Images of Jesus in Christian and Muslim Sacred Writings*

Fall 2012

This course will be conducted as a graduate seminar. We will study in depth images of Jesus in Christian and Muslim sacred writings. On the Christian side, the texts to be examined will include the four canonical Gospels, as well as the “synoptic-type” apocryphal gospels”, but not the Gnostic gospels. On the Muslim side, we shall study the Qur’an, hadith, Tales of the Prophets, and the relevant materials in the works of classical historians. We shall finally look at images of Jesus in some modern and contemporary Christian and Muslim writings. Lectures will be given as the need arises, but greater emphasis will be placed on student participation and class presentations.

The course will be structured around the following major themes in the life and mission of Jesus: his birth, subsequent life and teaching, death and resurrection and eschatology. We shall finally look at some 19^th and 20^th century images and critical investigations of Jesus by both Muslim and Christian thinkers.

Mondays from 6:30-9:30 p.m. starting September 10

Mahmoud Ayoub

Faculty Associate in Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations

(860) 509-9537

mayoub@hartsem.edu

Read more about Mahmoud Ayoub

Syllabus:

Attendance Policy

Attendance and on-time arrival is expected at all class sessions. If you are unable to attend a class session please inform the instructor or teaching assistant in advance so arrangements for make-up work can be made. Since attendance and participation constitute 10% of your grade, excessive tardiness or absence will lower your grade. Students who miss more than three classes will not be able to successfully pass the course.

Course Schedule and weekly readings

Online and other electronically assigned readings are to be printed out and carefully read by the students.

Week 1 – Introducing the course and syllabus

Reading: ch.1 and 2. of Jesus as a Figure in History by Mark Allan Powell

Week 2 –Jesus’ Nativity

Readings: Matthew 1-3 and Luke 1-3, The Other Bible Chapter 5 – The Infancy Gospels

Week 3 – Jesus’ Nativity

Readings Surah 3:33-49; 19:1-38; Tales of the Prophets ch. 86 on Jesus (in SonisWeb); Jesus in Shi’a Narrations – His Birth, His childhood (online - http://www.al-islam.org/jesus_shiite_narrations/); History of Tabari (in SonisWeb)

Week 4 – Life and Teaching

Reading: Matthew 5-7, 12; John 17; Mark 1, Luke 9; Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of the Hebrews, Gospel of the Ebionites from Ch 4 of “The Other Bible”

Week 5 – Life and Teaching

Reading: Luke 16:19-31, Luke 18:1-8, Luke 16:1-13, Matthew 25:14-30

Week 6 – Life and Teaching

Reading: The Muslim Jesus by Tarif Khalidi

Week 7 – Life and Teaching

Reading: Jesus in Shi’a Narrations; Mahmoud Ayoub in A Muslim View of Christianity ch.11 “Jesus the Son of God” & ch.12 “Toward Islamic Christology I”

Week 8 – Death and Resurrection

Reading: Matthew 26-28, Mark 15-16, Luke 22-24, John 18-21, Acts 1:1-11; The Gospel of Nicodemus also known as The Acts of Pilate; the Gospel of Peter; The Gospel of Bartholomew

Week 9 – Death and Resurrection

Reading: Jesus in Shi’a Narrations; Ayoub, “Towards an Islamic Christology, part 2” in A Muslim View of Christianity p156-197; Todd Lawson Ch 4 “Modern Developments” from The Crucifixion and the Qur'ān (in Sonisweb)

Surrah 3:52-55, 4:157-159, 19:19-34

Week 10 – Eschatology

Reading: Revelation, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, 2 Thessalonians 1 & 2, Matthew 25, The Apocalypse of Peter from the Other Bible

Week 11 – Eschatology

Reading: Mishkat al Masabih

Smith and Hadaad in The Muslim World 100:4

Surah 18:98-99, 21:96-7, 43:61

Week 12 – Modern Scholarship of Jesus

Reading: Ch. 3 – 10 of Jesus as a Figure in History by Mark Allan Powell

Week 13 – Modern Scholarship of Jesus

Reading: City of Wrong by M. Kamel Hussein (in SonisWeb)

Week 14 – Completing class presentations and concluding the course

Reading: City of Wrong by M. Kamel Hussein (in SonisWeb)

Week 15 – Completing class presentations and concluding the course

Course Requirements

All students are expected to read and discuss the weekly reading assignments. Every week students are expected to submit a one-page summary/reflection on the reading for that week. Each student will be responsible for leading at least one if not two of the class discussion on the weekly readings. In addition, every student will prepare a major term paper, 15-20 pages in length with proper footnotes or endnotes and bibliography. Students will share their research in brief class presentations scheduled for that purpose.

Grading

Grades will be computed as follows:

Class participation and discussion 25%

Class assignments 25%

Major term paper 50%.

Bibliography

Required Books

The Muslim Jesus: Sayings and Stories in Islamic Literature. Tarif Khalidi

A Muslim View of Christianity - Mahmoud Ayoub

The Other Bible - Willis Barnstone (Editor) or find these texts here: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/apocrypha.html

Jesus as a Figure in History - Mark Allan Powell

City of Wrong by M. Kamel Hussein (online in SonisWeb)