This course focuses on Paul’s Letter to Philemon. It is based on a close reading of the letter, with special attention given to the history of interpretation, common presuppositions regarding the historical situation addressed by the letter, a proposed new approach to determining the purpose for which it was written, and implications for its use within the church today.
In this class students will learn to conduct a close reading of the Letter to Philemon within its socio-historical, literary, and canonical contexts, and to identify central issues in the critical study of the text. They will learn to articulate the Letter to Philemon’s primary theological and ethical concerns, and to interpret the letter for faithful use of Scripture in their own lives and ministries.
- Teacher: Steven Young
