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Earliest Christian Communities (THE3212)

Module aims

This module aims to:

• examine social aspects of the earliest Christian communities, by focusing on a range of topics and their diverse interpretation in contemporary scholarship
• introduce relevant textual and other (e.g., archaeological) evidence and to the debates that are current in research

ILO: Module-specific skills

• 1. demonstrate knowledge of relevant primary evidence relating to specific topics in the social history of earliest Christianity
• 2. demonstrate knowledge of scholarly discussion of the topics addressed in the module and the ability to appraise scholarship critically
• 3. formulate one’s own ideas and perspectives on the topics outlined in the syllabus plan, using the relevant primary sources and in critical interaction with scholarly discussion

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

• 4. the ability to assess primary evidence (primarily in biblical texts) and to develop one’s own deductions and suggestions based on it
• 5. to critically appraise the work of scholars, especially the methodological bases of their work

ILO: Personal and key skills

• 6. the ability to present one’s own arguments cogently and coherently, in written form
• 7. to summarise material clearly and accurately, to demonstrate critical reflection, to organise one’s own study-time effectively

Syllabus plan

Whilst the content may vary from year to year, it is envisioned that it will cover some or all of the following topics:

• introduction: methods and sources
• the earliest Christian communities: ancient and modern analogies
• the socio-economic status of the first Christians
• early Christian meeting places
• ritual and worship in the Christian communities
• patterns of power: developing structures and leadership patterns

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

• W.A. Meeks, The First Urban Christians (London & New Haven: Yale University Press, 1983)
• T.D. Still and D.G Horrell (eds), After the First Urban Christians (London & New York: T&T Clark, 2009)

Module has an active ELE page?

Yes

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE – https://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=6195

Indicative learning resources - Other resources

• D G Horrell (ed.) Social-Scientific Approaches to New Testament Interpretation (Edinburgh: T&TClark, 1999).
• E Stegemann and W Stegemann, The Jesus Movement: A Social History of its First Century (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1999)
• G Theissen, The Social Setting of Pauline Christianity (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1982)
• M Y MacDonald, The Pauline Churches (Cambridge: CUP, 1988)

Available as distance learning?

No

Origin date

Feb 2016

Last revision date

Feb 2016

Key words search

Early Christianity; New Testament

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