Module description
This module is devoted to the study of the narratives of Jesus' arrest, trial, death and resurrection in the canonical Gospels (with some attention to the non-canonical Gospels) and their reception within creative media. Initially there will be a focus on the texts, as well as the social, political, historical and archaeological background relevant to the debates concerning the death and resurrection of Jesus. The second part of the course will be an examination and analysis of the representation of Jesus' passion and of the resurrection in art, literature and film via student presentations. Students will explore how Jesus' passion and resurrection have been utilised and depicted in a variety of artistic, literary and cinematic productions and will use these as hermeneutical tools to reflect on the gospels' narratives. Classes will be seminar style with a strong emphasis on student participation.
Assessment details
3,500 word essay (100%)
Educational aims & objectives
The module aims to:
- enable students to study in depth the passion narratives of the four canonical Gospels.
- engage critically with the historical issues they raise.
- explore the theological and literary features of the narratives, and to explore their impact on art and film.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students will be able to demonstrate intellectual, transferable and practicable skills appropriate to a Level 7 module and in particular will be able to: Course specific skills
- demonstrate an intricate knowledge of the passion narratives ofthe canonical Gospels, their theological and literary features, and the historical issues they raise;
- evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of conflicting interpretations and arrive at their own informed opinion of how the texts may be appropriately interpreted;
- demonstrate an understanding of how these texts have generated new applications and an awareness of the hermeneutical issues involved in moving from textual to visual representation;
- describe and reflect on the responses evoked by these texts over the centuries and in the contemporary world.
Teaching pattern
One two-hour class weekly for ten weeks.