Details for Luke-Acts

Luke-Acts is the two-volume work which tracks the movement from the ministry of Jesus through to the early church (and beyond!). Obviously this text is therefore of great significance in the New Testament (even if just in regards to the size of the combined volumes), and has been used by Pentecostals for over a century in our quest for recovering a truly biblical faith. This unit examines the narrative of Luke-Acts in a way that holds together the historical and theological foci, and seeks to equip you with a solid reading strategy for approaching these remarkable texts.

The unit Luke-Acts is part of the subject area Biblical Studies and is offered as a part of the following Awards: Bachelor of Applied Theology (Korean) (Alphacrucis College (NSW Dept. of Education)), Bachelor of Contemporary Ministry (Alphacrucis College (NSW Dept. of Education)).

Unit Content

Curriculum Objective

This unit provides an investigation of the Lukan material, his continuation of salvation history, and critiques the contemporary Pentecostal use of the same.

Subject Content

1. Identification of Luke’s Genre as Greek Historiography
2. Occasion and Purpose as reconstructed from Luke’s prologue and its propleptic function
3. Luke’s Rhetorical Strategy
4. Narrative world and placing characters within the story
5. Exegesis of individual texts utilizing a redemptive movement hermeneutic
6. Examination of Luke’s Pneumatology
7. Critique of contemporary Pentecostal’s use of Luke
8. Application to ministry

This course may be offered in the following formats

Lectures, guided discussion, guided exegesis, web based/electronic interaction

Please consult your course prospectus or enquire about how and when this course will be offered next at Alphacrucis College.

Assessment Methods

Major Essay (50%, 2500 words); Forum Postings (20%, 2500 words); Exam (25%)

Prescribed Text

Johnson, L.T. The Acts of the Apostles (Sacra Pagina Series). Collegeville: The Liturgical Press, 1992.

Representative References

• Dunn, J.D.G.Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Philadelphia: Westminster, 1970.
• Green, J.B.The Gospel of Luke. NICNT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997.
• Johnson, L.T.Luke, Acts. SP3, 5. Collegeville: Michael Glazier, 1991, 1992.
• Ma, W. and Menzies, R.P. Pentecostalism in Context. JPTS11. Sheffield: SAP, 1997.
• Marshall, I.H. and Peterson, D. Witness to the Gospel. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998.
• McQueen, L.R.Joel and the Spirit. JPTS8. Sheffield: SAP, 1995.
• Neyrey, J.H. (ed.). The Social World of Luke-Acts. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1991.
• Tannehill, R.C. The Narrative Unity of Luke-Acts. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1991, 1994.
• Turner, M. Power from on High. JPTS 9.Sheffield: SAP, 1996.
• Winter, B. (ed.). The Book of Acts in Its First Century Setting; 5 vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1993-96.
• Witherington, B. The Acts of the Apostles. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998.