Unit Guide

General Information

Unit convenor and teaching staff	Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor and Lecturer Christopher Forbes christopher.forbes@mq.edu.au Contact via (02) 9850 8821 or christopher.forbes@mq.edu.au W6A 536 Tuesday 12-1pm, Thursday 12-1pm.
Credit points	Credit points 4
Prerequisites	Prerequisites Admission to MAncHist or GradCertAncHist or MA in (Ancient History or Coptic Studies or ECJS) or PGDipArts in (Ancient History or ECJS) or PGCertArts in (Ancient History or Coptic Studies)
Corequisites	Corequisites
Co-badged status	Co-badged status
Unit description	Unit description In this unit the long-standing tradition of the theological study of Paul and his churches is balanced with contextual historical methodology to provide an historically nuanced picture. The career of Paul and the foundation and development of the Pauline Churches is studied from both a social historical and a history of ideas perspective. The unit engages critically with current debates in Pauline scholarship. Several discrete fields of study are incorporated into the study of the historical context including 2nd Temple Judaism and first century Graeco-Roman culture.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

The student will: learn from a variety of ancient text types, and from other forms of evidence, about the varieties of early Christian practice and belief;
demonstrate an understanding of the historical and methodological problems related to the study of the Pauline "churches" in particular;
relate these text types and other forms of evidence to their contemporary Jewish and Graeco-Roman historical and cultural environment, in terms of both form and content;
demonstrate a broad comprehension of a range of ancient world-views and cultural concepts;
show an awareness of both the selectivity and the complexity of ancient accounts of past events, belief systems and experiences;
conduct independent research on a number of chosen topics at an advanced level;
engage with and responding critically to a variety of scholarly opinions;
formulate an independent view in dialogue with a wide range of both ancient evidence and modern interpretations.

General Assessment Information

In order to complete the Unit, you must achieve a grade of 50% overall.

All written assessment tasks (Annotated Bibliography and Precis, First Essay and Second Essay) are to be submitted via Turnitin, using the links to be found in the appropriate week's panel of the Unit iLearn page (as detailed for each assignment).

Late assignments will normally be penalised at the rate of 2% per day, unless prior arrangements have been made with Dr. Forbes. If your assignment is going to be late, please contact me in advance! In case of major disruption to your study schedule, see the Disruption to Study Policy in the section of this Unit Guide on Policies and Procedures.

Assessment Tasks

Name	Weighting	Due
Bibliography and Essay Precis	20%	Week 6
First Essay	35%	Week 9
Second Essay	45%	Week 13

Bibliography and Essay Precis

Due: Week 6
Weighting: 20%

Students are to choose their first essay topic within the first four weeks of term, and then submit their Annotated Bibliography and Essay Precis during Week 6. (Submit the assignment via Turnitin, using the link in the Week 6 panel of the Unit iLearn page.) This assignment is a preparatory task building towards the submission of the first essay.

The assignment should be of approximately 1,000 words. The first half should be an annotated bibliography containing between six and twelve items (books, book chapters, journal articles) with full publication details, and a short paragraph of comment (per item) on the relevance of the item in question to the first essay. You should comment briefly on the main thesis of the item, its strengths and/or weaknesses, and its contribution to your understanding of the essay task.

The second half should be a structured outline or precis of your essay so far (it is understood that your essay will not yet be complete). This outline or precis should present the major stages of the argument of your proposed essay, each described in a brief paragraph, with notes on (a) the logical structure of your argument, (b) the kinds of evidence on which that stage of the argument is based, and (c) brief notes on the contribution of particular items from the Bibliography.

The aim of this assignment is to provide early feedback on the development of your understanding of your first essay. A rubric of the criteria against which the assignment will be assessed will be available on the Week 4 panel of the Unit iLearn page.

On successful completion you will be able to:

The student will: learn from a variety of ancient text types, and from other forms of evidence, about the varieties of early Christian practice and belief;
demonstrate a broad comprehension of a range of ancient world-views and cultural concepts;
conduct independent research on a number of chosen topics at an advanced level;
engage with and responding critically to a variety of scholarly opinions;

First Essay

Due: Week 9
Weighting: 35%

The first Essay, of approx. 2,000 words, is normally to be written on the Essay topic chosen by Week 4, on which the Annotated Bibliography and Essay Precis has been submitted in Week 6. Essays will not be penalised for changes of direction resulting from further reading and research.

(Submit the assignment via Turnitin, using the link in the Week 9 panel of the Unit iLearn page.)

A rubric of the criteria against which the assignment will be assessed will be available on the Week 6 panel of the Unit iLearn page.

