The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the collection of writings that we come to call the New Testament. In this course students will become familiar with the historical background, literary characteristics, and theological ideas that lead to the production of this text. In addition to the traditional historical-critical approach to the text, explicitly or implicitly, students will be introduced to other hermeneutical methods that have been historically marginalized by biblical traditions and/or writers themselves that will help us deconstruct these texts and reconstruct interpretations that are socially, ethically, and politically relevant to the world we live.  [Auditors With Faculty Permission]