Possible Topics for Paper 2

Since we had not covered the Book of Job, the Prophets or the Tanak selections of Psalms and Proverbs, these are possibilities for topics.

l. Go Marry a Harlot: Hosea and Covenant as Marriage

2. Yahweh: God of a People, God of All: the case of Second Isaiah

3. Is Woman Favored or Ridiculed?: Varying Images of Wisdom in the Book of Proverbs

4. "Songs for All Seasons" (focusing on the Psalms)

5. Job and the question of intimacy with God

6. To Know Yahweh: Social Justice and Temple Ritual

7. Why Have You Seduced Me? The Burdens of a Prophet

8. The Image of the Pharisees in Mark and Acts

9. Jesus and the Memory of Jeremiah: Jer. 7 and Mark 11-13

10. The Beginning is Half of the Whole: A Comparison of the opening three chapters of two of the gospels.

11. Jesus Cites Tanak: the Gospel of Mark

12. Women in the Early Jesus Movement: Mark and Acts

13. The Memory of a Trial and Death: Matt. 26-28, Mark 14-16, Luke 22-24

14. The Christian as Interpreter: Luke 24. 13-53 and Acts 8. 26-40

15. Kashrut (Cleanliness), Circumcision and Community in Acts

16. Paul and the Hardening of Hearts: Romans 9-11

17. Making Distinctions: on Eating, Dressing, and Eucharist: I Cor. 10-11

18. Rereading Tanak: Paul and Christian Polemic: Gal. 4, 2 Cor. 3. 7-18

19. Order and Divisiveness in the Community: I and II Timothy

20. The Wearying Wait: The Theme of Endurance in the Apocalypse

21. New Jerusalem: The City Remade -- Apocalypse 21-22.5

Key Concepts in Acts of the Apostles

l. the genre of speeches/ the role of interpretation of Tanak

2.the influence of the Holy Spirit—how the presence of the Holy Spirit changes the apostles/disciples; note Peter and Philip

3. the presence and roles of women: particularly Mary, mother of Jesus; others include Tabitha (Dorcas),

4. the institution of deacons – specifically Stephen

5. the case of Ananias and Sapphira

6. Cornelius/Peter/ the clean and the unclean

7. Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch

8. Saul/converted to Paul and his role

9. “Bringing in the Gentiles”

10. Literary style of Luke: dedication of the work to Theophilus; integration of speeches conveying what Luke saw as the significance of the occasion and way of presenting what Christianity is and was to be; more of an influence on history than a strictly historical account;