The Gospel According to John

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CBF programs are committed to providing participants with a meaningful experience of the bible,the people, and the land by presenting various interpretations and reflections on the Scripture text from both Christian and Jewish perspectives as well as its implications in contemporary times through the following elements:

·  12-14 sessions delivered by the primary lecturer including 3-4 sessions via Zoom

·  Up to six sessions facilitated by Jewish professors

·  Up to six sessions facilitated by the Sisters of Our Lady of Sion, their associates and friends

·  At least two sessions dedicated to becoming more familiar with the geopolitical situation in Israel and its implications

·  Input on Islam in the context of interreligious dialogue and relevant Church documents(i.e., Nostra Aetate)

·  Up to four excursions related to the Scripture text being studied; Galilee being one of the excursions

·  Liturgical celebrations in holy sites (to be determined by the group)

·  An opportunity to attend synagogue service/s

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“What are you looking for?” (John 1:38). Jesus’ first words invite hearers of the Gospel into a journey of discovery: Who is Jesus? What does his presence signify for the cosmos and for hearers? Prior knowledge of Jesus traditions is refracted from the prologue onwards giving a specific Johannine colouring to Jesus’ characterisation. By accepting Jesus, hearers become children of God. The Gospel unfolds the blessings that God provides through Jesus and the Spirit to his children while also addressing the rejection by the world. Tensions are noted across various axes, between a realised and future eschatology, free will and determinism, positive and some very negative statements on Judaism, and dualistic language. Qumran and other discoveries have helped to shed new light on these tensions and how they might have been heard in the first century. Through historical, literary, narrative, and rhetorical approaches, the biographical tale of Jesus within the Gospel and the cosmological tale of Jesus as Lord and Redeemer will be explored. How was this Gospel heard in the first century? How might it be heard in the twenty-first century? How might the Gospel so full of polemical passages be ethically interpreted?

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