Themes in the Gospel of John

The Gospel of John has been a favorite of many readers of the New Testament and is full of beauty, mystery, and, occasionally, surprises. Jesus, in this Gospel, points to a new way of living. It is the Kingdom of God way of life. This way of life was in contrast to the normal Roman way of living in the first century A.D as much as it is in contrast to what most people in the twenty-first century experience. 

The course approaches the Gospel of John in a way that looks at seven key themes. These themes bind the Fourth Gospel together in a manner that allows us to see this 'new way of living' as possible for followers of King Jesus. In so doing, we then apply these themes to the current era in order to ask ourselves questions about how we are putting them into practice. In a way, this is the story of how to live out being the presence of God on earth through the indwelling of God's spirit.

Students will encounter these seven themes through understanding many biblical references which Prof. Wright explains. The course is not an 'exegetical' walk through the text. Rather, the explanation of cultural and historical background of our era is explored to help us apply the Gospel of John to today's world. This makes the study very application oriented.