1 Corinthians: Transforming a Divided Church BIB523 / B
What does it mean to seek unity amid deep divisions? In this course, we will explore Paul鈥檚 first letter to the Corinthians 鈥� a letter written to a fractured church struggling with internal conflict, competing allegiances, and spiritual pride. Through this letter, Paul proclaims the cross of Christ not merely as a theological doctrine but as a radical principle that reorients relationships, power dynamics, and communal life. Our primary goal is to examine how the gospel, centered on the wisdom of the cross, provides a transformative vision for healing division. Rather than treating 1 Corinthians as a series of disconnected topics, this course offers students an interpretive framework that traces a coherent theological thread through the entire letter. We will engage in close exegetical work, whether or not students have prior knowledge of Greek, utilizing historical-critical and contextual approaches. Special attention will be given to the social, political, and cultural realities of the Corinthian church and how they intersect with Paul鈥檚 pastoral strategy. Students will be invited to consider how Paul鈥檚 vision of reconciliation might speak into the conflicts that shape our own congregations, communities, and lives today, and to imagine how faithful witness can emerge from even the most divided spaces.