The purpose of this course is to examine the social, political, economic, and religious environment of Israel in the time of Jesus. Part of the course will look specifically at conditions in Galilee, the region where Jesus spent most of his life. While Jesus himself is not the focal point of the course, the readings and lectures will help to shed light on Jesus as a first-century historical figure.
Christopher Stanley is Professor of Theology at St. Bonaventure University in western New York. Stanley has published widely in the field of New Testament studies and his most recent book, The Hebrew Bible: A Comparative Approach, will be published by Prentice Hall in 2006.