New Testament Hermeneutics: From Christ's Passion to Ascension



Overview

The passion, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ, have consistently sparked profound interest in biblical and theological studies, raising questions throughout the centuries. What was the purpose of the sufferings and death of Christ? What is the impact of it on Christians and Christianity? Is the resurrection a true fact? What does the ascension mean for a soteriological reading of the Gospel?

The course examines the answers to these and other questions and the interaction between modern and early Christian exegesis about the meaning of the story of Jesus. A particular interest will be given to the Passion Narrative in the Gospel of John, which affirms the essential fluidity of the meaning of Christ’s death, relating it to Old Testament symbols, reflecting a theology ‘of memory’ that re-read rituals as an opaque ‘theatre script’ which takes its ‘real stage’ on the last moments of Jesus' life. 

After general and important introductory material, the lectures will analyse the main narratives and interpretations.  

The lectures will offer the occasion to discuss diversified approaches to the meaning of suffering, death, resurrection and ascension, and will create the environment for a deep examination of the impact of these on several aspects of life, Christian practice, and theology.  

Classes consist of lectures, biblical analysis, and group workshops with ample scope for questions and discussion. 

Programme details

Courses starts: 28th Apr 2025

Week 1:  Introduction to the Gospel's Narrative

Week 2:  Messianic prophecies

Week 3:  The Passion in the Synoptics

Week 4:  Paschal Imagery and Messianic prophecy in John

Week 5:  The cross - historical and scientific discussion

Week 6:  Exegetical perspectives: Passion Narratives and Theologies

Week 7:  Resurrection Narratives

Week 8: Resurrection Theology in the New Testament  

Week 9:  Ascension Narratives

Week 10:  Ascension: kenosis, anastasis and eschatology

Certification

To complete the course and receive a certificate, you will be required to attend at least 80% of the classes on the course and pass your final assignment. Upon successful completion, you will receive a link to download a University of Oxford digital certificate. Information on how to access this digital certificate will be emailed to you after the end of the course. The certificate will show your name, the course title and the dates of the course you attended. You will be able to download your certificate or share it on social media if you choose to do so.

Fees

Description Costs
Course Fee £285.00
Take this course for CATS points £30.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Tutor

Prof Stefano Salemi

Dr Salemi is a scholar and professor of biblical studies and theology, biblical languages and exegesis. He read history, religion, theology, biblical languages, biblical studies; research fellow at Oxford, Harvard, Yale, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, King's College London, and others.

Course aims

This course will read through the interpretations given to the suffering, death, resurrection and ascension of Christ as the prophesied Messiah, in order to delineate their meanings within the New Testament, and in the history of reception.

Course Objectives

1. Analyse the biblical texts related to Christ's last days in the Gospels and in the broader context of the New Testament.

2. Connect these elements of Jesus' story to the broader biblical intertextual apparatus.

3. Compare approaches to the topic, meanings and interpretations, problems and solutions, and their impact in moulding theological understanding and Christian reception. 

Teaching methods

Classes will convene weekly, offering a diverse array of teaching modalities to enrich the learning experience. Each session will blend traditional lectures, biblical analysis, engaging case studies, and dynamic group activities and workshops, fostering collaborative learning and critical thinking. Ample time will be allotted for questions and discussion, encouraging active participation and exploration of key concepts. Students are encouraged to acquire the NRSV Bible or other accessible versions to enhance their understanding and participation in each session. Additionally, supplementary reading materials will be provided during the lessons to further enrich the educational journey.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be expected to:

1. have a knowledge of the peculiarities of Passion, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension Narratives within the Gospels and their connection with the prophetic messianism of the Hebrew Bible;

2. have an understanding of some of the attempts made to give meaning to the story of Christ in the New Testament, in ancient Christian interpretations and in modern readings, their differences and approaches, their main results and their difficulties;

3. be able to critically compare the different exegetical lines of interpretation and discuss related issues and their impact on modern Christian practice and theology.

Assessment methods

Either

Option A: Three very short (c. 500 words) pieces of written work. (Students are free to propose a suitable subject for each short essay, or a list of titles will be provided; a final agreement needs to be reached with the tutor).

Or

Option B: One short (c. 1,500 words) essay. (Students will be asked to provide an outline of the proposed essay for approval)

Coursework is an integral part of all weekly classes and everyone enrolled will be expected to do coursework in order to benefit fully from the course. Only those who have registered for credit will be awarded CATS points for completing work the required standard.

Students must submit a completed Declaration of Authorship form at the end of term when submitting your final piece of work. CATS points cannot be awarded without the aforementioned form - Declaration of Authorship form

Application

To earn credit (CATS points) for your course you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online.

Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an application form.

Level and demands

Suggested reading of the Gospels' account of the Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ

Reading material will be provided during the lessons. 

The Department's Weekly Classes are taught at FHEQ Level 4, i.e. first year undergraduate level, and you will be expected to engage in a significant amount of private study in preparation for the classes. This may take the form, for instance, of reading and analysing set texts, responding to questions or tasks, or preparing work to present in class.

Credit Accumulation and Transfer Scheme (CATS)

To earn credit (CATS points) you will need to register and pay an additional £30 fee per course. You can do this by ticking the relevant box at the bottom of the enrolment form or when enrolling online. Students who register for CATS points will receive a Record of CATS points on successful completion of their course assessment.

Students who do not register for CATS points during the enrolment process can either register for CATS points prior to the start of their course or retrospectively from the January 1st after the current full academic year has been completed. If you are enrolled on the Certificate of Higher Education you need to indicate this on the enrolment form but there is no additional registration fee.

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support