Acquaints the student with the life and teachings of the apostle Paul in the context of first century Judaism and Greco-Roman thought, and in the context of contemporary New Testament scholarship.  Some of the classic issues  explored are: 1) Where does one find the “real” Paul?  In the book of Acts, the thirteen letters that have Paul’s name on them, or in a more narrow collection of seven letters?  2) Is Paul’s thinking primarily indebted to the Jewish world or the Greek world?  3) What kind of letters did Paul write?  Spontaneous, “off the cuff letters,” or carefully thought out, argumentative letters?  4) How should one understand Paul’s thinking on human nature, sexuality, and the role of women in the church?  Should Paul’s opinion still count today?

From the time of the Maccabean revolt in 167 BCE to the September 11 attacks, Jewish and Christian “end of the world” scenarios have challenged and encouraged people who have felt marginalized and oppressed by powers beyond their control.  Beginning with the Book of Daniel and ending about the time the book of Revelation was written, this course critically investigates and critically evaluates ancient Jewish and Christian apocalyptic traditions along with popular, contemporary interpretations and science fiction in order to describe the purpose, the communities that stood behind the traditions, and the theological value of apocalyptic for the Christian world today.

In July 1970, shortly before I left for my freshman year at Wheaton College, I walked up on a mesa 1/4 mile north of Immanuel Mission on the Navajo Indian reservation in northeastern Arizona where I grew up, and took this eight picture panoramic shot with a little "Instamatic" camera (these cameras had no light meter or focus mechanism). Northeast is at the extreme left of the picture.  West is at the extreme right.  South is in the center.  Immanuel Mission is visible just beyond the red X.  My brother Greg still lives in the area, just beyond the butte in the center of the panoramic shot. You can read about his years on the Rez in a 2007 Arizona Highways Magazine extra.  I graduated from Shiprock High School, sixty miles to the east in New Mexico, in 1969.