Paul and His Letter to Philemon
Requirements
- This course only requires a desire to learn about the New Testament. No other materials are required.
Description
The Apostle Paul is known particularly for some of his longer letters such as his letter to the Romans. In Paul's letter to Philemon, we encounter his shortest letter. But don't let that fool you into thinking there isn't much there. In this course Prof. N.T. Wright will present abundant material from this little epistle to comprehend and ponder about those who became followers of King Jesus and how they were to live. This way of life was in contrast to the normal Roman way of living in the first century A.D.
The course compares two letters which address a nearly identical issue: what to do about a runaway servant. Prof. N.T. Wright unpacks Paul's letter to Philemon, which addresses concerns about the 'runaway' named Onesimus. Prof. Wright then explains the situation and setting surrounding the letter of Pliny the Younger to Sabinianus about an unnamed runaway. The social structures endemic to Rome become visible and understandable in such a way to see how Paul's new way of life was meant to confront social norms.
Who this course is for:
- This free course is a great introduction to the study of the New Testament and to the teaching ministry of Prof. N.T. Wright. This is a short course, so it is perfect for those who want to 'taste' the environment of online learning on Udemy. This course also gives a great insight into how the courses produced by N.T. Wright Online for Udemy work. This course is not for those who wish to argue about theology.
Instructors
- 4.8 Instructor Rating
- 28,162 Reviews
- 122,847 Students
- 42 Courses
N.T Wright received his BA, MA and D.Phil. from Oxford University. He taught New Testament at Cambridge, McGill and Oxford Universities 1978-1993. He was Dean of Lichfield, then Canon of Westminster, then Bishop of Durham (Church of England), 1994-2010. Prof. Wright is Professor Emeritus of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of St Andrews, Scotland, and is currently Senior Research Fellow at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University. He has published over 85 books and hundreds of articles. In 2014 Prof. Wright received the Burkitt Medal from the British Academy for services to New Testament scholarship. He enjoys music, golf the Isle of Harris, and spending time with his family in the midst of a busy schedule of writing and travelling.
- 4.8 Instructor Rating
- 28,267 Reviews
- 122,969 Students
- 43 Courses
David Seemuth has a Ph.D. from Marquette University in the field of Religious Studies with an emphasis on New Testament Theology. He has taught at the graduate level for over 30 years at numerous universities and seminaries. He also has 21 years of on-line teaching experience. His passion is to see that people not only understand the Scripture, but also apply them to daily life.
- 4.8 Instructor Rating
- 28,021 Reviews
- 121,878 Students
- 41 Courses
Jennifer Loop is currently a doctoral student at Durham University. She is the Director of Ministry Engagement for the Wisconsin Center for Christian Studies, and plays a critical role in the online education, both organizational and theological, by guiding the online student experience. Jennifer enjoys engaging with a virtual community of diverse students and learners to explore how theology, faith and practice intersect.