Extra Credit Opportunities - Due by 2 PM Friday, Dec 12 in my box in the Philosophy Office or via email attached in Word or WordPerfect or pdf gile.

Extra Credit - 15 points total possible for extra credit, points depending on quality of your answer. 

1. Read one of the following. Outline the thesis/es or main points made. Offer a brief reaction and analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the argument. Be sure to point to specific passages from John where relevant.

Robert Kysar, "Chapter 3 - Seeing is Believing–Johannine Concepts of Faith" from John the Maverick Gospel, Rev. Ed. (Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 1993.) 78-96.

Robert Kysar, "Chapter 4-Eternity is Now–Johannine Eschatology" from John the Maverick Gospel, Rev. Ed. (Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 1993.) 97-127.

15 points - ask me for copies of these.

2. Reread Barr’s "Introduction." Write an essay summarizing three key points he makes and giving examples of how these points have surfaced throughout the course so far. OR, write an essay summarizing three key points he makes and how these have been helpful to your understanding of the material we have read so far in the course. 15 points

3. Write an essay describing key three elements of your overall impressions of the Gospel of Thomas. You should discuss at least three sayings in your essay. You may want to consider what kind of cosmology, anthropology (view of humans), soteriology (theory of salvation), eschatology, or community ethos the Gospel of Thomas presupposes; Thomas literary characteristics, etc.. 15 points

4. Barr Chapter 14 begins to talk specifically about the quest for the historical Jesus on p.481 Answer the following questions with a summary of Barr’s key points in answer to each.

What does Barr say about the nature of the sources?

What does Barr say about the nature of history and the role of the modern historian?

What is the distinction between the "historical Jesus" and "the Christ of Faith"?

What are the presuppositions of different groups of scholars? What differences might result in historical reconstruction depending on which of the presuppositions is adopted?

What are the three "negative" criteria employed by conservative scholars? Do you agree or disagree with Barr that these do little except to eliminate obvious anachronisms?

What are the "positive criteria" and what is the goal and level of probability of each according to Barr (486-90)?

15 points