Instructor: Richard S. Ascough

Telephone: (613) 533-6000 x78066

Office Hours: Mon. to Fri., by appointment

Email: rsa@post.queensu.ca

Homepage: http://post.queensu.ca/~rsa

Major literary, theological, and socio-cultural themes in Luke’s double work will be explored, including such topics as the sharing of possessions, the roles of women in Jesus’ ministry and the early church, characterization and plot development, Luke’s view of salvation history, and attitudes towards the marginalized.

The specific objectives of the course are:

• to become familiar with the contours of Luke-Acts and Luke's theology and to gain a knowledge of the social world within which Luke-Acts was written
• to gain skill and confidence in understanding and interpreting the text of Luke-Acts
• to facilitate the application of the texts to various theological and pastoral situations in our own day.

Bible: Almost any version, although the New Revised Standard Version or Revised Standard Version is recommended.

Robert C. Tannehill, The Narrative Unity of Luke-Acts, vol. 1, The Gospel According to Luke (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1986).

Turid Karlsen Seim, The Double Message: Patterns of Gender in Luke-Acts (Nashville: Abingdon, 1994).

Burton H. Throckmorton, Gospel Parallels: A Synopsis of the First Three Gospels (any edition; New York: Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1992).

Kurt Aland, Synopsis of the Four Gospels (London and New York: United Bible Societies, 1983).

If you already have a copy of either work it would be helpful to have it in class.

 25% Paper. Read Powell 1991:5-20 and Parsons & Pervo 1993:1-19 (available in photocopy room). On the basis of a careful analysis of both Luke and Acts and a reading of the assigned articles write a 5 page paper arguing for or against the unity of Luke and Acts. If arguing for "unity" be sure to be specific in the type of unity about which you mean, particularly theological, narrative, and/or generic unity. In either case, point to specific examples in the texts of Luke and Acts to support your thesis statement. Due February 8, 2000

 25% Book Review, up to 1000 words, double spaced. A critical review of Turid Karlsen Seim, The Double Message: Patterns of Gender in Luke-Acts (Nashville: Abingdon, 1994). A critical book review should include a brief summary statement of the purpose or major theses of the book (2-3 sentences), a summary of the contents of the book (i.e., evidence, methodology, etc; about two-thirds of the review), and a critical evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the book (i.e., did the author prove his/her thesis?) with some comments on the appropriate audience for the book (about one third of the review). The style of the review should be suitable for an academic audience. Since we will be discussing this book in class together, in fairness to other students there will be no extensions for this assignment. If for some reason you cannot be prepared for the class discussion, you will lose 10% of the available 25% grade. Due March 7, 2000, at the beginning of class

40% Research Paper, 10-12 pages, double spaced. A paper written on any passage in Luke-Acts (about 15 verses) or on a specific historical or theological topic arising from Luke-Acts. The focus of the paper should be the critical exegetical issues in the text or the critical historical and/or theological issues surrounding the topic. This assignment is not a sermon, but an academic paper and should be written in accordance with academic style. Due April 3, 2000

 10% Class Participation, based on regular attendance, reading and preparation, participation in discussions, punctuality in submission of assignments, etc.

 Jan 11 Introduction: Luke-Acts (in one sitting)

Jan 18 Infancy Narrative: Luke 1-2; Matthew 1-2; Tannehill 1986:1-44

Jan 25 Proclaiming the Message Luke 3:1 – 4:30; Tannehill 1986:45-73

Feb 1 Miracles and Controversies: Luke 4:31 – 9:50; Tannehill 1986:77-99; Osiek and Balch 1997:36-47

Feb 8 Parables and Discipleship: Luke 9:51 – 18:34; Tannehill 1986:103-39, 201-74

Feb 15 Passion and Resurrection: Luke 18:35 – 24:53; Tannehill 1986:143-66, 275-301

Feb 29 Early Christian Communalism: Acts 1:1 – 6:7; Capper 1998; Dupont 1979:85-102

Mar 7 Women and the Marginalized: Seim 1994; Schaberg 1992

Mar 14 Persecution and Expansion: Acts 6:8 – 15:35; Dibelius 1956:138-85

Mar 21 Paul in the Aegean World: Acts 15:36 – 19:20; Townsend 1985; Towner 1998; Jeffers 1999:211-19

Mar 28 Paul to Jerusalem and Rome: Acts 19:21 – 28:31; Rapske 1994

Apr 3 Luke-Acts and the Jews: Tannehill 1986:169-99; Tyson 1999:110-46

Capper, B. J. 1998. "Reciprocity and the Ethics of Acts." In Witness to the Gospel: The Theology of Acts, ed. I.H. Marshall and D. Peterson, 499-519. Grand Rapids and Cambridge: Eerdmans.

Dibelius, Martin. 1956. Studies in the Acts of the Apostles. London: SCM.

Dupont, Jacques. 1979. The Salvation of the Gentiles: Studies in the Acts of the Apostles. New York: Paulist.

Jeffers, James S. 1999. The Greco-Roman World of the New Testament: Exploring the Background of Early Christianity. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press.

Osiek, Carolyn and David L. Balch. 1997. Families in the New Testament World: Households and House Churches. Louisville: Westminster John Knox.

Parsons, Mikeal C. and Richard I. Pervo. 1993. Rethinking the Unity of Luke and Acts. Minneapolis: Fortress.

Powell, Mark Allan. 1991. What Are They Saying About Acts? New York and Mahwah: Paulist.

Rapske, Brian. 1994. "Acts, Travel and Shipwreck." In The Book of Acts in Its Graeco-Roman Setting, ed. D.W.J. Gill and C. Gempf, 1-47. BAFCS 2. Grand Rapids and Carlisle: Eerdmans and Paternoster.

Schaberg, Jane. 1992. "How Mary Magdalene Became a Whore." Bible Review 8/5:31-37, 51-52.

Seim, Turid Karlsen. 1994. The Double Message: Patterns of Gender in Luke-Acts. Nashville: Abingdon.

Tannehill, Robert C. The Narrative Unity of Luke-Acts, vol. 1, The Gospel According to Luke. Philadelphia: Fortress.

Towner, Philip H. 1998. "Mission Practice and Theology Under Construction." In Witness to the Gospel: The Theology of Acts, ed. I.H. Marshall and D. Peterson, 417-36. Grand Rapids and Cambridge: Eerdmans.

Townsend, John T. 1985. "Missionary Journeys in Acts and European Missionary Socieities." In SBL 1985 Seminar Papers, ed. K.H. Richards, 433-37. SBLASP 24. Atlanta: Scholars Press.

Tyson, Joseph B. 1999. Luke, Judaism, and the Scholars: Critical Approaches to Luke-Acts. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina Press.