course to New Testament subject as a whole and on the books
of the New Testament in particular. It studies the history and origin of the books of the New
Testaments and the socio-historical milieu in which the New Testaments books were written. It
also attempts to give a bird’s eye view to the content and the major themes of each book.

II. Course Objective

1. The students will understand the message of the New Testament books in their context,
appreciate their relevance and value for thinking and practice.
2. The students will be made to know content and the major themes.
3. The students should be encouraged to see the continuity of Old Testament and gospels in
New Testament and Acts to the Epistles.

III. Course Outcome

The Students will:

1. Have a general knowledge on the social, economic, political and religious life of the people
of the New Testament time.
2. Know how and why several books of the New Testament were collected
3. Know the type of literatures and how to interpret them.
4. Be aware of the life beliefs and heresies of the early church.
5. Know how to apply the principles in their life and ministry.
6. Have a desire to study the New Testament in detail.

IV. Course Outline

A. New Testament Background
1. The Nature and Origin of the New Testament
1.1. Defining the term New Testament
1.2. How the First Christian Books were Written, Preserved and Collected
1.3. The New Testament Canon

2. The Political and Social World of New Testament Times

2.1. The Socio-Political World
2.2. The Socio-Economic World
2.3. Jewish Society and Roman Imperialism

3. The Religious and Philosophical World of New Testament Times

3.1. Jewish Religious World
3.2. Non Jewish Religious World
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 3.3. Greco-Roman Philosophies, Philo, and Gnosticism

4. New Testament Genres

4.1. Gospels (Biography/Theology)
4.1.1. Source Criticism & Synoptic Problem
4.1.2. Form Criticism & the Gospels
4.1.3 Redaction Criticism & the Gospels
4.2. Pauline Epistles & Catholic Epistles
4.2.1. Nature of Pauline Epistles
4.2.2. Pseudo-Pauline/Disputed Pauline Epistles
4.2.3. Nature of Catholic Epistles
4.3. Apocalypse: Revelation

B. Introduction to the Individual Books of the New Testament

1. Authorship
2. Date
3. Place of Writing
4. Purpose of Writing
5. Structure
6. Major Theological Teachings

V. Core Textbooks

Carson, D. A., Douglas J Moo, and Leon Morris. An Introduction to the New Testament.
Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992

VI. Course Requirements

Course Assignments (50 % Marks)

1. Read the book - An Introduction to the New Testament by D. A. Carson, Douglas J Moo, and
Leon Morris (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992) and write an introduction to the 27 books of the
New Testament in around 200 words each per book under the following heads (30%)
1. Content of the book/letter
2. Authorship
3. Provenance/Place of Writings
4. Date/Occasion (Context/Socio-historical setting)
5. Purpose
6. Major Themes/Teachings of the book

2. Write a research paper on the socio-historical background of New Testament in about 2000
Words (You have all the liberty to use any electronic source or books to write this research paper.
However, you have to strictly follow the procedure for writing a research paper as you learn from
the Research Methodology class) 20 %.

Final Exam (50% Marks)

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VII. Selected Bibliography

Benware, Paul N. Survey of the New Testament. Chicago: Moody Press, 1990.

Blaiklock, E. M. The World of the New Testament. London: Ark Publishing, 1979.

Boa, Kenneth. Talk thru the New Testament. Wheaton: Tyndale House Publishers, 1981.

Brown, R E. An Introduction to the New Testament. New York: Double Day, 1997.

Bruce, F. F. The Message of the New Testament. Exeter: The Paternoster Press, 1976.
Carson, D. A., Douglas J Moo, and Leon Morris. An Introduction to the New Testament. Grand
Rapids: Zondervan, 1992

Drane, John Introducing the New Testament. Oxford: Lynx, 1986.

Gundry, Robert H. A Survey of the New Testament. Exeter: The Paternoster Press, 1979.

Guthrie, Donald. New Testament Introduction. Leicester: Apollos, 1990.

________. New Testament Theology. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1981

Henry, Carl F. H. ed. Jesus of Nazareth: Saviour and Lord. Grand Rapids: William. B. Eerdman
Publishing Company, 1966.

Hunter, A. M. Introducing the New Testament Theology. Cumbria: Paternoster Press, 1997.
________. Introducing the New Testament. London: SCM Press Ltd., 1989.

Ladd, George Elden. A Theology of the New Testament. Cambridge: The Lutterworth Press, 1975.

Martin, Alfred. Survey of the New Testament. Chicago: Moody bible institute, 1995.

Martin, Ralph, P. New Testament Foundations: The Four Gospels. Vol. 1, Grand Rapids: William.
B. Eerdman Publishing Company, 1966.
________. New Testament Foundations: The Acts, The Letters and The Apocalypse. Vol. 2, Grand
Rapids: William. B. Eerdman Publishing Company, 1966.

Mears, Henrietta C. What the Bible is All About. Secunderabad: OM Books, 2005.

Sauer, Erich. The Triumph of the Crucified. London: The Paternoster Press, 1951.

Tenny, Merrill C. New Testament Survey. Revised, Grand Rapids: William. B. Eerdman Publishing
Company, 1961.

Thiessen, Henry Clarence. Introduction to the New Testament. Grand Rapids: William. B. Eerdman
Publishing Company, 1966.

Throckmorton, Burton H. Gospel Parallels: A Synopsis of the First Three Gospels. Bangalore: St.
Peter’s Seminary, 1995.

Wintle, Brian C. Synoptic Studies: A Premier. Bangalore: Theological Book Trust, 1998