This course examines the four canonical Gospels to see what each of these four portraits of Jesus tells us. Students will explore the literary and theological relationships between the Gospels, and the major themes each one presents. Students will describe how the teachings of Jesus can be used in our very different circumstances today.

1. Describe scholarly proposals about the literary relationships between the Synoptic Gospels.
2. List the distinctive teachings of each of the four Gospels, and describe how each contributes to a more complete picture of who Jesus was, and what he said and did.
3. Explain the challenges involved in using the Gospels as sources of historical information, and give a reasoned response to the challenges.
4. Analyze a passage in the Gospels in light of its historical and literary setting, to describe its message for the original readers.
5. Describe the cultural and theological differences between Jesus’ circumstances and our own, and explain how his teachings are useful in the church today despite those differences.