Epistles of Paul

B-460 Epistles of Paul

This course will introduce students to

the critical study of the Pauline epistles.  Key topics will include the

social context of Paul and his churches, Paul's theology and ethics, Paul's

use of rhetoric, and the questions modern scholarship has raised about the

authenticity of some of the letters.  The course will invite students to

reflect on the application of the letters to contemporary ethical and social

issues.  The seven Pauline letters thought by most scholars to be genuine

will constitute the core of the course, but students will also study the

disputed letters and consider their possible authenticity.