THCT212 - Jesus the Christ

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

THBS100 Introduction to the Bible , THCT100 What Christians Believe

Incompatible

THCT200 Jesus Christ Today, THCT212 Jesus the Christ

Teaching organisation

Unit rationale, description and aim

This unit examines the person and work of Jesus Christ in the light of Christian faith. With attention given to hermeneutical and methodological issues, the unit investigates research into the historical context of Jesus’ ministry, as well as the biblical interpretations of his life, ministry, death, resurrection and the sending of the Holy Spirit. Patristic and historical developments are studied, focusing on the Christological debates regarding his full humanity and full divinity. Finally, present Christian experience of the mystery of Jesus Christ is explored, along with an examination of contemporary christologies formulated in the light of political, economic, gender, ecological, global and interreligious concerns. The unit aims to enable students to explain theological perspectives, methods, and issues in Christology in the light of their contemporary and historical contexts, and evaluate and develop specific theological insights, principles and knowledge, with reference to the Catholic tradition and their contemporary relevance. 

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Describe key aspects of the ministry of Jesus, his mission for the reign of God, his death and resurrection, and the sending of the Holy Spirit (GA8; GA9);

LO2 - Reflect theologically on the various New Testament Christologies, and the major theological issues in the Christological debates up to 681 (GA4, GA8, GA9);

LO3 - Apply insights into the experience of Jesus Christ in the light of contemporary Christologies and political, economic, ecological, global and interreligious concerns (GA4, GA6, GA9).

Graduate attributes

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA6 - solve problems in a variety of settings taking local and international perspectives into account

GA8 - locate, organise, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information 

GA9 - demonstrate effective communication in oral and written English language and visual media 

Content

Topics will include:

• Questions to do with hermeneutics and theological method in reflecting on Jesus Christ and the sources of Scripture, tradition, and contemporary experience, including the value of Jesus research in relation to the Jewish culture and context of his time;
• The mission of Jesus for God’s reign in his teaching, miracles, behaviour and way of life;
• Christ’s death, resurrection and the sending of the Holy Spirit;
• Christologies of the Pauline Epistles, the Synoptic Gospels, and the Johannine writings
• 'For us and for our salvation’— Jesus Christ Saviour: New Testament and later models of salvation, redemption and liberation;
• Christological debates in the early Church; Nicea and Chalcedon; Incarnation and Trinity;
• Contemporary theologies of Christ, with diverse attention to political, economic, feminist, cosmological, ecological, global and interreligious concerns.

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit involves 150 hours of focused learning, or the equivalent of 10 hours per week for 15 weeks. The total includes formally structured learning activities such as lectures, tutorials, online learning, video-conferencing, or supervision. The remaining hours typically involve reading, research, and the preparation of tasks for assessment.

The unit is normally offered in attendance mode or multi-mode. Students learn through formally structured and sequenced learning activities that support the achievement of the learning outcomes. Students are asked to critically reflect, analyse, and integrate new information with existing knowledge, draw meaningful new connections, and then apply what they have learned. Collaborative and peer learning is also emphasised.

THCT212 emphasises students as active, adult learners. Students are recognised as adult learners who engage best when what they are learning is relevant to them and gives them the opportunity to be responsible for their own learning. In many ways, the student is the one who drives the learning forward, and their active participation in this unit is essential. Learning is designed to be an engaging and supportive experience, which helps students to develop critical thinking and reflection skills. 

Assessment strategy and rationale

In order to pass this unit, students are required to attempt all assessment tasks and achieve an overall grade of Pass (50% or higher).

The assessment tasks for this unit are designed for students to demonstrate their achievement of each learning outcome.

Task 1 asks students to describe key aspects of Jesus life, ministry, death and resurrection, in order to demonstrate achievement of learning outcome 1.

Task 2 asks students to reflect on different Christologies emerging from the New Testament and their later doctrinal development and debate, so to address learning outcome 2.

Task 3 invites students to analyse and reflect on the experience of Jesus Christ and apply insights from contemporary Christologies to address faith in Jesus, especially in the light of contemporary concerns. This task is particularly aimed to address learning outcome 3. 

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Alison, J. Broken Hearts and New Creations: Intimations of a Great Reversal. New York: Continuum, 2010.

Charlesworth, J. H. The Historical Jesus: An Essential Guide. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2008.

Goergen, Donald. Jesus, Son of God, Son of Mary, Immanuel. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 1995.

Kelly, A. J. The Resurrection Effect: Transforming Christian Life and Thought. Maryknoll: Orbis Books, 2008.

Longenecker, Richard N., ed. Contours of Christology in the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Pub., 2005.

O’Collins, Gerald. Christology: A Biblical, Historical, and Systematic Study of Jesus. 2nd edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.

Pagola, José Antonio. Jesus: An Historical Approximation. Translated by Margaret Wilde. Miami: Convivium Press, 2009.

Rausch, T. P. Who is Jesus? An Introduction to Christology. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2003.

Schweitzer, D. Contemporary Christologies: A Fortress Introduction. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2010.

Sloyan, Gerard S. Jesus: Word Made Flesh. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2008.