Group  Reports - 50 points

Each group will have 40 minutes to present. I will grade the reports on content, form and the outlines/overheads/powerpoints you will provide for me and the class.

Group Presentation Grade Sheet -

Title of Presentation:

Group Members: 

Form - 12 points possible

1. Clarity for audience with diverse backgrounds and majors. Can all students understand your points or are you presupposing knowledge of jargon or terms that not all will have?

2. Good organization.

3. Capturing audience attention, engaging the audience, responding to questions or comments deftly.

4. Effective use of voice/audio and/or visuals. (Talk loud enough and slowly enough for everyone to hear and understand. If used, make sure any other sort of audio can be heard clearly. Make sure people will be able to see and understand any charts or other visuals).

6. Easily read handouts, outlines, powerpoints, or other aids for listeners to understand your key points. Format easy to follow.

7. Attention to time limits. Leave at least five minutes for student questions.

Content - 38 points possible

1. Covered key issues, ideas, presuppositions, assumptions, findings of the material read and researched.  (I'll need access to anything I have not provided to you or is not readily available.  For example, photocopies, URL's, etc.)

2. Key Points Discerned and Summarized given time limits.  Imagine you have only forty minutes (because you only have forty minutes and folks tend to take more time than they think they will), what are the key points that listeners should take away? You’ll have to boil the material down. What do you want your listeners to take away and remember from your presentation? Key points should be clear.

Possible Topics

Topics Related to the Quest for the Historical Jesus

History of the Quest for the Historical Jesus - Powell chapter and Theissen and Merz chapter

E.P. Sanders - Powell chapter on Sanders from Jesus as a Figure in History and excerpts from The Historical Figure of Jesus, 33-48, 196-204

Jesus Seminar - Powell Chapter on the Jesus Seminar from Jesus as a Figure in History and Five Gospels introduction; additional further background info

John Dominic Crossan - Powell chapter on Crossan from Jesus as a Figure in History and excepts from The Historical Jesus: The Life of a Mediterranean Peasant, xi-xxvi and Chapter 11 - John and Jesus

Borg and Wright on "What did Jesus do and Teach", pp. 31-78 from The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions (Powell chapters on Borg and Wright from Jesus as a Figure in History on regular reserve would also be excellent background)

Borg and Wright on "God Raised from the Dead", pp.111-144 from The Meaning of Jesus: Two Visions; (Powell chapters on Borg and Wright from Jesus as a Figure in History on regular reserve would also be excellent background)

Other Topics:

Colossians - literary/rhetorical, historical/social, theological/philosophical, Barr Chapter plus.

Hebrews - literary/rhetorical, historical/social, theological/philosophical, Barr Chapter plus.

James - literary/rhetorical, historical/social, theological/philosophical - Barr plus.

Protoevangelium of James, Shepard of Hermas, or other non-canonical early Christian text

Gospel for All Christians Controversy - Were the gospels each written for specific community OR were they addressed to all Christians in the Mediterranean world.  I'll give you some readings and you can do more research if you wish.

ETC.