NEW COURSE
RELIGION 1315 / HDS 1761 – Early Christian Apocrypha
Semester: Fall
Offered: 2023
Instructor: Giovanni Bazzana
Meeting Time: Th 3:00pm – 5:30pm
This course will survey the rich and diverse array of writings produced by early Christians in the first few centuries of the common era and usually put under the label of “Apocrypha”. Combining the direct reading of primary texts with that of modern literature, the course will highlight the historical, literary, and theological significance of the “apocryphal continent”. Through a series of focused case studies selected from different dates and genres, the course will discuss several traditional and emerging themes in the research on apocryphal texts, like, e.g., the definition of “apocryphon” and its relationship with the canon formation, the social dimension of apocryphal literature (on themes like the role of women in narratives or the attitude towards enslavement), the treatment of Jews and Judaism, or the influence of apocrypha on the Christian imagination and contemporary popular culture. Beginners Greek (two semesters or the equivalent) is required.
Course Requirements: Beginners Greek (two semesters or the equivalent) is required.
Offered jointly with: Harvard Divinity School as HDS 1761
For more details please visit the Harvard Course Catalog.