F A L L, 2 0 1 2 ENGLISH 463 THE BIBLE AS LITERATURE: THE NEW TESTAMENT Instructor: D.H. Barbour TMW, 11:00-12:20 Class 3, Credit 3 Prerequisite: English 104 ABOUT THE COURSE: "A study of the literary elements of the New Testament, with emphasis on the continuity of religious ideas displayed in the Old and New Testaments." PUC Catalog. Special emphasis will be placed on parables (the Gospels), figurative language, apocalyptic writing (Revelation). ABOUT THE TEXTBOOK: Originally written in languages with which most speakers of modern English are unfamiliar, the New Testament's many documents were composed or compiled in the remote past and over an extended period, in social settings and for cultures different from the reader's own. Therefore, the texts must be translated from ancient languages to contemporary English. Information about its ancient literary, historical and cultural environment also increases understanding for contemporary readers. The Oxford Study Bible (M. Jack Suggs, Editor)is designed to facilitate informed reading by bringing together a superior modern translation and a collection of basic study. AV MATERIALS: Classroom discussions will be enhanced through use of a CD-ROM on the Gospels, which offers maps, music, professional readings, famous art works, a glossary of symbols, and a bibliography. FROM THE INSTRUCTOR: In this course, we will study the Bible as a work of literature, concentrating on three areas: the accounts of the life and teachings of Christ (the Gospels), the works of the apostles, especially the letters of Paul, and the Revelation of St. John the Divine.