Final Exam Questions

Your assignment is to answer one of these questions. You may either e-mail the answers to me, put the typed answers in my mailbox, or deliver same to me by hand. Think in terms of about 900 words (three typed double spaced pages). This is due on the day and time of the final exam (Friday, May 8, 11:30 A.M.).

Keep in mind that this final exam is optional, but it is not non-risk. If you take it, I will count it - so don't take it if you don't plan to do a good job.

A note on collaboration: Since you will be doing this at home, I should say something about what is acceptable and unacceptable regarding working with others on your exam. You are welcome, even encouraged, to prepare with others. However, you must write the essay yourself without the aid of others and certainly without looking at others' answers. While this may seem obvious to most of you, my experience through the years has made it clear to me that it is not obvious to all. If I receive identical exams, or even exams that are obviously simply paraphrases of each other, I will deny credit to all such exams without asking who copied from whom. So, not only should you not look at others' essays, you should jealously guard your own as well.

Have a look at a version of the Papyrus Egerton 2 gospel fragment. How does it fit into the gospel traditions? Use the resources at your desposal to prepare a brief critical introduction to the gospel. What sort of notes might you add? [Note 'Verso' means 'back side' of a papyrus or parchment, 'Recto' means the front side]

Contrast views of the dating of the Synoptic Gospels found in the textbook (Theissen), in the selections we read from John A.T. Robinson, and as presented in class. What are the real issues in this discussion? How is this question important to our understanding of early Christianity in general? How does our conclusion on this issue impact our views of the historical Jesus?

Discuss the issues surrounding 1 Corinthians 14:34-35. Why is this passage problematic? What solutions have been presented to address the problem? How successful are theses solutions? Discus the relationship between this passage and 1 Timothy 2:12-15. What other passages in the New Testament bear on this issue? Other early Christian literature?

How is antinomianism different than libertinism and Epicureanism? How do Gnosticism and Paul's view of righteousness feed into any of these positions as they may have been advocated in early Christianity? What evidence is there that they actually were practiced? What evidence can be brought to bear that they were not? How is this related to what we know about Hellenistic mystery religions and their esoteric practices?

Last Modified Apr. 30, 2004 by Alan Humm humm@ccat.sas.upenn.edu