CLASS PREVIEW: Paul the Pharisee with John Dominic Crossan
Faith & Politics in a Divided World - New Five-Week Online Class!
Hey Theology Nerds!
Next week, we’re launching our new class on “Paul the Pharisee” with the legendary New Testament scholar John Dominic Crossan. The feedback on the first pre-recorded lecture has been SO good that we thought you might want to watch it as a preview of what’s to come!
Watch Dom’s visual lecture on Paul and Thecla, and then sign up for the entire class to get access to all the lectures and five Q&A livestreams during Lent.
This is a donation-based class, which means you can donate whatever you want - including $0!
About the 5-Week Online Lenten Class
John Dominic Crossan is BACK for a five-week online Lenten class on “Paul the Pharisee: Faith & Politics in a Divided World.” This course examines the Apostle Paul as a Pharisee deeply engaged with the turbulent political and religious landscape of his time.
Through the lens of his letters and historical context, we will explore Paul’s understanding of Jesus’ Life-Vision, his interpretation of the Execution-and-Resurrection, and their implications for nonviolence and faithful resistance against empire. Each week, we will delve into a specific aspect of Paul’s theology and legacy, reflecting on its relevance for our own age of autocracy and political turmoil.
What to Expect in the Class
5 Visual Lectures - Each pre-recorded video lecture will feature Dr. Crossan and powerful visual teaching from his many visits across the Holy Land.
5 Livestream QnAs - Each livestream session will feature a QnA with Dr. Crossan and Dr. Tripp Fuller, and replays will be available if you can’t join us live. Submit your questions ahead of time for Dr. Crossan to answer!
Online Discussion Group - Everyone will be invited to join the private Facebook group to connect with other participants and access all lectures and livestream replays on the Class Resource Page. (If you don’t use Facebook, this does not impact your enjoyment of all the lectures or livestreams.)
ASYNCHRONOUS CLASS: You can participate fully without being present at any specific time. Lectures and livestream replays are available on the Class Resource Page.
CHURCH GROUPS: You are welcome to use this class for your Sunday School class or small group! More details available here in our FAQs.
COST: A course like this is typically offered for $250 or more, but we invite you to contribute whatever you can to help make this possible for everyone - including $0!
Based on Dom’s New Book!
By the year 60 CE, two distinct early versions of the Gospel had emerged. One, known as the Q-Gospel, focused entirely on the teachings and vision of Jesus—his message of justice, compassion, and the Kingdom of God—and did not mention his death or resurrection.
The other, rooted in the writings of Paul, emphasized Jesus’ death and resurrection as the Christ while largely overlooking his life and teachings. This course explores the striking contrast between these perspectives and delves into Paul’s unique understanding of Jesus’ mission.
As a Pharisee, Paul interpreted Jesus’ execution and resurrection through the lens of his Jewish faith, offering a vision that continues to shape Christianity today.
Watch the Introduction to the Class!
Livestream Schedule - Replays Available
WEEK 01
Paul & Thecla: The Visionary Response of Thecla
Livestream QnA: Thursday, March 13th (11am PT / 2pm ET)
Objective: Explore the story of Thecla as a visionary response to Paul’s teachings. We will be focused on...
The relationship between Paul and Thecla.
The impact of gender and agency in early Christian communities.
Thecla’s visionary role in embodying and expanding Paul’s Life-Vision.
WEEK 02
Paul & Luke: The Fictional History of Luke-Acts
Livestream QnA: Thursday, March 20th (11am PT / 2pm ET)
Objective: Analyze the narrative intent behind Luke-Acts in crafting a “fictional history” of Paul. We will be focused on...
Historical context of Luke-Acts.
Contrasts between Paul’s letters and Luke’s portrayal.
How Luke-Acts shaped Paul’s legacy.
WEEK 03
Paul & Rome: The Violent Normalcy of Civilization
Livestream QnA: Thursday, March 27th (11am PT / 2pm ET)
Objective: Examine Paul’s engagement with the Roman Empire and its implications for understanding civilization’s “violent normalcy.” We will be focused on...
Paul’s Roman citizenship and its complexities.
Early Christian resistance to empire.
The cultural and theological ramifications of Paul’s writings.
WEEK 04
Paul & Josephus: The Challenge of Nonviolent Resistance
Livestream QnA: Thursday, April 3rd (11am PT / 2pm ET)
Objective: Compare Paul’s teachings with Josephus’ writings on nonviolence and resistance. We will be focused on...
Josephus’ historical narratives and their parallels to Paul.
Theological reflections on nonviolent resistance.
The challenge of aligning Paul’s vision with practical action.
WEEK 05
Paul & Christ: The Mystery of Execution-and-Resurrection
Livestream QnA: Thursday, April 10th (11am PT / 2pm ET)
Objective: Delve into Paul’s understanding of the Execution-and-Resurrection as the central mystery of faith. We will be focused on...
Paul’s theological emphasis on the Messiah.
How Paul interpreted Jesus’ execution and resurrection.
The significance of this mystery for early Christians and contemporary faith practices.
Meet Our Hosts
Dr. John Dominic Crossan
John Dominic Crossan is an Irish-American biblical scholar with two-year post-doctoral diplomas in exegesis from Rome’s Pontifical Biblical Institute and in archeology from Jerusalem’s École Biblique. He has been a mendicant friar and a catholic priest, a Co-Chair of the Jesus Seminar, and a President of the Society of Biblical Literature. His focus, whether scholarly or popular, whether in books, videos, or lectures, is on the historical Jesus as the norm and criterion for the entire Christian Bible. His reconstructed Jesus incarnates nonviolent resistance to the Romanization of his Jewish homeland and the Herodian commercialization of his Galilean lake as present program and future hope of a transformed world and transfigured earth. Crossan’s method is to situate biblical texts within the reconstructed matrix of their own their own genre and purpose, their own time and place, and to hear them accurately for then before accepting or rejecting them for now.
Dr. Tripp Fuller
Luther Theological Seminary
Homebrewed Christianity
Theology Class
Tripp recently moved back to North Carolina and started as Visiting Professor of Theology at Luther Theological Seminary after three years as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Theology & Science at the University of Edinburgh. He recently released Divine Self-Investment: a Constructive Open and Relational Christology, the first book in the Studies in Open and Relational Theology series. For over 15 years Tripp has been doing the Homebrewed Christianity podcast (think on-demand internet radio) where he interviews different scholars about their work so you can get nerdy in traffic, on the treadmill, or doing the dishes. Last year it had over 4 million downloads. It also inspired a book series with Fortress Press called the Homebrewed Christianity Guides to... topics like God, Jesus, Spirit, Church History, etc. Tripp is a very committed and (some of his friends think overly) engaged Lakers fan and takes Star Wars and Lord of the Rings very seriously.