On successful completion you will be able to:

The student will: learn from a variety of ancient text types, and from other forms of evidence, about the varieties of early Christian practice and belief;
demonstrate an understanding of the historical and methodological problems related to the study of the Pauline "churches" in particular;
relate these text types and other forms of evidence to their contemporary Jewish and Graeco-Roman historical and cultural environment, in terms of both form and content;
demonstrate a broad comprehension of a range of ancient world-views and cultural concepts;
show an awareness of both the selectivity and the complexity of ancient accounts of past events, belief systems and experiences;
conduct independent research on a number of chosen topics at an advanced level;
engage with and responding critically to a variety of scholarly opinions;
formulate an independent view in dialogue with a wide range of both ancient evidence and modern interpretations.

Second Essay

Due: Week 13
Weighting: 45%

The Second Essay, normally on a different topic to the first, should build on the skills developed in the first two Assessment Tasks. It can be written on one of the suggested essay topics provided in the Unit Introduction, or on another topic devised in consultation with Dr. Forbes.

(Submit the assignment via Turnitin, using the link in the Week 13 panel of the Unit iLearn page.)

A rubric of the criteria against which the assignment will be assessed will be available on the Week 6 panel of the Unit iLearn page.

On successful completion you will be able to:

The student will: learn from a variety of ancient text types, and from other forms of evidence, about the varieties of early Christian practice and belief;
demonstrate an understanding of the historical and methodological problems related to the study of the Pauline "churches" in particular;
relate these text types and other forms of evidence to their contemporary Jewish and Graeco-Roman historical and cultural environment, in terms of both form and content;
demonstrate a broad comprehension of a range of ancient world-views and cultural concepts;
show an awareness of both the selectivity and the complexity of ancient accounts of past events, belief systems and experiences;
conduct independent research on a number of chosen topics at an advanced level;
engage with and responding critically to a variety of scholarly opinions;
formulate an independent view in dialogue with a wide range of both ancient evidence and modern interpretations.

Delivery and Resources

For lecture times and classrooms please consult the MQ Timetable website: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au. This website will display up-to-date information on your classes and classroom locations. As of mid-July the class will be held on Wednesday evening, 6-8pm, in room W5A202.

The Unit will take the form of one two-hour seminar per week. This will normally be made up of two parts. The first hour will normally be a lecture from Dr. Forbes on the topic detailed in the Unit Schedule (below). The second hour will vary.

Both hours of the two-hour seminar will be recorded and made available via Echo360. Weekly study guides and bibliographies will be made available on the Unit iLearn page as PDF files. Any visual aids used during the lectures will also be made available in PDF format on the Unit iLearn page.

Reading: the “set texts” for the Unit this year are W. Meeks, The First Urban Christians, New Haven (2nd edition, 2003), an excellent survey of the social context of Paul's churches, B. Witherington III, The Paul Quest, Downer's Grove, 1998, a good survey of Pauline scholarship more generally, and C.J. Roetzel, Paul: the Man and the Myth, Edinburgh, 1999. I would recommend buying one or more of these; they will be referred to regularly in weekly bibliographies.

As background reading, M. Hengel's Acts and the History of Earliest Christianity, London, 1979, and Between Jesus and Paul, London, 1983, are also recommended. Students with little or no background in Pauline studies are encouraged to read several of the following as soon as possible: C.J. Roetzel, Paul: the Man and the Myth, Edinburgh, 1999, E.P. Sanders, Paul, Oxford, 1991, F.F. Bruce, Paul: Apostle of the Free Spirit, Exeter, 1977, J.C. Beker, Paul the Apostle, Edinburgh, 1980, and standard New Testament introductions and guides to study, such as those of W.G. Kümmel, G.E. Ladd, D. Guthrie, R.P. Martin and (many) others. Particular reading lists for particular topics will be distributed in advance of the relevant topics. Students are (of course) encouraged to read widely beyond the precise topics set for each week.

Access to a computer and the Internet are required. Basic computer skills (e.g., internet browsing, use of the Library's online resources and skills in word processing) are also a requirement. You will need a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader, since (as noted above) most Unit documents are provided in PDF format. This software is freely available on the Internet. Please consult the Course Convenor for any further, more specific requirements.

Face-to-face classes will be held for Internal students; for External students there will be recordings (as above) and regular postings on iLearn. External students who can come to Internal classes are welcome to do so; just let me know you're coming!

