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COURSE NUMBER: THEO 399
COURSE TITLE: Special Topics in History - 2014/15 Winter - Apocalypse Then and Now
NAME OF INSTRUCTOR: Dr Stephen Martin
CREDIT WEIGHT AND WEEKLY TIME DISTRIBUTION: credits 3(hrs lect 3 - hrs sem 0 - hrs lab 0)
COURSE DESCRIPTION: A course on a topic of figure of special interest to a member of the theology faculty and offered on a non-recurring basis.

Prerequisites: THEO 250

2014/15 Winter

With its seven-headed beasts, fiery chariots, and starry-crowned virgins, apocalyptic is perhaps the strangest literature in the Bible. This strangeness has made apocalyptic a site of endless speculation throughout history. For this reason, many Christians concerned about the meaning of discipleship in the present have given it a wide berth. And yet this literature has power to unmake and remake Christian understandings of “the way things are” – if we have ears to hear. Moreover, popular culture has been rediscovering apocalyptic, providing new opportunities for
Christian cultural engagement. This course will examine the genre of apocalyptic through the study of ancient texts and contexts, with special focus on the canonical books of Daniel and Revelation, as well as the “little apocalypses” of the synoptic Gospels. The course will conclude by encouraging students to apply a biblically-informed apocalyptic imagination to contemporary culture.
REQUIRED TEXTS:
  • A good, scholarly study Bible: Either The NIV Study Bible; The HarperCollins Study Bible; or The New Interpreter’s Study Bible. All three are available in the bookstore. The translation used in the lectures is the New Revised Standard Version. The books of Daniel and Revelation, Isaiah 24-27 and Mark 13 will be read during the course. You are expected also to have read the notes in your study Bible as preparation for each class.
  • Hill, Craig C. In Godʹs Time: The Bible and the Future. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002.
  • Koester, Craig R. Revelation and the End of All Things. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001.
  • Rhoades, David, ed. From Every People and Nation: The Book of Revelation in Intercultural Perspective (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2005).
MARK DISTRIBUTION IN PERCENT:
Readings 10%
Film Review (1000 words) 10%
Film Review Presentation5%
Midterm15%
Revelation book report (1000 words)15%
Essay (2000 words)25%
Final Exam20%
100%

COURSE OBJECTIVES:Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able:
  1. To introduce the category of apocalyptic genetically and generically, so that students are able to differentiate apocalyptic language from other literary genres in the Christian canon.
  2. To foster an appreciation of apocalyptic literature and its unique contributions to the Christian canon.
  3. To develop interpretive keys to understanding how this strange, evocative, and inspired language might empower Christian cultural engagement today.
COURSE OUTLINE:
  • Defining Apocalyptic  Jan 7, 9                                                                                  
    • Hill, ch. 1 (2)
  • Jewish Apocalyptic I: The Prophetic Tradition Jan 12, 14, 16                                                
    • Hill, ch. 3
    • Ps 89, 2 Sam 7, 1 Kings 22, Joel, Is 6, 14
  • Jewish Apocalyptic II: Crisis and Exile Jan 19, 21, 23                                                           
    • Hill, ch. 4
    • Isaiah 24-27, Zech 9-14
  • Jewish Apocalyptic III: The Book of Daniel Jan 26, 30                                                    
    • Hill, ch. 5
    • Daniel 2, 7-12
  • Christian Apocalyptic I: Apocalyptic in the Gospels Feb 2, 4, 6                                       
    • Hill, ch. 6
    • Mark 13, Matt 24, Luke 21
    • Film presentations will take place on Feb 6
  • Christian Apocalyptic II: Apocalyptic in Paul Feb 9, 11, 13                                                  
    • Hill, ch. 7
    • I Thessalonians; Galatians
  • The Book of Revelation I: Revelation and the Church  Feb 23, 25, 27                                  
    • Koester ch. 1
  • The Book of Revelation II: Revelation and the Churches (Rev. 1-3) Mar 2, 4, 6                
    • Koester ch. 2
    • Rev. 1-3
  • The Book of Revelation III: “The Scroll Unsealed” Mar 9, 11, 13                                              
    • Koester ch. 3
    • Rev. 4-7
  • The Book of Revelation IV: “Trumpets of Terror and Hope” Mar 16, 18, 20                          
    • Koester ch. 4
    • Rev. 8-11
  • The Book of Revelation V: “The Beast and the Lamb” Mar 23, 25, 27                                   
    • Koester ch. 5
    • Rev. 12-15
  • The Book of Revelation VI: “The Harlot and the Bride” Mar 30, Apr 1, 3                                 
    • Koester ch. 6
    • Rev. 15-19
  • The Book of Revelation VII: The Millennium and New Creation Apr 13, 15, 17                     
    • Koester ch. 7
    • Rev. 20-22
  • Conclusion: “The Man Comes Around:” Rehearing Apocalyptic Today Apr 20            


Required texts, assignments, and grade distributions may vary from one offering of this course to the next. Please consult the course instructor for up to date details.

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