30358 - Philology and Exegesis of the New Testament (1) (LM)

Academic Year 2021/2022

  • Docente: Antonio Cacciari
  • Credits: 6
  • SSD: L-FIL-LET/06
  • Language: Italian
  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Philology, Literature and Classical Tradition (cod. 9070)

Learning outcomes

The students will get a deep knowledge on exegetical methods, from introductory notions to guided use of research instruments applied to the text of the New Testament.

Course contents

The First letter of John (30 hours, 6 cfu)

The program of the course will be developed as follows:

1st part (10 hours):

– the First letter of John within the whole corpus of the New Testament;

– the First letter of John within the johannine corpus;

– authenticity, canonicity, date, authorship, literary structure, theological contents.

– the influence of the First letter of John from the beginnings of Christian literature to contemporary age.

2nd part (20 hours):

– reading of the Greek text of the First letter of John, translation and commentary.

Readings/Bibliography

a) A short introduction to the New Testament:

G. THEISSEN, Il Nuovo Testamento, Roma, Carocci 2003

b)

b) Greek text of the First letter of John: Nestle-Aland, Novum Testamentum Graece, ed. 28a, Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, Stuttgart 2012, pp. 715-726 (to be uploaded in the uploaded in the didactic material)

c) Commentaries to the to the First letter of John (at choice):

B.F. Westcott, The Epistles of St. John, McMillan & Co., Cambridge–London 1886;

R. Bultmann, Die drei Johannesbriefe, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 19692 (ed. it. Le lettere di Giovanni, Paideia, Brescia 1977);

R.E. Brown, The Epistles of John, Doubleday, New York 1982 (ed. it. Le lettere di Giovanni, Cittadella, Assisi 1986);

H-J. Klauck, Der erste Johannesbrief. Der zweite und dritte Johannesbrief, Neukirchener Verlag, Neukirchen-Vluyn 1991-1992 (ed. it. Lettere di Giovanni, Paideia, Brescia 2013).

d) Full reading, in Italian translation, of the johannine corpus (Gospel of John, the three Letters of John, Revelation).

Teaching methods

The students will be guided to the exegesis of New Testament texts by means of oral lessons, lectures and seminars.

Assessment methods

The exam will consist of:

— reading, translating and commenting some passages from the First letter of John (integral reading; for the students of Classics, in the Greek text; the students from other courses will use an annotated translation, and will read the chapters 2,3,4,5 of the Introduction (pp.……) of the handbook by H.-J. Klauck, La lettera antica e il Nuovo Testamento: guida al contesto e all'esegesi, ed. it. Paideia, Brescia 2011); the chosen commentary (see Bibliography, [b]) will be the work of reference;

— discussing the texts given by the professor during the lessons and uploaded;

— discussing the full reading of the New Testament in Italian translation; the short introductory handbook will also be considered.

For the students who cannot attend lessons the above program is the same; they will substitute lesson notes with the reading of 3 articles – at their choice – included in the following collections of essays (to be uploaded in the teaching materials:

– M.J.J.Menken, The Composition of John’s First Letter, in: Studies in John's Gospel and Epistles, Collected Essays, Contributions to Biblical Exegesis and Theology (CBET 77), Leuven - Paris - Bristol, Ct, Peeters, 2015, pp. 209-2018.

– M.D. Jensen, The Structure and Argument of 1 John: A Survey of Proposals, “CBibR” 12/2 (2014), pp. 194-215.

– R.J. Bigalke, Unravelling the structure of First John. Exegetical analysis, Part 1, HTS 69/1 (2013), p. -.

– R.J. Bigalke, First John structure resolved. Exegetical analysis, Part 2, “HTS” 69/1 (2013), p. -.

– M. Jensen, The Structure and Argument of 1 John, “JSNT” 35/1 (2012), pp. 54-73.

– U.C. von Wahlde, The Role of the Prophetic Spirit in John: A Struggle for Balance, in: Verheyden, Joseph, Zamfir, Korinna, Nicklas, Tobias, Prophets and Prophecy in Jewish and Early Christian Literature, Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament. 2. Reihe (WUNT.2 286), Tübingen, Mohr Siebeck, 2010, pp. 211-242

– J.M. Lieu, Us or You? Persuasion and Identity in 1 John, “JBL” 127/4 (2008), pp. 805-819.

– P. Fioravanti, La comunità giovannea: conflitto, minoranza e identità nella Prima Lettera di Giovanni, “AnStRel” 5 (2004), pp. 463-487

– H. Schmid, How to Read the First Epistle of John Non-Polemically, “Bib.” 85/1 (2004), pp. 24-41.

– D.F. Watson, "Keep Yourselves from Idols". A Socio-Rhetorical Analysis of the Exordium and Peroratio of I John, in: Gowler, David B., Bloomquist, L. Gregory, Watson, Duane F., Fabrics of Discourse. Essays in Honor of Vernon K. Robbins, Harrisburg / London / New York, Trinity Press International, 2003, pp. 281-302.

– J. Kim, The Concept of Atonement in Hellenistic Thought and 1 John, “JGRChJ” 2 (2001), pp. 100-116.

– J.C. Thomas, The Literary Structure of I John, “NT” 40/4 (1998), pp. 369-381.

– D.F. Watson, Amplification Techniques in 1 John: The Interaction of Rhetorical Style and Invention, “JSNT” 51 (1993), pp. 99-123.

Teaching tools

Lessons; seminars; bibliographic tools; electronic databases

Office hours

See the website of Antonio Cacciari

SDGs

Quality education

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.