Course Descriptions

GEO 6/415 Geography of the Gospels - Credit Hours: 3

Semester normally offered: Fall

Course Description

The course is designed to familiarize the student with the developing issues of historical geography that shape our reading of the Gospels. We begin with the changing geopolitical dynamics that characterize the Hellenistic and Roman Periods with the rise of the Hasmonean Kingdom and the Herodian Dynasty. These changes left indelible religious and physical consequences in the land Jesus knew. We will pay particular attention to the three regions that served as the stage for his life and ministry. Hasmonean expansion north created the towns and cities that find frequent mention in the New Testament. Recent advances in archaeology at these sites can assist us in better understanding the historical and religious world of the Gospels. Samaria and its people present their own challenges. We will consider both the Samaritans and their environs, their relationship with the Jewish people, and their place in the Gospels. Finally, we will consider Herodian Jerusalem and the events of Jesus’ final visit to the Holy City.

Course Equivalencies

• Geography
• History
• Bible

Course Objectives

By the end of the course, the student should be able to:

• explain what it means when we say that the canonical Gospels are “apologetic history;
• articulate the unique ways in which each of the four canonical Gospels integrates issues of topography and geography into their telling of the story of Jesus;
• explore key sites in Israel where topography and geography help to inform our interpretation of the accounts in the canonical Gospels;
• express confidence in the authority of the canonical Gospels as historically reliable sources for the reconstruction of the life and claims of Jesus;
• ^{reflect on the claims of Jesus Christ on their lives and make application to their present and/or future ministry settings.}

Field Study