This course introduces the ancient Christian writings that became
known as the "New Testament." The New Testament is not a single book
but various texts by different authors, which later Christian
authorities collected into a "canon" of "scripture" for the Church.
Our approach is strictly historical, meaning, critical examination
into the ancient Mediterranean world of these writings and authors.
The main course goals are to understand the Apostle Paul, the
development of "gospels" about Jesus, the institutional formation of
ancient churches, and the formation of a biblical canon by the
fourth century C.E.  Students will read the entire New Testament, as
well as The Gospel of Thomas, to get a full historical picture of
early Christian literature.