Historical Jesus

elementary

enter learning outcome code/codes

The aim of the course is a multifaceted introduction to the theme of the historical Jesus. During the lectures will be presented and critically evaluated hypotheses of historians and exegetes concerning the identity of the historical Jesus.

1. Historical Jesus - sources and criteria. Main issues and complexity of the problem.

2. Did Jesus really exist?

3. Gospel harmonies - first attempts of construing “reliable” biographies of Jesus.

4. The so called “lives of Jesus”: H.S. Reimarus, H.E.G. Paulus, D.F. Strauss, E. Renan.

5. Albert Schweitzer.

6. The so called "New Quest" - G. Bornkamm, N. Perrin and others.

7. "The Third Quest" - guiding outlines.

8. The Jesus Seminar and its main representatives (R. Funk, J.D. Crossan, and others).

9. The Jesus Seminar (cont.).

10. Jesus as a Prophet.

11. Jesus as a charismatic Jew.

12. Jesus as a Magician and a Jewish Sage.

13. Jesus as an itinerant Philosopher.

14. Jesus as a Messiah.

15. The Fourth Quest?

Primary literature:

J. Kręcidło, Aktualny stan badań nad historycznym Jezusem, in: W. Chrostowski (ed.), Przybliżyło się królestwo Boże. Księga pamiątkowa dla Księdza Profesora Romana Bartnickiego w 65. rocznicę urodzin, Warszawa 2008, 258-282.

R. Bartnicki, Czy już nadeszła czwarta faza naukowych poszukiwań Jezusa historycznego?, ZNSBP 8 (2011) 273-324.

J.D.G. Dunn. A New Perspective on Jesus. What the Quest for the Historical Jesus Missed?, Grand Rapids 2005.

M.A. Powell, Jesus as a Figure in History. How Modern Historians View the Man from Galilee, Louisville 2013.

Secondary literature:

J.P. Meier, A Marginal Jew, Vols. 1-4, New York 1991-2009.

C. Claussen, Vom historishen zum erinnerten Jesus. Der erinnerte Jesus als neues Paradigma der Jesusforschung, ZNT 10 (2007) 2-17.

G. Theissen, A. Merz, The Historical Jesus. A Comprehensive Guide, Minneapolis 1998.

J.D.G. Dunn, S. McKnight (ed.), The Historical Jesus in Recent Research, Winona Lake 2005.

EK 1 After the course student has an organized and deepened knowledge concerning the scientific researches on the historical Jesus (TMA-W07).

EK 2 Student is able to analyze and critically evaluate various sources and to prepare a speech and a written paper in English on the single issue concerning the subject of the course (TMA-U01; TMA-U17;TMA-U18).

EK 3 Student has social competences that unable him to be open to various points of view, and to be creative in practicing his scientific skills (TMA-K05).

ECTS description:

Course participation: 30 hours.

Student's own preparation: 90 hours.

In sum: 120 hours = 4 ECTS.

EK 1 described as "student has an organized and deepened knowledge concerning the scientific researches on the historical Jesus".

Grades:

Insufficient 2 (E): does not have a sufficient knowledge of the studied issues on the historical Jesus.

Sufficient 3 (C): has sufficient a knowledge of the studied issues concerning the historical Jesus.

Good 4 (B): has a good knowledge of the studied issues concerning the historical Jesus.

Very good 5 (A): is very eloquent in presenting various hypotheses concerning the historical Jesus.

EK 2 described as "is able to analyze and critically evaluate various sources and prepare an oral presentation and a written paper in English on a single issue concerning the subject of the course.

Grades:

Unsufficient 2 (E) is not able to analyze and critically evaluate sources, neither to prepare an oral presentation nor a written paper in English on a single issue concerning the subject of the course.

Sufficient 3 (C) is able to a sufficient degree analyze and evaluate sources and to prepare an oral presentation and a written paper in English on a single issue concerning the subject of the course.

Good 4 (B) is able to make a good analysis and evaluation of various sources and to prepare a good oral presentation and a written paper in English on a single issue concerning the subject of the course.

Very good 5 (A) is able to make a very eloquent analysis and evaluation of various sources and prepares a very good oral presentation and a written paper in English on a single issue concerning the subject of the course.

EK 3 described as student has social competences that unable him to be open to various points of view, and to be creative in practicing his scientific skills.

Grades:

Unsufficient 2 (E) is closed to all other points of view but the one that he considers uniquely true; is not able to make use of the acquired knowledge and skills in social relations.

Sufficient 3 (C) is hardly open to various points of view, has little creativity in making use of the acquired knowledge and skills in the social relations.

Good 4 (B) is open to various points of view, creative in making use of the acquired knowledge and skills and is able to apply them in other fields of his studies.

Very good (A) is open to multifaceted and many-sided evaluation of the studied issues and eloquently creative in making use of his knowledge and skills.