99019 - History of Biblical Theology and the New Testament (1) (LM)

Learning outcomes

After completing the course, students are able to research and critically examine specialized bibliography and documentary sources on the history of biblical theologies and the New Testament, in order to conduct autonomous investigations. They are able to communicate in written and oral form the knowledge they have acquired, using communication methods appropriate to the above contexts and taking into account their udience.They are able to give form to the results of their research in biblical studies, properly documenting the information on which they base their conclusions, while giving an account of the methodologies of investigation used. They know how to apply the tools of communication and digital data in the editorial and publishing field.

Course contents

I. Origins and development of the theology of logos

1. Prolegomena to the Interpretation of the Prologue of John

2. Exegesis of the Prologue of John, I

3. Exegesis of the Prologue of John, II

4. "Word of YHWH" in the BH/OT and in Judaism

5. "Lady Wisdom": The "Hymns" of/about Personified Wisdom in proto- and deutero-canonical literature

6. Figures of deified mediators in the Second Temple period

7. Logos and Wisdom in the Alexandrian Diaspora: Philo and the Book of Wisdom

8. Johannine Exegesis of the Prologue in the 20th and 21st Centuries: Key Passages

II. Origins and development of apocalyptic theology

1. General historical overview of the "Second Temple Period" / "Middle Judaism": events and literature

2. The Apocalypse of John: Introduction

3. The Apocalypse of John: exegesis of Rev 4–5 (the vision introducing the central body of the book) and of Rev 6:1–8:1 (the seven seals)

4. The Apocalypse of John: Exegesis of chapters 12–13 (the woman and the dragon)

5. "Apocalypses" and "apocalypticism": history of research and clarifications on the object of the investigation

6. The Book of Daniel and the BH/OT texts in which a germinal presence of this form of literature and theology can be recognized

7. The extra-canonical Jewish apocalyptic literature preceding and contemporary with the writings that now make up the NT

Readings/Bibliography

On «Virtuale», auxiliary materials will be uploaded in PDF format: lesson outlines, copies of the texts examined

I. Theology of logos

a) For everyone

J. Zumstein, Il vangelo secondo Giovanni, I (Strumenti - Commentari - Nuovo Testamento 72), Claudiana, Torino 2017, 63-92 («Il Prologo. Giovanni 1,1-18»)

M. Marcheselli, «The Johannine λόγος in the Greco-Roman context», in P. Costa (ed.), The New Testament in the Greco-Roman World (AnBibStudia 20), Peeters Publishers, Leuven 2025, 463-492

G. Buch-Hansen, «The Johannine Literature in a Greek Context», in J. Lieu – M.C. de Boer (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of Johannine Studies, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2018, 138-154

J. Frey, «Between Torah and Stoa. How could Readers Have Understood the Johannine Logos?», in J.G. van der Watt – R.A. Culpepper – U. Schnelle (eds.), The Prologue of the Gospel of John. Its Literary, Theological, and Philosophical Contexts, Papers read at the Colloquium Ioanneum 2013(WUNT 359), Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen 2016, 189-234

M. Hengel, Giudaismo ed ellenismo. Studi sul loro incontro, con particolare riguardo per la Palestina fino alla metà del II secolo a.C. (BSSTB 14), Paideia, Brescia 2001, 314-335 (su Pr 8 e Sir 24)

S. Bussino – R. De Zan – M. Gilbert – M. Priotto, «Sir 24,1-34: L’elogio della Sapienza», in RivBib 72(2024), 441-490

M.R. Niehoff, Filone di Alessandria. Biografia intellettuale (Biblioteca del Commentario Paideia 11), Claudiana Paideia, Torino 2021, 231-254.275-315 («Filone giovane tra i giudei di Alessandria»)

G. de la Morena, Genesi dello scandalo cristiano. Origini storiche della fede nella divinità di Gesù Cristo, Città Nuova, Roma 2025, 81-192 («La divinità di un mediatore giudaico: continuità o rottura?»)

D. Boyarin, Border Lines. The Partition of Judaeo-Christianity, University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia 2004 (paperback 2007), 89-147 («The Crucifixion of the Logos: How the Logos Theology Became Christian»)

b) For non-attending students

M. Hengel, Giudaismo ed ellenismo. Studi sul loro incontro, con particolare riguardo per la Palestina fino alla metà del II secolo a.C. (BSSTB 14), Paideia, Brescia 2001, 314-360 («L’incontro e il conflitto tra il giudaismo palestinese e lo spirito dell’età ellenistica»)

C.H. Dodd, L’interpretazione del quarto Vangelo (Biblioteca Teologica 11), Paideia, Brescia 1974, 79-102 («Il giudaismo ellenistico: Filone d’Alessandria») e 328-355 («Il logos»)

J. Ashton, Understanding the Fourth Gospel, Clarendon, Oxford 1991, 124-159 («Religious Dissent»); traduzione italiana: Comprendere il quarto vangelo, LEV, Città del Vaticano 2000

 

II. Apocalyptic theology

a) For everyone

P. Merlo, Storia di Israele e Giuda nell’antichità, San Paolo, Cinisello Balsamo 2022, 145-238; oppure L. Mazzinghi, Storia di Israele dalle origini al periodo romano (Studi biblici 56), EDB, Bologna 22007, 89-169

