PCS 507 - After Jesus, Before Christianity
Cohort will meet weekly on Wednesdays, October 5 through November 9 2022 at 7pm—8pm EDT
The course begins with a recognition of assumptions of those earliest years after Jesus and which ones we ought to question. The main topics we plan to cover include examples of women in leadership roles, ancient understandings of gender, the painful reality of living with Roman violence; diverse ideas regarding self-identity, suffering, and death among Jesus’s followers; wide-ranging views of Jesus, Paul, and Mary, the Magdalene; the variety of texts available before there was any such thing as a New Testament, and new perspectives on so-called “Gnosticism” and “heresy.”
The content is divided into six sections which include inspirational introductions, lectures, and resources for further study. Throughout the course, there will also be opportunities for reflection and sharing with fellow students.
Dr. Shirley Paulson and Dr. Deborah N. Saxon
Course Facilitators
Shirley and Deb were active participants in Westar Institute’s Christianity Seminar that led to the production of the book, After Jesus Before Christianity. They bring insider knowledge of the work of the seminar over its eight years and the conclusions that have now come together in book form. This course highlights the most important of these findings—new discoveries regarding the followers of Jesus in the first two centuries C.E. These breakthroughs in understanding have implications for our thinking and practice today. To be forewarned, some of these realizations challenge traditional views, but they also liberate us from outgrown practices that probably never even started with Jesus or his apostles.
Example Curriculum
Welcome
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
1. Rethinking Our Assumptions
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
2. Living in Spite of Rome
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
3. Dying–or not–in Resistance to Rome
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
- Inspirational: Letter of Peter to Philip (1:09)
- Making Sense Out of Jesus's Death by Crucifixion (4:18)
- The Noble Death and the Maccabean Revolt (3:47)
- The Role of Passions in Society and Self-Control (5:22)
- The Spiritual Way: The Lesser Known Path (4:45)
- Perpetua: Martyrdom as a Response (7:07)
- Finding Meaning in Perpetua's Choice for Martyrdom (6:12)
- Optional Quiz for Sections 1 - 3
- Resources for Section 3
- Zoom Recording 10/19/22 (60:28)
4. A Kaleidoscopic View of Jesus
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
- Inspirational: Secret Revelation of John (0:46)
- Understanding Jesus Through a Kaleidoscope (4:13)
- Gender Bending and Gender Pairing (5:58)
- Gender-Blending and Bi-Gender Ideas (3:58)
- Second-Century Portraits of Jesus (6:10)
- Jesus as Savior/Healer: Secret Revelation of John (4:55)
- Key Questions to Ponder for Section 4
- Resources for Section 4
- Zoom Recording 10/26/22 and Chat (62:12)
5. Before the New Testament
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
6. Dissolving Either-Or Categories
Available in
days
days
after you enroll
Related Courses
Check your inbox to confirm your subscription