RMS - Discovering the Real Jesus
Class
syllabus
Contact information
Jim
Collins
734-497-0405
When and where
Ten
Sunday mornings, 17 January through 20 March
9-10:15
AM
Redeemer
classroom
Course Description
We
live in a culture that often misrepresents the real, historical Jesus. The
purpose of this course is to raise the level of the students’ Jesus-literacy
and experience of Christ. In this course students will:
·
Study about Jesus from the biblical texts, as understood within the
historical context in which they were written.
·
Study some of the current real Jesus literature as an aid to
understanding the biblical accounts of Jesus.
·
Learn how to distinguish the real Jesus from the fictional.
·
Encounter and experience Christ as an ongoing, living reality.
This
will be accomplished through classroom readings, class discussion, and homework
assignments.
Goals/Objectives
·
Using scripture and book excerpts:
o Define who Jesus said he was
o Define who Jesus was by the
things he did
o Debunk our presuppositions
o
Define our life actions based on the Jesus of the gospels
Our Final Exam is not at RMS
·
1 John 3:1-3 says it all
Class topics
1. Introduction
Ø Christianity: The state of
the art
2. The gospels: 2000 years old;
can we believe what we read?
Ø Truth or public relations?
3. The incomprehensible trinity
Ø The small try to define the
One Ruler
Ø An invitation from the
fellowship of God
4. The Incarnation and birth
Ø Seriously, Joseph and Mary’s
son?
Ø What happened to our
Christmas story?
5. The Sermon on the Mount
Ø Unobtainable idealism?
6. Shock and awe
Ø This Jesus is amazing
Ø This Jesus is crazy
7. The Messiah: the Jewish hope
Ø Guess who is coming to
dinner
Ø The temple is going down!?
8. Jesus rules!
Ø Jesus is not our candidate
Ø Who made you king, Jesus?
9. The Kingdom of God
Ø Invert the world and shake
Ø Eschatology for the faint of
heart
Very Relevant Books
·
Philip Yancey, The Jesus I Never Knew
·
N.T. Wright, How God Became King
·
Kenneth E. Bailey, Jesus Through Middle Eastern
Eyes
·
Richard Bauckham, Jesus: A Very Short
Introduction
·
Michael J. McClymond, Familiar Stranger
·
Ben Witherington, The Christology of Jesus
·
Greg Boyd & Paul Eddy, Lord or Legend?:
Wrestling with the Jesus Dilemma
·
A.W. Tozer, Knowledge of the Holy
