Classes » SCRI 525-Virtual, Winter 2026

Name

The Gospels

Description

The objects of this course are to gain an appreciation for and knowledge of the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John to understand their purpose and meaning, their historical significance and relationship to the life and person of Jesus. Each Gospel will be studied individually, considering the theology, history, and literary dimensions of each. We will also address theories of the formation of the Gospels (“Synoptic Question”), including the relationship of the Gospel of John to the Synoptic Gospels, oral tradition, historical and literary concerns, issues of interpretation of sacred Scripture, and the role of the Gospels in the life of the Church.

In this introduction to the Gospels, we will concentrate on the theological content of the Gospels in an integrative manner by considering the themes common amongst all the Gospels. In our study we will rely on our reading of the Gospels, Church documents, such as Dei Verbum and The Historicity of the Gospels (PBC), and current scholarly secondary literature. We will also study the unique elements of each Gospel, such as Mark’s focus on Jesus as suffering servant, Matthew’s concentration on Jesus as the divine teacher, Luke’s parables as examples of God’s unbounded mercy, and John’s presentation of Jesus as the Logos, the divine Word of God, come to earth to offer eternal life to humanity.

By studying the four Gospels together we will also consider anew the relationship of John with the three Synoptic Gospels. Although much modern scholarship has denied John's familiarity with the three Synoptic Gospels, current scholarship has suggested that John knew and used the narratives of Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

Credits

3.0

Semester

Winter 2026

Instructor

Dr. John Martens

Schedules

Mondays, 18:00 to 21:00, Virtual

Capacity

0/30

Tuition

$1,110.00
This tuition applies to domestic full-time students. Tuitions for international, senior, and auditing students may vary.

Fees

(None)