REL 315 New Testament and Heretical Literature
This course will ultimately aim at allowing students to understand New Testament and non-canonical (“heretical”) literature. In order to accomplish this goal, the focus will be on primary text readings with a keen attention to their historical landscape, as well as understanding various literary theories and construction. This course will build upon foundational courses in biblical studies, widening the lens in examining ancient texts while exploring cognate non-Christian philosophies and belief systems. The readings in this course will focus on the canonical and non-canonical literature such as the Gospel of Thomas, literature that influenced the growth and spread of Christianity as well as create controversies. As this literature influenced the growth and spread of the Quran in the rise of Islam, there will be some cross-over classes with Prof. Pierce’s Quran course.