Loving God: The Theological Imagination of John’s Writing

BN3001Z / 9031Z

Johannine literature provides a rich repository of language and imagery for Christian theology that is centered on the loving relationship between God and humanity. In this unit, the Gospel of John and the letters of John are studied as both witnesses to the communities in which they were written and as works of literature. The contribution of Johannine literature to the development of Christian theology is explored through an engagement with multiple theological themes and contemporary interpretative lenses.

Subject Details

Duration One Semester
Availability First Semester
Core/Elective Core
Delivery Mode Mixed Mode - onsite or online
Prerequisites Sixteen foundational units including the first and second year capstones to be completed prior to enrolment . For exemptions, please contact the Registrar.
Prescribed Texts

Required Text/s 

See the unit reading list. 

Recommended Text/s 

Coloe, Mary L. Dwelling in the Household of God: Johannine Ecclesiology and Spirituality. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, 2007. 

Conway, Colleen M. John and the Johannine Letters. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2017.  

Thompson, Marianne M. The God of the Gospel of John. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001 

Assessments

  1. Reading Portfolio: Weeks 2-7. Weighting 10%

  2. Narrative Text Analysis: Week 5. Weighting 30%

  3. Exegesis: Week 9. Weighting 30%

  4. Practical Project: Week 12. Weighting 30%

Teaching and Learning Plan

This subject will involve:

  • One on-campus 2 hour lecture per week

  • One on-campus 1 hour tutorial per week

  • Online preparation & reading 2.5 hours per week

Learning Outcomes

Students completing this unit will:  

  • Demonstrate the ability to discuss the authorship of John’s Gospel in detail, with reference to the wider Johannine corpus and its socio-historical contexts.  

  • Demonstrate advanced skills in literary analysis, including narrative and perspective criticism.  

  • Demonstrate advanced skills in using hermeneutical lenses to engage the text.    

  • Demonstrate the ability to communicate biblical and theological concepts clearly for a lay audience. 


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