Unit Schedule


Week 1: Wednesday August 3rd	Lecture: Early Christianity before the "Gentile Mission": an Introduction.	Discussion: Unit Requirements, allocation of seminar topics, etc. Paul the Letter-writer in his ancient context.
Week 2: Wednesday August 10th	Understanding St. Paul: Introductory Concepts and Terminology. The “Salvation-Historical” perspective underlying Paul's thought.	Discussion: Paul's “natural theology” in Romans 1-2; Romans 7-8.
Week 3: Wednesday August 17th	Paul's Missionary Journeys I. Experience and Faith: Paul's experience of Persecution and Suffering as reflected in his Theology.	Discussion: Galatians 3-4 and Paul's attitude to the Law of Moses.
Week 4: Wednesday August 24th	“Old Issues Never Die”: St. Paul and the Jewish Law in Recent Debate.	Discussion: The debate over the phrase "pistis Christou"; "the faith of Christ".
Week 5: Wednesday August 31st	Pre-Christian Paul: Recent Research on the Jewish Background to Paul's Ideas.	Dealing with occasional documents: unity, diversity, developmental models, Coherence and Contingency, and Narrative readings of Paul
Week 6: Wednesday September 7th	Pauline Cosmology: the “Principalities and Powers” in Paul's Thought.	TBD
Week 7: Wednesday September 14th	Chronological and Source Problems: the “Apostolic Council” of Acts 15 and its Context.	TBD
	Mid-Semester Break
Week 8: Wednesday October 5th	Paul's Missionary Journeys II: Troas, Philippi, Thessalonica and the Earliest Pauline Letters.	TBD
Week 9: Wednesday October 12th	“Finding a Place for Paul”: Paul's self-presentation within 1st Century Graeco-Roman Society.	TBD
Week 10: Wednesday October 19th	The Pauline Communities I. Group Formation and Maintenance: patterns of behaviour and authority in the Pauline Churches.	TBD
Week 11: Wednesday October 26th	The Pauline Communities II. Revelation and Tradition: the Jesus-Tradition in Paul's churches, Christian Prophecy, and Related Issues.	TBD
Week 12: Wednesday November 2nd	Letters and Rhetoric: two competing models for understanding Paul.	TBD
Week 13: Wednesday November 9th	Postscript: after Paul. Paul's ongoing influence, and the collection of his letters.	Discussion: Unit Summary.

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central. Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Academic Honesty Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/academic_honesty/policy.html

New Assessment Policy in effect from Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy_2016.html. For more information visit http://students.mq.edu.au/events/2016/07/19/new_assessment_policy_in_place_from_session_2/

Assessment Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/assessment/policy.html

Grading Policy prior to Session 2 2016 http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/grading/policy.html

Grade Appeal Policy http://mq.edu.au/policy/docs/gradeappeal/policy.html

Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/complaint_management/procedure.html

Disruption to Studies Policy http://www.mq.edu.au/policy/docs/disruption_studies/policy.html The Disruption to Studies Policy is effective from March 3 2014 and replaces the Special Consideration Policy.

In addition, a number of other policies can be found in the Learning and Teaching Category of Policy Central.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/support/student_conduct/

Results

Results shown in iLearn, or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to improve your marks and take control of your study.

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Graduate Capabilities

PG - Capable of Professional and Personal Judgment and Initiative

Our postgraduates will demonstrate a high standard of discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgment. They will have the ability to make informed choices and decisions that reflect both the nature of their professional work and their personal perspectives.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

The student will: learn from a variety of ancient text types, and from other forms of evidence, about the varieties of early Christian practice and belief;
demonstrate an understanding of the historical and methodological problems related to the study of the Pauline "churches" in particular;
relate these text types and other forms of evidence to their contemporary Jewish and Graeco-Roman historical and cultural environment, in terms of both form and content;
demonstrate a broad comprehension of a range of ancient world-views and cultural concepts;
show an awareness of both the selectivity and the complexity of ancient accounts of past events, belief systems and experiences;
conduct independent research on a number of chosen topics at an advanced level;
engage with and responding critically to a variety of scholarly opinions;
formulate an independent view in dialogue with a wide range of both ancient evidence and modern interpretations.

Assessment tasks

Bibliography and Essay Precis
First Essay
Second Essay

PG - Discipline Knowledge and Skills

Our postgraduates will be able to demonstrate a significantly enhanced depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content knowledge in their chosen fields.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

The student will: learn from a variety of ancient text types, and from other forms of evidence, about the varieties of early Christian practice and belief;
demonstrate an understanding of the historical and methodological problems related to the study of the Pauline "churches" in particular;
relate these text types and other forms of evidence to their contemporary Jewish and Graeco-Roman historical and cultural environment, in terms of both form and content;
demonstrate a broad comprehension of a range of ancient world-views and cultural concepts;
show an awareness of both the selectivity and the complexity of ancient accounts of past events, belief systems and experiences;
conduct independent research on a number of chosen topics at an advanced level;
engage with and responding critically to a variety of scholarly opinions;
formulate an independent view in dialogue with a wide range of both ancient evidence and modern interpretations.

