Exploring the New Testament

An introductory online Unit for anyone who wants to know more about the New Testament.

Most people who seek to study the New Testament in particular are wanting to know more about Jesus Christ. Most are drawn to the Person they confess as Lord and Saviour. There may be parts of this Unit that surprise you; other parts may challenge or even disturb you; and it is possible that some parts you will find hard to understand how this relates to your faith.

If getting to know Jesus is your ambition then the New Testament is a good starting point.

During this Unit you will have the opportunity to read or peruse through the whole of the New Testament and to learn something of what each book has to say, its context at the time of writing, and to consider the timeless messages it has for us today.

'Exploring the New Testament' has been created around Worship and Preaching Competencies for Biblical studies from the ‘Assembly Standards and Competencies for the Formation and Education for the Specified Ministry of Lay Preacher‘ and covers:

• Introduction to interpreting Scripture with Uniting Church perspectives
• The world of the New Testament, the Scriptures and the emerging Christian communities
• The life of Jesus, his teaching and preaching, and death and resurrection
• The earliest written witness – Paul’s life, theology and influence through his epistles
• The Gospels – Mark, Matthew, Luke and John
• The emerging Church – Acts, Hebrews and the other epistles
• “And finally…” Experiencing Revelation

Participants can take this Unit in 2 ways:

• working through as much as the online material as they need, and attending the online Monday night tutorials

• working through the online material, attending the online Monday night tutorials and completing the assessments

Lay Preacher Candidates may take this Unit (including assessment) as part of their Lay Preacher studies. Current Lay Preachers can take this Unit as Continuing Education. This Unit is also great for those seeking to deepen their faith and their knowledge of the New Testament.

Cost: $50. All Unit participants are required to have a copy of Pheme Perkins, “Reading the New Testament: an Introduction” (3rd Edition), Paulist Press, 2012.

It will also be helpful if you are able to obtain a copy of William Loader, The New Testament with Imagination, A fresh approach to its Writings and Themes, Eerdmans, 2007.