Paul and His Letter to the Ephesians: Small Group Edition
What you'll learn
- Develop a deeper appreciation for the way Paul presents his message as a prisoner for Christ in this powerful epistle.
- Discern the implications of Paul's message as you look at the present age and manner of life around you
- Understand the heart of Paul's message to the Ephesian church
- Apply the contents and principles of the letter to your own inner life of devotion
- Present a coherent summary of this letter of which seeks to bring together the realities of 'heaven' and 'earth'
- Learn to live out your commitment to King Jesus with the new reality of the one family of God
Requirements
- Students should be curious to learn from one of Paul's most expansive, wonderful epistles, which examines the beauty of God's majestic work in Christ of breaking down barriers and bringing people to the new reality of a fully active family of God, living out its calling by the Spirit of God
- The textbook is Paul for Everyone: The Prison Letters– Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians and Philemon. John Knox Press. ISBN:0664227880.
Description
Prof. N.T. Wright, renowned biblical scholar and historian, will walk you through Paul's Letter to the Ephesians. This course begins with the big picture of God's ultimate intention of bringing forth the joining of 'heaven' and 'earth', reuniting what had been fractured long ago. Paul explains that, through the Messiah, God has brought together one new humanity. This new family of God will lead to a different way of thinking, speaking, and living. In addition, attention is given to the reality of the unseen world as it plays out in the lives of this New Family which lives in unity and holiness. Dig deep into the New Testament through studying this wonderful and practical epistle.
This course is meant to take around thirteen weeks to complete. While you may take the course at your own pace, you are encouraged to take time to reflect upon the material presented in the textbook and in the lectures.
The textbook is Prof. Wright's commentary on Ephesians in the Paul for Everyone series published by John Knox Press in the U.S. and SPCK in the UK.
The structure of the course includes:
Lectures by Prof. Wright
Practice exercises to help you integrate what you learn with your everyday way of thinking and living
Student discussions
Interaction with Prof. David Seemuth, your co-instructor for the course
Textbook readings
Interaction with the biblical text itself
If you are interested in a deeper knowledge of this important letter from the apostle Paul, then you will want to enroll in this course.
Who this course is for:
- This course is intended for anyone who has an interest in the message of the New Testament and who would like to examine the expansive wonder Paul's Letter to the Ephesians of one of the Apostle Paul's most powerful letters.
- This course is designed for a general audience. You do not have to have previous theological training to understand the concepts.
- This course is meant to take time and reflection. It is not meant to be a 'crash course' in the study of the New Testament.
Instructors
- 4.8 Instructor Rating
- 29,035 Reviews
- 124,326 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
- 29,144 Reviews
- 124,455 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
- 28,881 Reviews
- 123,257 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.