Assessment tasks

Bibliography and Essay Precis
First Essay
Second Essay

PG - Critical, Analytical and Integrative Thinking

Our postgraduates will be capable of utilising and reflecting on prior knowledge and experience, of applying higher level critical thinking skills, and of integrating and synthesising learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments. A characteristic of this form of thinking is the generation of new, professionally oriented knowledge through personal or group-based critique of practice and theory.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

The student will: learn from a variety of ancient text types, and from other forms of evidence, about the varieties of early Christian practice and belief;
demonstrate an understanding of the historical and methodological problems related to the study of the Pauline "churches" in particular;
relate these text types and other forms of evidence to their contemporary Jewish and Graeco-Roman historical and cultural environment, in terms of both form and content;
demonstrate a broad comprehension of a range of ancient world-views and cultural concepts;
show an awareness of both the selectivity and the complexity of ancient accounts of past events, belief systems and experiences;
conduct independent research on a number of chosen topics at an advanced level;
engage with and responding critically to a variety of scholarly opinions;
formulate an independent view in dialogue with a wide range of both ancient evidence and modern interpretations.

Assessment tasks

Bibliography and Essay Precis
First Essay
Second Essay

PG - Research and Problem Solving Capability

Our postgraduates will be capable of systematic enquiry; able to use research skills to create new knowledge that can be applied to real world issues, or contribute to a field of study or practice to enhance society. They will be capable of creative questioning, problem finding and problem solving.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

The student will: learn from a variety of ancient text types, and from other forms of evidence, about the varieties of early Christian practice and belief;
demonstrate an understanding of the historical and methodological problems related to the study of the Pauline "churches" in particular;
relate these text types and other forms of evidence to their contemporary Jewish and Graeco-Roman historical and cultural environment, in terms of both form and content;
demonstrate a broad comprehension of a range of ancient world-views and cultural concepts;
show an awareness of both the selectivity and the complexity of ancient accounts of past events, belief systems and experiences;
conduct independent research on a number of chosen topics at an advanced level;
engage with and responding critically to a variety of scholarly opinions;
formulate an independent view in dialogue with a wide range of both ancient evidence and modern interpretations.

Assessment tasks

Bibliography and Essay Precis
First Essay
Second Essay

PG - Effective Communication

Our postgraduates will be able to communicate effectively and convey their views to different social, cultural, and professional audiences. They will be able to use a variety of technologically supported media to communicate with empathy using a range of written, spoken or visual formats.

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

demonstrate an understanding of the historical and methodological problems related to the study of the Pauline "churches" in particular;
relate these text types and other forms of evidence to their contemporary Jewish and Graeco-Roman historical and cultural environment, in terms of both form and content;
demonstrate a broad comprehension of a range of ancient world-views and cultural concepts;
show an awareness of both the selectivity and the complexity of ancient accounts of past events, belief systems and experiences;
engage with and responding critically to a variety of scholarly opinions;
formulate an independent view in dialogue with a wide range of both ancient evidence and modern interpretations.

Assessment tasks

Bibliography and Essay Precis
First Essay
Second Essay

PG - Engaged and Responsible, Active and Ethical Citizens

Our postgraduates will be ethically aware and capable of confident transformative action in relation to their professional responsibilities and the wider community. They will have a sense of connectedness with others and country and have a sense of mutual obligation. They will be able to appreciate the impact of their professional roles for social justice and inclusion related to national and global issues

This graduate capability is supported by:

Learning outcomes

The student will: learn from a variety of ancient text types, and from other forms of evidence, about the varieties of early Christian practice and belief;
demonstrate an understanding of the historical and methodological problems related to the study of the Pauline "churches" in particular;
relate these text types and other forms of evidence to their contemporary Jewish and Graeco-Roman historical and cultural environment, in terms of both form and content;
demonstrate a broad comprehension of a range of ancient world-views and cultural concepts;
show an awareness of both the selectivity and the complexity of ancient accounts of past events, belief systems and experiences;
conduct independent research on a number of chosen topics at an advanced level;
engage with and responding critically to a variety of scholarly opinions;
formulate an independent view in dialogue with a wide range of both ancient evidence and modern interpretations.

Assessment tasks

Bibliography and Essay Precis
First Essay
Second Essay

Changes from Previous Offering

Due to changes in the University's policies on assessment for Postgraduate Units, the Assessment for the Unit has altered since it was last offered.