Early Christian Self-Definition

A study of the developing self-understanding of early Christianity, seen in the context of the process by which the Christian movement separated from its Jewish matrix and developed into a distinct, largely Gentile religion. The major portion of the course will consist of a study of selected Christian literature (up to the mid-second century) with attention to specific issues of self-definition. Lectures, discussions of assigned readings and student presentations. Seminar paper and final research paper.