EXEGESIS OF GALATIANS

Together with Romans, Paul's Letter to the Galatians has stood at the heart of discussions of Christian theology from Augustine through the Reformation to the present day. It is possibly Paul's earliest formulation (in writing) of his teachings about justification attained by trusting Jesus, the opposition between faith and "works of the Law," the role of Torah in God's plan for humanity, salvation history, and life in the Spirit. This course invites students into a close reading of the text as the basis for analysis of its theological and ethical contributions to Christian formation, both as individual disciples and as communities of faith. Students will seek out Paul's meaning and purposes in writing as a basis for their critical engagement with the interpretation and application of Paul throughout the Christian era and their vision for Christian formation. Students taking the course to fulfill curricular requirements in different areas will have readings and assignments tailored to those curricular objectives.