E. Noffke, Introduzione alla letteratura mediogiudaica precristiana(Strumenti 18 – Biblica), Claudiana, Torino 2004, 45-101

G. Biguzzi, Apocalisse. Nuova versione, introduzione e commento (I libri biblici – NT 20), San Paolo, Milano 2005, 15-53 («Profilo storico-letterario») e 387-404 («Teologia di Apocalisse»)

M. Marcheselli, «Crisi e speranza nell’Apocalisse di Giovanni», in F. Badiali (ed.), Il vangelo della speranza nel tempo delle crisi (BTE 17), EDB, Bologna 2026, 281-307

E. Noffke, «L’apocalittica giudaica. Uno status quaestionis», in Rivista Biblica 69(2021), 5-25

P. Sacchi, L’Apocalittica giudaica e la sua storia (BCR 55), Paideia, Brescia 1990, 9-26 («Introduzione»); 99-130 («Per una storia dell’apocalittica»); 154-169 («L’apocalittica giudaica»); 199-219 («Messianismo e apocalittica»)

U. Vanni, «Apocalittica», in P. Rossano – G. Ravasi – A. Girlanda (eds.), Nuovo Dizionario di Teologia Biblica, Paoline, Cinisello Balsamo (Milano) 1988, 98-106; oppure: B. Marconcini, «Apocalittica», in Temi Teologici della Bibbia, San Paolo, Cinisello Balsamo 2010, 68-74

M. Settembrini, «Ezechiele e gli albori dell’apocalittica», in F. Bianchini – F. Giuntoli – M. Marcheselli – A. Peri (eds.), «Aprì loro la mente all’intelligenza delle Scritture» (Lc 24,45), Fs. Ermenegildo Manicardi (RivBibSupp 69), EDB, Bologna 2023, 143-158

M. Settembrini, Daniele. Introduzione, traduzione e commento (Nuova Versione della Bibbia dai Testi Antichi), San Paolo, Cinisello Balsamo 2019, 9-20

M. Settembrini, «Daniel 10 as a Window onto the Ancient Jewish Apocalyptic Literature», in Religions 2026, 17, 134, 2-11

J.J. Collins, «Changing Perceptions of Genre in Biblical Studies», in Rivista Biblica69(2021), 335-351

L. DiTommaso, «New Testament Apocalypticism in the Late Second Temple Era», in Rivista Biblica 69(2021), 137-158

b) For non-attending students

– The pages corresponding to the sections of the Apocalypse that will be commented in one of these commentaries:

G. Biguzzi, Apocalisse (I libri biblici – Nuovo Testamento 20), Paoline, Milano 2005

C. Doglio, Apocalisse. Introduzione, traduzione e commento (Nuova versione della Bibbia dai Testi antichi 56), San Paolo, Cinisello Balsamo 2012

U. Vanni, Apocalisse di Giovanni, II (Commenti e Studi biblici), Cittadella, Assisi 2018

– J.J. Collins, «Apocalypticism as a Worldview in Ancient Judaism and Christianity», in C. McAllister (ed.), The Cambridge Companion to Apocalyptic Literature (Cambridge Companions to Religion), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2020, 19-35

Teaching methods

The course takes the form of frontal lessons.

Assessment methods

NB Students who attend at least 75% of the lessons are considered to be attending.

The exam consists of an oral interview to evaluate the critical and methodological skills developed by the student. A written paper is also required from everyone (attending and non-attending students) which must be delivered at least one week before the exam date. Each student will be assigned a literary source to analyze in light of the indications provided during the lessons. The subject of the paper must be agreed with the professor. For attending students, its length will be about 20,000 characters (excluding bibliography); for not attending students, about 40,000 characters (excluding bibliography).

In evaluating the test, account will be taken, in particular, of the student's ability to orient himself within the sources and bibliographic material in order to obtain useful information that will allow him to illustrate themes and problems and to be able to connect them.

The following will therefore be evaluated:

- The mastery of the contents

- The ability to synthesise and analyze themes and concepts

- The ability to know how to express oneself adequately and with a language appropriate to the subject being treated.

Students who develop a comprehensive understanding of the topics covered in class, along with their critical use, and a good command of specific language will be evaluated with excellent marks.

A rote understanding of the subject matter, combined with the ability to synthesize and analyze using correct, but not always appropriate, language, will receive a fair grade.

Learning gaps and/or inappropriate language, even in the context of a basic understanding of the exam material, will result in grades just above passing.

Learning gaps, inappropriate language, and a lack of orientation within the bibliographical materials offered during the course will be evaluated as failing.

NB Using generative AI in oral assessments is prohibited. Any use of such tools is considered a violation of academic integrity.

Exam sessions are scheduled for the following months of the academic year:

- 2026 September for students in debt of exam

- 2026 October for students in debt of exam

- 2026 December for students in debt of exam

- 2027 February for all students

- 2027 April for all students

- 2027 June for all students

- 2027 September for all students

- 2027 October for all students

- 2027 December for all students

Teaching tools

The lessons will be supported by PDF outlines provided by the professor and made available to students on «Virtuale».

Students with learning disorders and/or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Office hours

See the website of Maurizio Marcheselli