Aware 1980 no.2

              NEWS AND INFORMATION
FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF
GARRETT-EVANGELICAL
THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
SPRING 1980
Dr. Robert Jewett, New Testament Scholar, Joins Faculty
Dr. Robert Jewett will join the Garrett-
Evangelical faculty on July 1, 1980 as pro-fessor
of New Testament Interpretation.
Honored as a scholar, teacher, writer, and
lecturer, Jewett is recognized as one of
the outstanding American figures in New
Testament Scholarship. His studies on the
Pauline Epistles have earned the highest
praise in the field.
In a discipline dominated by Euro-peans,
his technical expertise has erased
the "American" qualifier of his sphere of
influence. Jewett's A Chronology of Paul's
Life, published in 1979 and considered the
most important work done on the subject,
has already gained critical acclaim in
Europe and is being translated by a
Munich publisher for release in Germany
later this year.
His most recent book, Jesus Against
the Rapture, deals with seven sayings of
the historical Jesus about the end times.
But his interests eclipse the traditional
confines of biblical study and have set him
apart as a voice to society at large. Two of
his books, The Captain America Complex
and The American Monomyth, explore
cultural ideology in relation to the Bible
and the teachings of Christ. Both books
have won popular and critical admiration
for their scholarly treatment of modern
historical as well as biblical detail.
Other books and articles on subjects
ranging from the Galatian Congregation to
the Watergate conspirators, from the life
of Paul to life as depicted in "Roots," fur-ther
demonstrate Jewett's microscopic-telescopic
knowledge of the Bible and the
human condition. He has contributed ar-ticles
for the Interpreter's Oictionary of
the Bible, the Journal of Biblical
Literature, Novum Testamentum, the
Christian Century, and the Journal of
Popular Culture. '
Jewett holds degrees from the Univer-sity
of Tubingen, Germany, Th.D.; the Uni-versity
of Chicago, B.D.; and Nebraska
Wesleyan University, B.A. Prior to his ac-cepting
the Garrett-Evangelical post he
was a teacher of religious studies at
Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa.
He was formerly a pastor of United
Methodist and Federated churches in Il-linois
and Nebraska.
Jewett is a member of the Society of
Biblical Literature, the American
Academy of Religion, Society of New
Testament Studies, and the American
Society of Christian Ethics. He is currently
chairperson of the "Pauline Epistles Sec-tion"
of the Society of Biblical Literature
national meeting and is one of five
scholars selected to offer a course of lec-tures
for the Associates of Scholars Press
at the forthcoming national meeting. Also
"in the works" are books and commen-taries
commissioned by Fortress, West-minster,
and United Church Press.
He has taught courses in New Testa-ment,
theology and history at Iliff School
of Theology and Wesley Theological
Seminary and has lectured at several
schools and universities, including Union
Theological Seminary, Boston University
School of Theology, Chicago Theological
Seminary, and Lehigh and Rice Univer-sities.
For the past two-and-one-half years
faculty, students, and administration have
been in discussion with alumni/ae, Boards
of Ordained Ministry and judicatory
representatives, and, in the case of the
Ph.D. curriculum, with Northwestern Uni-versity.
These discussions have aimed to
evaluate theological education and to
develop new curricula that conserve the
best of the past while at the same time
preparing thoroughly and wisely for the
future.
This spring the process has finally been
completed, and the seminary has com-pletely
new curricula for all its degree pro-grams-
Master of Divinity, Master of
A Curriculum For The '80s
Christian Education, Master of Sacred
Theology, Doctor of Ministry and Doctor
of Philosophy.
The new curriculum for the basic
degree programs includes foundational
study in each of three areas-the Chris-tian
Tradition in Scripture and History,
Theology and Ethics, and the Theory and
Practice of Christian Ministry.
As Dean Carl Marbury has said, "It is
very difficult to come up with an ideal
definition of what one means by a
'foundational' or 'core' curriculum in a
graduate professional school/seminary."
Dr. Marbury continued, "First, a foun-dational
curriculum expresses the con-side
red opinion of the faculty as to what
fields of knowledge and skills constitute
that spectrum of competence for which a
degree stands. To establish such a foun-dation
for the M.Div. degree, one must
pose the right question: 'If we prepare
students for competent professional
ministry, what are the absolute basics and
priorities? What is it we are now doing that
has proven itself, and is worthy of con-tinuation,
and what are those things we
need to discard and/or improve upon?'
"There is a second meaning of founda-tional
curriculum," Dr. Marbury said.
"Within each field there may be, in the
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